HIS CLAIM

63

“But I won’t forgive you for not letting us meet her sooner.” My mother gave me a stern glare.

“I wasn’t trying to keep her a secret.” I said as I looked up to the balcony. The light was on in her room and her silhouette was moving around. She was most likely unpacking.

“Someone is after her and I’ve been trying to figure out who it is.” I looked back at my mother, seeing her brows slightly raised at the information.

“I had planned on taking her here to meet you weeks ago…” My gaze shifted to the ground. I rolled my neck to get rid of the tension in my body that started to build up.

“She got attacked. I had Antonio and Logan  watch her, but they took them all by surprise and broke into her home, chasing her and her mother. She watched her mother get stabbed in front of her, and she…” I let out a breath and she looked at me concerned.

“We lost a baby that night.” I told her. My mother let out a small gasp, putting her hand on her chest. I forced down every single emotion that wanted to surface, and into a dark corner.

I tried not to think about it. It often let me wonder what it would have been like right now if it didn’t happen… What she would have looked like. She would be showing now, something I so desperately wanted to witness. The image I had painted in my mind of how she would look with a pregnant belly, had me close my eyes for a bit before I shoved it away.

“…You were going to have a baby?” My mother looked at me in shock.

“She was pregnant?” She whispered and I gave her a short nod. Neither of us said anything after that. It was visible to see she was trying to process the information.

“Did you get them?” Her voice was laced with anger and her eyes turned cold.

“Some of them.” I frowned, not happy that it was only some.

“Good.” She gave me an approving nod.

“It won’t be long before I get to the one behind it. That’s why I took her here, to keep her safe for a little while… I almost lost her, madre.” I shook my head and ran a hand through my hair.

“I can’t go through that again. Not with Elsa.” She was the only one who had the power to completely destroy, and if I lost her… I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I did.

“Listen to me, my son.” My mother placed her hands on either side of my face to make me look at her firm expression.

“You won’t lose her as I do not doubt you will do everything you can to keep her safe. Sienna was a different story, and you’re not the same as you were back then. You’ve grown and become wiser. You are Nicholas Donavan and my son. Don’t you forget that.” She finished with her usual warm smile and a soft look in her eyes. Her words made me the corner of my mouth upwards.

“Grazie, madre.” I got up from the sunbed and embraced her, placing a kiss on top of her head.

“Anytime, my son.”

The sound of a balcony door opening made me look up at Elsa’s room. She was nowhere to be seen with the light off but she had opened the door, and I took that as my cue.

“Are you going to climb up to her?” My mother chuckled and I smirked.

“I am. If you don’t mind, I would like to get to my woman now.”

“She’s all yours. I will make sure your Nonna doesn’t know, but you better be out before she wakes up.” She sang out and made her way back inside.

I waited and smoked another cigarette. I scanned my surroundings, taking my time to make sure the coast was clear. I scoffed out loud in the process that my grandmother was making me behave like a fucking hormonal teenager.