NICCOLÒ

17. Unprotected

"Okay," she agreed quietly. "Uh- stay safe." She phrased it like a question, her tone filled with confusion.

"I'll come back for you," he said darkly, his words holding a promise. He hung up.

She passed the phone back to Luca wordlessly as he smirked at her.

"What can I do for you?" he tease, leaning back in his chair. "Apologies for not being the Romano you actually wanted to see- "

Cee glared at him, a hot blush rising to her cheeks. "Never mind," she said frostily, ignoring Luca's glee. She spun on her heel, marching out of his office.

"Don't be mad, Cee!" Luca's laughter echoed after her.

"Bless you, Miss," Rosa blew her a kiss, following after another woman to the back door. "Mama will miss you!" She waved again to the baby in Cee's arms, sleeping soundly.

Rosa's friends were taking her out shopping for baby clothes, toys - the whole lot. She needed the time off from being a mother, especially as a single mother still grieving.

Cee smiled to them as the door closed, looking down at baby Daisy. She was beautiful - like her mother - with flawless black skin, angelic wisps of dark hair and a soft smile on her chubby face.

She hummed softly to Daisy, cradling her gently; she loved children. Looking after Daisy reminded her of her sister, Caterina, when she was young - Cee had always been good with kids. They always liked her - probably because she could never say no if they asked for something.

Stefano and Katherine were standing by the door, watching passively. When you were followed around 24/7, you learn to ignore them.

Cee brought Daisy to the kitchen, to see Flo and the other girls; she woke up very briefly, enjoying the attention as the women cooed at her, before giving a wail and crying - Cee took her into the gardens to calm down.

The cool air was soothing to Daisy - she fell back asleep almost instantly - and Cee wandered around the grounds, taking Daisy past the rose bushes, the walnut tree, the living spaces.

Snowdrops were beginning to appear, dotted around at the stream running along the bottom of the garden. A small wooden bridge curved neatly to the other side, where - a few metres away - a rough path had been worn from the vehicles checking the perimeter of the Romano grounds.

"If I lived here," Cee whispered to Daisy, still sleeping soundly, "I'd plant a vegetable patch, just beyond the bridge." Daisy yawned, stretching out her tiny fists, before giving a soft snore.

Cee heard a rustle of leaves, unusual in the still afternoon. She half-turned, glancing up at the branches of the trees that shielded the chain link fence from view, expecting to see birds or a squirrel.

Instead, she saw the glint of light on metal - but it wasn't the perimeter fence. She squinted, searching for the glimmer of light again.

"Get down!" Stefano roared, diving at Cee. She was knocked to the ground, her back thudding painfully against the earth. There was a small thud as a bullet hit the soil. Katherine returned fire, his gun shots echoing through the air - Cee gasped for air, clutching Daisy tightly - she was wailing now.

Stefano yanked her to her feet, shoving her in the direction of the House. "Move!" he ordered, ducking her head, glancing over his shoulder. Katherine swore, knocked backwards as a bullet imbedded itself in her shoulder.

Romano men streamed across the lawn, sprinting towards Cee; someone barrelled towards Katherine, loading his gun as he ran - there was a thump as a body hit the ground -