24. Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Serena
W hen we discover the boys plan to work this evening, Sam, Everly, and I decide to have a girls’ night. Since I'm pregnant, we can’t exactly go out to a bar or club, so we order some of our favorite junk foods and watch girly movies.
Sam walks into the house and hands a bottle to Everly. "Hey, guys! I brought some wine for us non-pregnant persons."
Everly smiles, "Oh, perfect! And I got tubs of our favorite ice cream."
"I'm so excited, and guess what? Emilio had my favorite pizza and cannoli flown in from Milano's!"
Sam laughs. "That's insane! But it's worth it to see you so happy. For a while back there, you seemed sad and stressed out."
I can't tell her the reason I have been stressed and sad is because my life has been a dumpster fire for the last six months. First, I hit a man with my car and have lived with the crippling guilt ever since. Then Emilio kidnapped me, and trust me, marrying your family's enemy is not exactly stress free. And finally, let’s not forget my mysterious stalker.
Nope, I’m not doing this tonight.
Smiling at my sisters-in-law, I say, "I'm so glad you're both here. I've missed seeing you both, but now that my brothers have finally stopped trying to kill my husband, we can hang out again. Plus, I have cannoli."
Everly's eyes meet mine. I'm surprised to see she's teary-eyed. "Pregnancy cravings are no joke." She smiles knowingly, and I heave out a relieved breath.
Appreciative that neither woman expect me to bare my soul tonight, I deftly change the subject. "I've been dying for one of these cannolis."
"Well, now you have it! So, what movie are we watching tonight?" Sam asks.
"Steel Magnolias, of course. It never fails to make all three of us sob."
Everly laughs. "I can't wait. Let's dig in and enjoy our girls' night! I've missed you so much, Serena." She reaches over and gives my hand a gentle squeeze.
After we gorge ourselves with junk food, we wrap up in a blanket and all crash on the couch in front of the movie. Soon, the room fills with the sounds of the three of us sobbing, and as I reach for the box of tissues on the coffee table, my phone chimes with an incoming text.
Excited that it might be Emilio checking in on us, I look at my phone. I am starting to miss him when he's away from me, even for just an hour.
COME OUTSIDE AND SEE WHAT I'VE LEFT YOU ON THE PORCH.
The text isn't from Emilio. It's from an unknown number.
"Hey, guys, I have a package apparently on the porch. I'll be right back."
As I walk outside, I see a small box lying on the porch. Walking over to it, I pick it up. It's just a small, square, average cardboard box. Opening the top, I look inside and immediately drop it at my feet, screaming.
Fear sends ice through my veins. As I tremble, I look around for anyone who could be a threat. I don't see anyone, but I feel the hair on the back of my neck rise. I know I'm being watched.
"What is going on? Everly says as she appears at the doorway.
Sam is right behind her. "Are you okay?"
"The box…" is all I can get out before I'm wracked with sobs.
The sound of my phone ringing pulls me out of my hysteria. It's Emilio, and before I can answer it, I hear Sam and Everly's phones going off, too. I know the guys watch us on camera, so I assume they saw or heard me scream and are calling because of it.
Clicking the answer button, Emilio’s panicked voice comes over the line. "Little Storm? What happened? I'm on my way. Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. It's just…" I falter, unable to tell him what was in the box.
Everly takes the phone from me as Sam puts her arm around me. Both must have already finished their phone calls. "Emilio, she got a package and inside there's a picture of your baby's sonogram. There's a dead squirrel in the box and a note that says, ‘ Your baby is next. I know what you did. ’"
I don’t hear Emilio’s reply, but after a few seconds, Everly hangs up the phone.
"The guys are all on their way, and Antonio is going to sit with us until they get here," she informs me.
Samirah wraps her arms around me and pulls me towards the inside of the house. "Let's get in the house where it's safe."
"Hey, I'll make you a nice cup of hot tea. It'll help you relax," Everly offers.
"That would be nice. Thank you."
"Too bad you can't have a couple of shots. It would sure help me right about now," she says sarcastically.
Samirah chimes in, "She's trembling, and every little sound is making her jump."
While Everly is in the kitchen getting the tea, Samirah moves over and puts her arm around me again. "Serena, honey, what is the person who left the box saying that you did?"
Shame envelops me. Shaking my head back and forth, I try to think of what to say to avoid telling her the truth.
"You know you can tell us anything, right? We aren't going to judge you. I'm married to a serial killer, for fuck’s sake," she says, exasperated by my lack of response.
I can't bring myself to tell her what I did. It was so selfish and disgusting. The fact that I deserve whatever this crazy person does to me is in the back of my mind. My baby deserves to be safe; he’s done nothing wrong. I know this campaign of terror against me is wrong, but still, I did something unforgivable, and I can’t help but feel I need to atone in some way.
Just as I realize Antonio has made his way into the living room and is quietly sitting in the corner near the window, Everly comes in with the hot tea.
Emilio, Gio, and Cello burst through the front door, and my brothers go straight to their wives.
Emilio comes over to the couch, stoops on the floor, and lunges at me, wrapping me tight in his arms. "Baby girl, it's okay. I'm here, and no one is going to hurt you or our baby."
"I was so scared, Emilio," I tell him, sobbing hysterically, though his embrace offers me some relief.
"What the hell is going on?" Gio asks as he holds Everly close. His eyes roam over her body, checking her for any injuries.
"Yeah, what happened?" asks Marcello.
"She's shaken up from some asshole leaving her roadkill and a creepy note,” Emilio states, before turning to his second-in-command. “Antonio, take the package to my office. Once I get Serena calm and settled, I'll meet you there."
"Yes, boss."
"We've got to figure out who the hell is after my sister," spits Marcello.
Still in Emilio’s arms, I sit and listen to everyone around me speak as they try to figure out the mystery of who is stalking me, and I think about the night of the accident. I thought for sure the person was dead; plus, no one else was around. How would anyone have seen me unless it was them? Did they survive and are they coming after me and my baby now?
Once my brothers and their wives leave, Emilio takes me to our bedroom. He helps me shower and get into bed.
"Don't leave me, please." Desperately, I reach out to him.
"I'll stay until you go to sleep. I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you, Little Storm."
"It's my fault. I did this, not you. You don't owe me any apologies."
"Little Storm, you did not do this. You made a mistake. It was an accident, and there's no way you could have known this person would come after you. I swear to you that I'm going to find out who is doing this and make them pay."