Days Later
Carmella's POV
The night was still and quiet as I sat on my bed, my focus glued to my study notes. The sudden knock on my window made me jump, my heart racing as I turned to see Gian's familiar face.
"Gian? What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice a mix of surprise and concern as he crawled through the window.
"I wanted to see you," he said softly, leaning in to peck my lips. The brief kiss sent a rush of warmth through me, but the anxiety quickly returned.
"You should've asked first! My parents are going to be pissed," I said, glancing nervously at the door.
"It's fine, Carmella. Just chill," he replied with a carefree smile, sitting down on my bed. His eyes roved over my tank top and shorts. "You look good," he added, his gaze lingering.
"Thanks," I muttered, trying to maintain my composure as I sat back on the bed. I picked up my note cards, determined to get back to studying.
But Gian had other plans. He snatched the cards from my hands, his playful grin making it hard to stay mad. "Come on, Gian, I'm trying to study," I protested.
"Take a break. You're always studying," he said, his face inching closer to mine. Our lips met, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The world seemed to stand still as we kissed, the connection between us electric and undeniable.
"Carmella Manganiello!" The sharp voice of my mother shattered the moment, pulling us back to reality.
"Crap," Gian muttered under his breath, his expression turning serious.
My mom stormed into the room, her face a mask of fury. She grabbed Gian by the arm and practically dragged him to the front door. After she pushed him outside and closed the door, she turned her full attention to me.
"Are you serious right now, Carmella?! You do not need to be sneaking a boy into the house at 16! He could go back and tell his friends and give you a bad name! I trust you to have good values and morals, Mel! Next time I see his ass in my house again, I'mma do more than fuss at you! Your father will know about this. Give me your phone and other electronic devices. You're grounded until I feel like taking you off punishment. Do you understand?" she demanded, her voice leaving no room for argument.
"Yes, ma'am," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper as I handed over my devices. My head hung low with shame and regret.
I trudged back to my bed, feeling the sting of tears welling up in my eyes. How could I have been so reckless? The excitement of seeing Gian had clouded my judgment, leading to this mess.
I flopped onto my bed, the silence of the room amplifying my feelings of guilt and regret. I knew my parents only wanted the best for me, and I had let them down. The evening had started with the simple joy of seeing Gian and ended in a whirlwind of anger and punishment.
I lay there, replaying the events in my mind. Gian's visit had been a risk, and I had paid the price. But deep down, I couldn't help but feel a flicker of defiance. My feelings for Gian were strong, and despite the consequences, I knew this wouldn't be the end of it. For now, though, I had to endure the punishment and work to regain my parents' trust.
Ariana's POV
When Stephen finally got home, once again arriving late as he had been every night, I confronted him. "We need to talk," I said firmly. "I found that boy in Carmella's room. They were kissing, though still fully clothed."
"I told you she didn't need a boyfriend," he snapped, clearly irritated. "So now it's my fault?" I retorted, feeling offended. "I made it clear she was too young to date, but you let her go on that date anyway," he said, looming over me.
"She's 16, Stephen! If we keep being so strict, she'll just sneak around to do it!" I yelled back. "And see where too much trust has gotten us? A boy sneaking into our house!" he shouted. "Maybe if you were home instead of out so late all the time, we wouldn't have these problems!" I screamed.
"I'm not going to have a shouting match with you," he said, turning to leave. "Fine. Maybe I should sneak around with someone else so you know how it feels!" I shouted after him.
He stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned around. "What did you just say, Ariana?" he asked, his head cocked to the side as he slowly approached me. "You heard me. I'll give all of this to someone else," I said, provoking him.
Before I could react, he had me pinned against the wall. "I would watch what I say if I were you. You belong to me!" he yelled. He walked to the door of his office and locked it. "You've been acting out all week, and I'm done with it," he said, sweeping everything off his desk.
"Well, you shou—" "Shut up!" he interrupted, his eyes blazing.
He strode up to me, lifting me onto his desk. Before I could protest, he tore my dress and undergarments away. He laid me back on the desk, his broad hand wrapping around my throat. "Step—" I began, but he cut me off as he filled me. "Not a word," he commanded, thrusting deeper with each stroke. I couldn't suppress my screams as he hit my spot repeatedly.
"If you ever threaten to give yourself away again, there will be consequences. I will kill anyone who tries to come between us," he said, forcing me to sit up and meet his gaze. "You belong to me, no matter how mad you get," he declared, maintaining his brutal pace. I clung to the edge of the desk for dear life, his hand gripping one of my legs while he choked me. My orgasm sent waves of pleasure through me.
"Did I say you could cum?" he asked, a devilish look in his eyes.
The Next Morning
Jayda and Paris were at my place, and we were getting ready to leave when Stephen approached me with a forlorn look on his face. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked.
"What is it, Stephen?" I replied as we stepped into his office.
"I'm tired of all this fighting, baby. You haven't slept in our bed for a week. I miss you. I'm sorry, but I'm doing this because I don't want you to get caught in the crossfire. I've already put you in enough danger since we got married. I just want to keep you safe," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"You should have thought about that before I got knee-deep in this mess. Just because we had sex last night doesn't mean you're forgiven. You're still not telling me what you did behind my back. I know you, Stephen. You won't say anything until it's too late. I need to go," I said, pulling away to kiss my kids goodbye.
———
We boarded the jet and buckled up. "Malaysia is meeting us at the villa," I mentioned.
"You and Stephen still at odds?" Jayda asked.
"Yeah, and it's really stressing me out," I admitted.
"You've been extra tired and cranky lately," she noted.
"And?" I replied.
"You haven't acted like this since you were PREGNANT with Stella and Papa," she pointed out.
"I'm not pregnant," I insisted.
"Have you and Stephen been using protection or any form of birth control?" Paris asked.
Damn. "No, but I'm not pregnant. I can't be. Don't jinx me," I said.
"You're taking a test when we get to Jamaica," Paris declared.
"Fine, just so I can prove you both wrong," I said confidently. I'm not pregnant... or so I thought.
———
"Hey, bitches!" Malaysia greeted us enthusiastically as we entered the villa. "Hey, girl!" I replied, hugging her tightly.
"You're glowing. Are you pregnant again?" she asked with a teasing grin.
"No! I wish you all would stop saying that," I whined.
"Pregnancy test time," she declared.
"How about we all take tests?" Jayda suggested.
"Tonight, after we've had some time to relax, we'll take them," Paris agreed.
"Until then, virgin drinks for everyone," I announced, trying to lighten the mood.
As we lounged by the pool, we started chatting. "Carmella snuck a boy into the house last night," I said, shaking my head.
"Did you whoop her ass?" Malaysia asked, eyebrows raised.
"No, I don't like whooping kids. Trying to break that generational curse. I'll give her another chance, but next time, she's meeting my belt," I replied, sighing.
"Warren has been begging me for more kids, but I'm scared," Jayda admitted.
"You don't want a repeat of last time?" I asked gently.
"No, I don't. I spent my entire pregnancy stressing over his behavior," she said, looking troubled.
"I have a confession," Paris said, causing all of us to turn towards her.
"I didn't know how to tell you all, but I need to. I was pregnant, by Devon," she said, lowering her head.
"What happened, Paris?" Jayda asked softly.
"After Ari helped me escape Devon, I knew something wasn't right with me. So, I took a pregnancy test. It was positive. Massimo came over and saw the test. He had been helping me cope with my PTSD. He asked if I wanted to keep the baby, and I said no. I didn't want to bring a child into a situation like mine. I didn't want my child to have a messed-up family situation like I did. I'm not ready to be a mom. Not yet. I still deal with the traumatic stress from what Devon put me through. So, Massimo took me to the Mafia Clinic, and I got an abortion," she said, wiping away her tears.
"You should've told us," I said as we all got up to hug her.
"I didn't know how. I was ashamed," she sobbed. We comforted her until she calmed down.
After dancing to Caribbean music and going for a swim, it was time to take the tests. I went into the bathroom with a cup. I urinated in the cup and placed it on the counter. I dipped both sticks in and then took them out. I put the caps back on and disposed of the urine.
Now, all we had to do was wait.
"Mines is negative" Malaysia said. "So is mine" Jayda added in. "Mines too" Paris said putting it on the counter. "What does yours say Ari?".......
Cliffhanger🥴!