Asimina
Luciano's roaring voice has the glass doors shaking. He's engulfed with rage and heartbreak. Throwing his jacket off that chest of his vibrates, and a heat surfaces. He's yelling in Italian and speaking far too quickly for me to catch any of it. His feral state is terrifying, and I can now see where Raffaele gets his murderous traits. Like father, like son.
Bianca pushes Petro out of the way and leans over the sofa's side as a rush of vomit flows out of her mouth. She can't help but empty the contains of her stomach. That man didn't only rape her. He forced her to perform oral and swallow. Roberto is a couple of years older than her father, and he was her aunts' husband. This takes the repulsion she is feeling to a whole other level.
Nora runs to her daughter's side, pulling her into an embrace while Bianca cries hysterically. She's struggling to contain her anger, but the need to be mother overpowers, and she sits there, absorbing Bianca's anguish. All those taunting feelings have just resurfaced, and they are drowning her. Just when she thinks she has overcome her rape, more comes to light, and she's dragged back into the pits of hell.
I was lucky we caught the man responsible and ended him. I got my justice and was able to put it behind me and move on. For Bianca, it's not one man, and they all haven't been caught. Therefore, she can't put her rape behind her, not until each one of them is dead. She lives with the fear they will come for her, and she keeps reliving that moment.
Petro takes a seat next to her, Bianca flinches. Those memories have her recoiling: the shame returns. My cousin won't allow her to push him away. He grips the back of her neck and pulls her into his embrace, refusing to let go of her as she fights him. "You are not pushing me away," he shakes his head and reminds her, "I am your fiancé. I knew about all of this, and I still fell in love with you. I still want you!"
Forcing her to meet his eyes. He wipes her tears with his thumbs, "We caught another one. There's one more motherfucker left. This nightmare is almost over. I never want to see you hiding away or fighting me. I am here, and I am not leaving!"
"H-how could you want me," she stutters between sobs. "R-Rob," attempting to say his name, quickly has bile rushing into her mouth. She swallows it back down.
Bianca once more attempts to lower her eyes; my cousin's grip tightens and forces her to maintain eye contact, "Listen to me! What Roberto did is on him, not on you. I see you as nothing less than the beautiful woman you are—my woman, my lover, and soon to be my wife and one-day mother to my children. I love you, Bianca, and I will not allow you to see yourself as tainted. Do you understand?"
The tears haven't stopped running down her face; swallowing the lump in her throat, she meekly nods. Petro places a gentle kiss on her lips, and she visibly melts away to it. He is her everything, and she is his.
I admire him. I'm so fucking proud of him. He's showing her nothing can change what he feels for her. She relaxes in his hold and nuzzles her face into his chest. Sometimes you need to hear those words from the man you're in love with and see the truth in their eyes in order to believe it.
Nora stands to her feet and wipes her tears. Facing Raffaele, she venomously spits, "Where is that motherfucker?"
"In the cells back at the mansion. Zio Valentino and the boys are guarding him." Raffaele remarks.
Her features scrunch together her lip wobbles. "He touched my baby girl, Luciano. Our baby girl! That motherfucking piece of shit!" She screams, and her face redden.
Luciano's head snaps toward his wife. His whole body shakes uncontrollably. Narrowing his eyes at Nora, he sheds a few tears for his daughter. Grinding his teeth together, he glances at Bianca, and heartbreak consumes him. "Everyone will have a chance to inflict pain," Luciano promises. He takes several raging breathes between speaking.
Bianca struggles to make eye contact with her father and brothers, she tries her hardest, but the shame won't allow her. Stefano's features painfully scrunch together as he looks at his sister. He is starting to love his family, and seeing her like this, is truly heart-wrenching.
Antonio, still comforting Nat, clenches his jaw at the news. After all, Bianca is his niece, and she was violated, losing her virginity to a bunch of animals. Squeezing his hold on Nat, he attempts to control his fury with deep breaths.
"I will have him raped multiple times a day!" Luciano continues to fill us in on his plans. Turning to Tommy, he places his hands on his hips and demands, "Call William. It's playtime."
My eyes widen; he means every word. He's going to have a man rape him repeatedly. I'm not sure how I feel about this. No one deserves it more than that pig, especially after what he inflicted on Bianca, but the Morelli's aren't meant to cross those lines. Or does that only apply to women? I guess it must.
Tommy pulls out his phone and makes the call without hesitation, fulfilling his father's orders. I'm still sitting on the floor; Lia now sits next to me. She managed to calm down from her anxiety attack without a sedative. However, she's still in disbelief that I am here and holds my hand tight. Raffaele comes and sits on the other side of me, throwing his arm over my shoulders. I turn to face him with a meek smile. He's brought me home, put that ring back on my finger, and will end mine and his sisters' tormentors once more.
"I love you," I mumble as he leans in to kiss me.
Both he and Tommy are giving Bianca some space. They understand she needs Petro. Although family helps, it's your man that makes it feels untarnished. Nora watches her daughter's interaction with her fiancé, and her shattered heart pieces together. With pain-grieved eyes, she meekly smiles at my cousin. Luciano, although still fuming, embraces his wife to settle the tremor in her body.
In hopes of pulling the attention away from his daughter, Luciano orders, "Tell us the story."
Nodding, I dislodge the lump in my throat and relay, "I went to the ladies to freshen up before getting on that stage. Camila was there, and she was frantic. She gave me a note." Everyone listens without speaking. The only people in this room who know this story are Petro, Raffaele, Tommy, and Carlos. I glance around and continue, "The note warned me about the assassin waiting to take a hit the moment I got on the stage. Roberto wanted me to die first and, in time, eliminate Nathan as well. He knew if Raffaele lost us both simultaneously, it would send him into a grief-stricken state, and his plan wouldn't work."
I run my free hand through my hair as Matteo takes a seat on the floor on the side of Lia. Mariano leans against the wall while Mia leans into him. "If the assassins failed to kill me on that night, then Nathan would become Raffaele's first loss. Two of Tommy's assassins had their guns aimed at my son and aunt."
My sisters' eyes widen with horror. They can't believe someone could be that cruel to hurt a baby. They have grown close to my son; they love and adore him. Both have tears running down their face as they listen to me. Nora and Luciano's features harden; they also love their grandson more than words could ever express. Snapping their heads towards Tommy, he confirms with a nod. Luciano is practically frothing with rage, and now it is Nora's turn to try to settle the shake in his body.
I smile meekly at my cousin, remembering how petrified he was and how quickly he snapped out of it. He set up a plan within minutes. The hospital was prepared, ready to take me into surgery and declare me dead.
"I had six minutes to come up with a plan. Petro helped me do just that. Please, understand," I beg them all. Sweeping my watery eyes around the room, I watch their features morph with confusion. "I couldn't lose my son. I couldn't. Regardless, that night I was going to get on that stage and receive a bullet. Petro made sure it wouldn't be fatal. I didn't want to make you all believe I was dead, but I had to. It needed to be believable." My pleading eyes show nothing but the truth, my voice cracks. I'm fearful they will blame my cousin.
"You shot her?" Mariano questions Petro with shock.
Petro shakes his head. Before he can respond, I interject, "No, he didn't," I glance over at Laz and Nick, taking in a deep breath; I dread the words I'm saying, "Paul did!"
Both my cousins start to take heavy breathes as their anger escalates. They were just getting back on track with their friendship, and this is another betrayal. "Paul, did what?" Nick grits and balls his fist while Laz rubs his face with anger.
Raffaele gives my shoulder a comforting squeeze as he intervenes, "I was fuming too." He narrows his eyes; he makes his feelings evident, "I have an issue with another man being in love with my woman." He says that curtly, and my heart sinks with despair.
I understand him. I know the jealousy he's feeling, but Paul walked away. Closing my eyes, I listen and prepare myself to defend him without giving the wrong impression. "But he saved her life. If he hadn't taken that shot, the assassin would have." Just like that, Raffaele surprises me, snapping my eyes open, my eyebrows pinch together in confusion. "If I can accept it, so can both of you. Paul is not to be touched!" He doesn't falter his eyes. They bore into mine as he speaks to my two cousins.
"Thank you," I mumble. This means the world to me. I lean my head on his shoulder as I shed a few tears in relief. I will always consider Paul, a friend. One of my fears was that the Morelli's, or one Morelli in particular, would want his blood.
Taking a breath, I continue giving everyone the details. "The next day, Paul put me into the trunk of a car and drove without stopping to Mexico, delivering me to one surprised Carlos."
"Surprised is an understatement. I thought I saw a ghost." Carlos clears his throat.
"Paul was the only man who could transport me. He isn't part of all this and wouldn't be followed. He helped lure Raffaele to my location," I continue to advise everyone of what transpired.
"I thought you were dead," Lia cries.
I know how much I hurt her, and I hate that she's fallen back into depression. Turning my body towards her, I cup her face. "I know, and I hate that I had to do this. Lia, I lost one child because of those fucking Di Vitto's. I couldn't lose another." The memories are crumbling me. Her anguished state has me shattering, "Nathan is my world. I'm his mother; keeping him safe comes above everything else. He's just a baby and can't protect himself. I'm so fucking sorry, Lia. I know I put you all through hell."
Her features painfully morph, and that lip quivers as she lets out a sorrowful breath, "I know. I get it." She swallows hard and lowers her eyes, "I thought I lost you, and I haven't. I'm happy, sad, and angry all at once. I can't control it."
I place a comforting kiss on her forehead, "That's okay, just let it out. Yell at me, hug me, or whatever else you need to do, just remember to breathe, Lia." A sadden chuckle leaves my lips as I ask to lighten the mood, "Do you need my baseball bat?"
Nodding, she smiles weakly for the first time tonight, "I might."
The air in the room is thin from everyone's emotional states and heavy breathing. Mariano and Mia walk around, handing us all drinks. We all welcome alcohol, needing to settle our frenzy nerves.
"I set up a safe house and communicated with Petro through Paul to get Raffaele to Mina." Speaking up, Carlos gives a brief insight into his involvement. He manages to pull everyone out of their tormenting thoughts, and I'm grateful he's stepped up and filled in some of the blanks.
"I planted the note for Raffaele to find, so he could start to track the stallion pedant, which Paul had. As soon as he received notification from me that Raf was on the move, Paul started driving towards Mexico." Petro catches on quickly to Carlos's motives and continues with the details of the events. I smile at both men.
With a sharp intake of air Raffaele grips the back of my neck and forces me to look at him. My heart beats erratically under his intense gaze. Glancing over my shoulder to Lia, he states, "I found Asimina, alive. I was fuming, happy, sad, and fucking relieved all in one."
Raffaele never expresses his feelings, then alone sits here telling everyone what he felt. He's only doing this for Lia to show her it's normal, and she's not the only one that feels this way. His eyes meet mine once more as he continues, "She did what she needed to do. She got herself to safety and made contact. I can't ask for anything more." He leans in and kisses me before inhaling as I exhale. It's become his signature move. "We have her back. That's all that matters."
"I agree," Nat finally speaks. She squeezes Antonio's hand, "Mom would be so proud of you and our father well..." She closes her eyes at our parents' thoughts, "He would be amazed, and so much more." I had managed to stop the tears, and the mention of our parents have my eyes running as if they were taps left open. "It was hard, Mina," her wobbly lip has her pausing once more as she takes a deep breath. "But I understand the need to protect your loved ones, especially your baby. I want that man to suffer for what he did to you and Bianca. I want the worst of the worst to happen to him."
"And it will!" Luciano interjects and assures her.
Pushing himself off the floor, Raffaele extends a hand, which I take eagerly. He pulls me up as the Caveman brings me my shoes. I thank him and slide my heels onto my feet.
"Nat's right, your parents..." Nick says and hesitates. Nodding, he agrees with his thoughts, "They would've been so fucking proud."
"That goes for our father and mother too," Laz smiles, "I'm so relieved. It hurt Mina, losing you hurt..." Rubbing his face, he lets out a heavy breath, "I need to call Kat," he states.
"Fuck! She's going to come straight over," Nick warns.
"I want her here, but I would prefer if you two go and pick her up. She's going to be frantic, and I don't want her to have an accident while driving here."
Both boys nod in agreement. Throwing my arms over my two cousins, I embrace them. Although I'm not as close to them as I am with Petro, I love them just as much. "Go get her."
"Are you ready to see Nathan?" Raffaele's voice has me pulling away from Nick and Laz.
Nodding in response, he places his hand on my lower back leading me out and towards the elevator. My smile widens at the thoughts of my son. I know I needed to interact with the family before seeing Nathan, but my son is all I can think about. Stepping into the lift, my sisters, Nora, and Luciano joins us. The rest of the group wait downstairs for the elevator to return.
My palms become sweaty, and my heart thrashes in my chest. My shaky breaths have Raffaele turning and facing me. "You're nervous about seeing our son?" There's a glimpse of amusement in his eyes as he sweeps them up and down my shaky body.
"I'm nervous and excited. It's stupid, I know." I blow another restless breath, "What if he's forgotten me?"
"Forgotten you?" Nora repeats, shaking her head. She takes my hands into hers, "He hasn't stopped calling out for you."
Her words bring me comfort, but they also shatter my heart. The lift door opens, and unintentionally I push Luciano out the way and run through the penthouse, calling out for Nathan. The nanny walks out of a room, holding my son in her arms. The moment his eyes lock with mine, my tears start to flow endlessly. His sweet little voice is heard as he calls out, "Mama,"
My brave little man squirms and fearlessly jumps out of the nanny's arms. He has gotten the hang of walking as those short legs take quick steps. Falling to my knees, the silly boy jumps into my arms. Oh, God, I've missed him. His little hands fist my dress, and he's holding on for dear life. It's as if he's scared. I will disappear.
"Hi baby," I pull him away and look at his beautiful face. His greens eyes intently gaze back at me. His face saddens as he watches my tears run. He hates seeing me sad. That bottom lip of his quivers, and his eyes well up. "No, baby, mommy is happy, not sad." I wipe my tears and smile at him.
His puzzled features have me chuckling. He's unsure whether to cry or smile; traitorous tears escape him as he sucks in a breath. Nathan falls back into my arms, and he buries his face in my neck. "I love you, baby. Mommy is home." I assure him with a kiss on his head.
Yay or Nah?
Thoughts on Bianca? On Petro's actions and words?
What did everything think of Nora? How about Luciano's plans for Roberto?
Thoughts on Lia? Nat?
Thoughts on Raffaele? How about his words about Paul?
Thoughts on Laz and Nick?
Thoughts on the mommy, son moment?