CHAPTER 33 #2
“Did anything happen to them—are they okay?” He nodded. They’re okay. “Shouldn’t you go over there and make sure they’re safe now?” I asked, and he sighed.
“I’ll let my father take care of his family,” he said, picking up his drink. He took another sip, and I gently turned his head towards me.
“That’s your family too. You need to make sure they’re okay.”
“You’re my top priority now, Nirah. You’re my family.”
“Yeah but—”
“But nothing,” he sternly cut me off. “If something happens or goes wrong, my father’s first instinct will be to protect his wife. Not me, or Amelia, or anyone else. His wife. Now, let me do the same,” he said, finishing his drink, and my hand dropped from his face.
“What about Amelia?” I hesitantly asked.
“She has a husband to protect her.”
“I get it, I really do, but I don’t want to be the reason why anyone else in your family gets hurt or dies.”
“You can’t change my mind, so don’t even try,” he lowered his glass to the table. “I’m not leaving your side until I’ve put a bullet through their heads myself.”
“I know, you’re just trying to protect me, but I still think you should go and check up on them. I’ll stay here and I’ll be safe, okay?”
He sarcastically scoffed, getting up. He walked over to the fireplace, standing in front of it as he ran his hand through his hair. I got up, leaving the blanket on the sofa. I walked over, gently touching his shoulder.
“Nirah, just go,” he shook his head, and I pulled my hand back.
“What?”
“I can’t talk right now, so leave.”
“I’m not going to leave. We’re supposed to talk and communicate, remember?” I asked, and he turned around, taking my face in his hands. My heart leaped at the frightening darkness behind his eyes.
“I can’t fucking communicate when all I can see is your body in a goddamn coffin,” he angrily said, keeping his voice low.
“Do you know what that does to me?” He tightened his hold on my face.
“It feels as if I’m being gutted from the inside out.
The mere thought of losing you is sending me over the fucking edge. ”
With a pounding heart, and trembling hands, I reached up and gently held onto his wrists.
“You’re taking really good care of me,” I assured him. “I’m not going to get hurt with you.”
“But Alexander—”
“Only hurt me because I wasn’t honest with you, Antonio, how could you have known that out of billions of people that it would be your own brother?”
“I should have—”
“No,” I shook my head, cutting him off. “That was because of me, don’t you dare think you’re at fault.” A beat passed. “If I had told you then and there in the kitchen that it was him, would you have done something.”
His face softened. “Of course, I would have.”
“Exactly.” With an aching heart, I threw my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His arms wrapped around me as he clutched my body to his, burying his face in my neck.
He held me, and I held him. We could be anywhere in the world, and being in his arms would still feel like home. My home.
I held the back of his head, as his arms around me tightened.
He lifted me, carrying me to the sofa and sat down with me on his lap. I slowly broke the hug, looking down at my fiddling fingers. He reached over, throwing my blanket over my shoulders.
“Is it so wrong for me to want to protect my fiancée?” he asked, taking my chin in his hand so that I could meet his tender gaze.
“If it results in you neglecting your family, then yes.”
“My father has been in this business for almost forty years. Trust me when I say, he knows how to handle the situation and protect them,” he cupped my face, kissing my forehead.
“You’re right,” I took a deep breath in, slowly exhaling.
“That’s enough about me.” My head snapped to him in confusion. “How’s my girl feeling?” he asked—changing the subject—and I placed my forearms on his shoulders, still holding onto the blanket.
“You want the truth?” I asked and he nodded.
“Happy and safe,” I smiled and he glanced away for a second to hide his smile or rather, to not smile.
“I’m serious,” I chuckled and he shook his head before looking at me.
I locked my hands around his neck, moving closer to him.
“Listen to me,” I sternly said. “I’ll be better, for you, and I know I have issues that I have to work through, but that’s on me. ”
Taking a deep breath in, I blinked my tears away. “I know that I can be… a lot at times,” I reluctantly said but he didn’t seem to agree. “So, I’d much rather give you a reason to leave, than you leaving on your own,” I confessed. “It’s— I’m a little fucked up… I know.”
“When it comes to being fucked up, tesoro , you’re nowhere near,” he gently cupped my face. “Trust me. I’d know.” I couldn’t help but let out a sad laugh and he smiled. “You’re definitely the strongest woman I know.”
My heart fluttered. I’m… strong ?
“I mean look at Amelia. She got everything she wanted, had the perfect fucking life, and now she cries when Ivan raises his voice at her,” he said in disbelief and I laughed.
“Sounds like her, yeah,” I nodded.
“Remind me to have a conversation with him about that,” he said and I shook my head.
“Leave him alone,” I dragged my vowels, playfully hitting his shoulder. “As a man, why are you interfering in someone’s relationship?” I joked.
“As a man, why the fuck is he raising his voice at my sister,” he quickly snapped back and I threw my head back, laughing.
“You yell at her all the time!” I laughed and he adjusted his hands on my back.
“It’s okay when I do it,” he nonchalantly said and I pulled my head back, wiping a tear.
* * *
I stood in the bathroom doorway after I napped for an hour. Antonio was sitting on the edge of the bathtub.
“Didn’t know you were into bubble baths,” I teased, watching the bubbles rise and he looked up at me.
“I’m not. But you are,” he crossed his hands on his lap, turning his body to face me.
“So you just coincidentally prepared a bubble bath?” I asked, grabbing my toothbrush and squeezing toothpaste onto it.
He laughed, shaking his head. “I had Amelia pack a bag for you, and while you were asleep I went and picked it up. She actually packed four bags and said that everything needed its own bag… she also said you’d understand.”
I couldn’t help but smile as I brushed my teeth, nodding my head. “And how did you know I’d be awake in time?” I asked, looking at myself in the mirror as I tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ears.
“It’s seven o’clock on a Saturday morning,” he said and I stopped brushing my teeth, turning to him. “I know your body very well,” he gave me a single nod and I smiled, continuing to brush my teeth.
He turned the tap off and I rinsed my mouth.
I turned to face him entirely, pulling his t-shirt over my head.
“Are you going to join me, or…”