I Love You (Eu amo você) {MJ FANFICTION}

Chapter 15

The creaky wooden door struggled open when her soft fingertips pushed against it.

The sunlight barely streamed through the thick curtains that concealed the window on the opposite side.

She stepped into the darkened atmosphere. Conscious of the passing time, aware that a member of Michael's personnel was currently awaiting her return in the car outside of her tiny apartment.

She had wanted to grab a change of clothing and perhaps spares for the next few days as Michael had promised her a safe place to sleep if she agreed to go back to his villa.

It was more than she could have ever hoped for. A dashing young man from overseas to come out of the blue and offer her an open door into his abundant life purely out of love.

But still, as her eyes scanned the thin tattered carpet below her feet, an eerie feeling presumed to tug at her as it had been all morning.

She guessed the feeling had been down to the harrowing thought of leaving everything she knew behind to go searching for her son, and then after, having to be responsible for another human being.

It seemed so impossible to her.

How could she hope to love him when she had lost the ability to love a long time ago? What kind of a mother would she turn out to be, trying to love when she did not even love herself. It was a deep agonising fear that had stopped her from sleeping the night before. It was a fear she couldn't even tell Michael about, for she knew he would not understand it from his own perspective.

He believed wholeheartedly that she was and should be a mother, and in a way she had wanted to believe him. But in her heart of hearts she could not foresee a bright future as Gabriel's mother.

She sighed heavily, hoping to alleviate the mounting pressure in her stomach. When she turned around, she pushed the door firmly closed until finally the lock clicked. Her eyes remained on her arms as she witnessed the goosebumps scattered under her skin despite the humid air. A peculiar feeling washed over her and she couldn't tell if it was the eery sound of her entry, or the dark atmosphere that had caused it. She swallowed. Her spirit perturbed while her hands fell away from the door. Then as her head lifted and she stood in the murky silence, she felt her heart nearly stop as a large calloused hand reached out and sealed her mouth.

A shrill cry tried to escape. The back of her head touched a masculine shoulder. She'd heard plastic cups go clattering to the ground as she moved with haste to find a solid grip on the kitchen counter but her attempt was futile.

Her attacker dragged her further into the room and then with a quick push she felt her body quickly sail through the air and land in the single sofa in the corner of the room.

Lia blinked, her head lifting to meet her attackers eyes for the first time and when she finally saw the darkened shadow ahead, she began to tremble.

She found herself staring deeply into his eyes as he gestured to her, one shaky finger rising up over his lips, wordlessly instructing her not to make a sound. Her cries had become a rushing pant as he walked over to the window and slid the curtain open slightly, peering outside just enough so as not to be seen himself.

"Damiáo..."

Finally he let the blinds fall shut then took slow steps toward her before he knelt down on one knee, peering closely at her. "Lia...grancina..." he cupped her face and she nudged her head immediately out of his grasp. "I missed you..." He leaned in despite her visible disgust and kissed her flushed cheek, pulling her into his strong embrace. She could see that his eyes were outlined with a rim of moisture. They were bloodshot and his beard had come partially through in a ragged, unsightly way and Lia couldn't tell which feature she hated to look at more on his once youthful face.