Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Matteo the height of her nose bridge, the line of her jaw—those were my eyes, my features.
Rachel kissed the girl's forehead. The girl held up a stuffed rabbit, saying something seriously. Rachel nodded, smiling, and took that small hand. They walked past not far from the car. I could even hear the girl's bright voice.
"Mommy, did Becca save me a cinnamon roll today?"
The space that had been empty in my chest for four years finally collapsed.
I had a daughter. She could already skip and jump, ask about cinnamon rolls, and hold Rachel's hand while walking down Maine roads.
And the first time I saw her was through a tinted car window, like some thief hiding in the shadows.
My hand shot to the door—I had to get out, walk up to them, pick up that child, ask her name, ask if she'd been sick these years, if she'd been scared, if she'd asked about her father.
"Sofia Kane. Three years, eight months. Registered mother, Rachel Kane. Father blank." Luca handed me the tablet. I stared at the screen for a long time, long enough for my vision to blur.
Rachel had left pregnant with my child. She'd given birth to Sofia alone in Maine.
No medical team, no safe house, no me standing guard outside.
Had she been sick during pregnancy? Had anyone brought her water when she woke in pain at night?
Had she cried the day she gave birth? Had she hated me during the hardest moments?
I closed my eyes, palm pressed to my forehead.
Rachel
I found the biggest black trash bag in the kitchen, stuffed it with everything I was getting rid of, and threw it in the corner dumpster. After finishing that, I breathed a little easier and turned back toward the apartment building.
Next were the smaller items. I had to pack fast, get Sofia excused from school tomorrow, head to the new place first, then figure out the transfer paperwork. The alley was dark, the streetlight broken for days with no one coming to fix it. I quickened my pace.
Suddenly, a shadow shot out from the wall's darkness without warning. Before I could make a sound, a large hand clamped over my mouth from behind.
Who? The person who sent the package? Or some enemy I didn't even know about? No time to think—a massive force dragged me into deeper darkness.
My back slammed against cold brick. Pain blackened my vision. I fought desperately, elbows and knees jabbing backward, but his body was like an iron wall, pinning me between him and the brick. I couldn't move.
Then a kiss came down—actually, more like biting and plundering.
I was losing it. Humiliation and terror drowned me like a tide. I pushed at his chest with everything I had, but couldn't even make him sway.
His hands started getting inappropriate. One hand moved up my waist, calloused fingertips lingering over my chest through the thin sweater.
No. I couldn't just submit. If something happened to me, what about Sofia?
I stopped the useless struggling. Just when he thought I'd given up—when his kiss deepened—I jerked my knee up and drove it between his legs with every ounce of strength I had.
A muffled grunt sounded above my head. The hand over my mouth finally released. The force restraining me loosened for an instant.
Now! Without hesitation, I lifted my foot again and stomped hard on his instep.
"Fuck!"
Brief, but familiar enough to freeze my blood. I jerked my head up. In the dim light from a passing car, I finally made out the contours of that face. Deep-set eyes, high nose bridge, and that silver-gray hair gleaming coldly even in darkness.
Matteo. It was him!
Shock and rage instantly replaced fear. He'd done this to me! What did he think I was?
Blood rushed to my head. I raised my hand and slapped him across the face with everything I had. His face turned to the side, already dark expression now black enough to drip water.
I backed up several steps, putting safe distance between us, chest heaving violently, whole body shaking.
"Are you crazy?" I hissed. "Matteo, does everyone have to put up with your insanity?"
He slowly turned his face back, tongue pressing the inside of his cheek where I'd hit him, those black abyssal eyes locked on me, storms churning in depths I couldn't read.
"You left a note and ran. Took my child with you." He ground out. "Threw my flowers in the trash—even had dealings with Charles's people—what? Your lover tipped you off to run tonight?"
His words stacked another layer onto my fury.
"So what?" I glared at him. "At least Charles helped me. Besides, you got engaged to someone else. Was I supposed to stay and be your mistress?"
"Don't you trust me at all?" Matteo's rage burned hotter. "But you trust Charles!"
"Didn't I ask you?" I snapped. "You were arrogant, lied about business trips, hid your mafia identity—honestly, I should thank Samantha for that invitation. Otherwise, how would I have known the Don was playing such a long game to trap his little lamb?"
Matteo froze, panic flashing across his face. He grabbed my shoulders, explaining urgently. "Rachel, that was just an act! I was going to tell you the next day, I—"
"Enough." I shook my head. "None of this matters now. Go. Don't come back."
"No! Rachel!" Matteo gripped harder. "You're coming with me. You're mine, Sofia's mine. You can't decide her life alone!"
My heart went ice-cold—he already knew Sofia's name.
"Who says you get to decide everything?" My tone frosted over. "Sofia's my child. Nothing to do with you."
"Rachel, I really want—"
"A little too late, don't you think?"
Pain flashed across Matteo's face. I felt a twinge of regret for the harsh words, but quickly hardened my heart again.
"If you have any conscience, stay away from us." I gave my ultimatum. "Don't see Sofia. Don't let your people touch her. If you push me, I'll take her somewhere farther. This time you won't find us again."