I walked out of the bathroom in the middle of the night, rubbing one of my eyes. Celeste slept peacefully on her side of the bed and once I climbed in beside her, she frowned before moving her arms around until they reached my bare chest.
I pulled her to me as I pulled the duvet over my lower half. She mumbled something under her breath as she got comfortable right beside me. I folded my arm behind my head as my other hand caressed her arm.
She told me before bed that once I was in Ney York, she'd abort the child once and for all. And as much as I wanted to see her as a mother, this was the shittiest time for them to be born. She scheduled the appointment at the clinic where Laura worked so her identity could be kept a secret.
Even more so, I didn't want my father or Luca to find any of this out. This would put her and the child (if she had decided to keep it) at a huge risk and I wasn't going to sit there and let it happen. After everything cooled off, we'd have all of the time in the world to raise a child.
And apart from the previously mentioned reasons, we were also young. Far too young to care about kids as the bosses of two powerful mafia families. Which might as well become one in the future.
It was quite overwhelming just thinking about everything that has happened the past week. And there was so much more to come in order to finally be able to live freely.
Ever since Beatrice came into my room on the plane, I couldn't stop thinking about her biological father. It boggled me that I couldn't wrap my head around something very similar to her facial features. It was so faint but just enough to haunt me in my dreams.
I hadn't brought my concerns or even speculations up to my girl because of how much was on her mind. And after I learned what she had gone through, made me well aware she was in no place to bear my problems. She had more than enough of her own to deal with.
The entire thing with Valentina and Luca was supposed to be her priority. And as far as she said, she'd start to heavily plot the mission once I was gone.
I don't want any distractions.
I smiled at the memory of her words. I was a distraction to her. Someone that took her attention away from a task. I was her distraction just as much if not more like she was to me.
Even after the night, everything was her. Everything said was about her. My dreams, hell nightmares were all about her. Any time her name was brought up, my entire day went into shambles. And after she found me, I couldn't succeed with my promise to her to keep her well-being a secret.
I guess she should've known I wouldn't be much of an actor.
She moved against me, making me break my stare at the ceiling. I glanced at her as she tipped her head up and looked around the room as if she had no clue where she was.
"It's alright, my love," I said in a low voice, trying to calm her down. Maybe she was dreaming of something rather unpleasant and I didn't feel her stress as I got lost in my own mind.
"Liam," she whispered, looking up at me. I smiled before lifting my head to place a kiss on her forehead. She smiled before dropping her head by the side of my chest.
"Everything alright?" She hummed in response before placing her hand on my chest. "You sure? You seemed freaked out," she chuckled lightly before her hand gently moved down to my abs.
"You're the one that hasn't slept since you left to the bathroom," and maybe slightly before it happened. I had thought that changing my scenery for one second would help me clear my mind but it only drew more thoughts to my head.
"Observant," I pointed out. Her fingertip outlined my abs a few times as we continued taking.
"I should be asking you what's wrong."
"Nothing. Just a lot on my mind," she chuckled.
"Then it's not nothing," I smiled as my hand caressed her arm and then threaded itself in her hair.
"I just can't stop thinking about Francesco," she lifted her head upwards before looking up at me. I met her eyes, which were barely visible from the lack of light in the room.
"I know it's not what's keeping you awake," my brows pinched together. "Liam, Francesco has been your problem ever since you were born. I think you've had enough time to adjust to him," I smiled from how well she actually knew me. "So will you tell me what's actually bothering you or will I have to force it out of you?"
"I'll save you the energy," Cel rolled her eyes, making me gently tug her hair as a warning. "I don't want to trouble you with my worries, my love," she frowned.
"Liam-"
"I love you, Celeste, and it's because of it that I don't want to burden you with my issues. You have many of your own," she was about to say something before my phone started to ring. I frowned as I looked at it on the nightstand and picked it up with the hand that was behind my head. "Alex?"
"Get your ass to the plane. I'm getting ready and so is Audrey," Cel picked her head up as I gently sat up, rubbing my eye.
"Hold on-"
"Your father. He's... fuck." I got out of bed before I looked around the room for my boxers. Once I spotted them beside the small dresser, I picked them up and as I put them on, Alex spoke again. "He killed her," my entire body went numb. The phone slipped out of my hand before it dropped to the ground, Alex's voice came through the phone.
I stared ahead, completely unaware that Celeste's hands cupped my face and pulled it to her. Tears started to rush into my ears as everything came into the realisation.
My mother was dead.
Because my father killed her.
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I sipped on rum as I stared through the private plane's window. Audrey sat behind me, sleeping peacefully which honestly surprised me. She looked even worse than I did once I came down the stairs and met them in the foyer.
I left Cel with just a damn kiss on her forehead because there was nothing but the rage inside of me. And I was glad I had enough willpower to suppress that anger and hide it from her. The last damn thing she needed from me was for me to lash every emotion onto her and be left with bruises. Even if I could never put a wrong hand on her, I was an atom away from smashing my fist into the wall.
Alex sat in front of me, his eyes closed as he held a tumbler in his left hand. He wasn't sleeping but rather thinking everything out. He specifically didn't tell anyone else other than Audrey and I because it would attract more attention.
And I didn't need to fear Francesco away from my wrath.
"I should've locked her in a room instead of letting her go," I admitted, saying the one thing that made me hate myself so much it drove me close to hurting myself. I was responsible for her death. Even if her husband was the one to do it, she would've been safe if she had been with me.
"She was adamant about it. And you know that you couldn't have done that. Even though you wanted it, your mother had the final word. Whether you like it or not."
"And now she's fucking dead," I spat out, keeping my voice as quiet as possible so that Audrey could sleep without any disturbance.
"Liam, stop it," he opened his eyes. "You knew that one way or another this would've happened." I frowned.
"No." I shook my head. "No, I didn't know this. You know why? Because I thought I could keep her safe," Alex took a sip of his drink.
"Hate to be the one to break it to you, but even you can't outrun fate," I frowned, appalled by what I was hearing. "Liam, even your girlfriend's safety isn't guaranteed. No matter how much power you may hold, you don't have every superpower on the planet."
"Is this your attempt in poetry?" Alex tried to smile but that gesture was masked behind every ounce of emotion he felt.
"The only thing you can do now is kill him. For good," I took a sip of my rum before I looked away from him. "Before he gets his hands on anyone else you love."
I feared for my sisters. Leo and his family could easily flee the estate and never come back. But my sister was his offspring. If he had the decency to kill his own wife, the woman that granted him two of his children, I couldn't doubt the possibility of him getting rid of Audrey.
I crossed him long ago since I didn't fit into his perfect son picture. He beat me, traumatised me and tried to ruin me. And now that I was on his tail ready to kill, he knew I was a threat. One that wouldn't think twice before they stabbed him.
I wanted to think that Beatrice was safe. She was Elisa's child, hence his sister's offspring. His sister's, whom he loved more than anything in this world. But Beatrice was my sister. Just as much as Audrey was. Both of them were my family and by taking one of their lives away, he'd be hurting me.
I didn't even think about Celeste at this moment. She was safe because only a few of us knew she was alive and well. Francesco had no way of knowing she was alright and I wanted to keep it that way. I didn't want her to become his target since he'd go for her almost immediately after he'd find out she was alright.
She was safe. She was okay. She'll be okay.
"Leo is the only one that stayed in the estate." I looked at Alex who was already looking at me. "He sent Sofia and Riella out to his house in Florida." I frowned.
"He stayed?" Alex nodded.
"As far as I knew, Osiris was the one to push him to send them out. I contacted him first and he told me he went with Rita to their apartment in the city but he made sure Francesco wasn't left completely alone in there."
"And you really think that Leo's presence would make Francesco think before he acted?" He shook his head no.
"No one can make him think twice. He has a mind of his own and one that isn't persuaded easily."
"So we're going to hopefully see Leo?" I asked, hoping there was at least someone there we could trust.
"He said he was going to go to Florida soon so we might not get there in time to see him." I sighed.
"Do you know anything about Nora?" Alex took a sip of his drink before nodding.
"As far as Ri found out, she left the country and flew to South America. Apparently, she has family members that live there."
"And Francesco just let her go?" Alex shrugged.
"Why wouldn't he? It's not like he had feelings for her." I thought it out as I took a sip of rum.
What could have possibly influenced him to act this way? It couldn't have been the fact that I took my mother with me.
"I doubt any of his tantrums have something to do with his wife." I looked to the side and stared through the window. We were almost an hour away from New York, making this entire sleepless night a living hell.
"It has everything to do with me." Alex brought his tumbler to his lips before he contradicted me.
"Well, it's not far from the truth." I frowned before glancing at him. "I think it might have everything to do with him. He is losing everything: his family, his power, and his wealth. His plan to go against the Rossi turned on him. You're now on their side, the Rossi are against him. Past secrets are coming out so he has nothing left." I looked through the window. "He's losing the battle, Liam. All he can do is destroy everything." Alex took another sip of his drink. "Even if it will kill him in the process."
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