30. Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Serena
A s I stand frozen, staring at Josephine lying in the cold, hard porcelain bathtub with blood puddling from a gash on her head, I feel a twinge of remorse. Quickly, I shake it off. It doesn't matter because I have to do whatever I need to save my baby.
Knowing Antonio is right outside and won't be gone long, I creep up to a window, looking for him. Spotting him chopping wood in the backyard, I go to the opposite end of the house and run out the front door. As I run towards the trees, I know my head start won't last long.
It's a challenge to run with my broken arm hanging and painful as hell. I quickly remove my sweatshirt, taking the hidden fork out of the sleeve and slip it in my jeans pocket. I might need that later. With my teeth, I pull the sleeves, knotted at the wrists, over my head to hang around my neck. Then I slip my broken arm in the makeshift sling.
The thin T-shirt I'm wearing won't be enough to keep me warm. But I would rather endure freezing temperatures than attempt to run with my arm dangling in that way. My arm throbs and aches worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing keeping me going is my precious baby.
Once I have my arm situated, I run through the woods. The sound of sticks breaking and leaves crunching under my feet echo through the air. Antonio will figure out I've left soon and come after me.
I'm breathless, panting, and my heart is pounding so loudly I can hear it in my ears. With adrenaline pumping, I battle my way through the brush and leaves.
I hear Antonio scream my name, and I know I'm out of time. Running as hard as I can, I trip over a fallen tree limb, hitting the dirt with a thud. I'm only able to catch myself with my one good arm. Unwilling to stop, I haul myself up and continue to run.
I hear him behind me and I pick up my pace. The wind whips my hair as I run through the trees. Shadows dance around me, making the forest feel menacing. His footsteps grow louder, closer. I can feel his presence like a predator stalking its prey. Adrenaline surges through my veins, my instincts on high alert. I dart between trees; the darkness swallowing me whole.
I feel his arms wrap around me from behind, and I struggle, kicking my feet and screaming.
"Gotcha. You thought you could get away? You will never get away alive," Antonio roars.
Sobbing, I grab the fork from my pocket, turning and raising my arm high, knowing this is my one chance. I strike him in his eye as hard as I can, and he lets me go to grab his face, screaming. It gives me a moment’s reprieve.
While he’s distracted, I take off in another run. I feel like I can't breathe, but know I have to keep going. My stomach cramps. Oh God, baby, don't come now. It's too early.
Pushing through the pain, I focus on moving forward, one step at a time. The cramps intensify, but I refuse to give up. With each breath, I find the strength to keep moving, a silent plea echoing in my mind— not yet, baby, not yet .
I can feel Antonio at my back. He's almost caught up again.
"Run, Serena. I love to chase my prey. It makes the kill so much sweeter," Antonio calls out. The bastard doesn't sound out of breath at all.
As I push ahead, my hands become clammy and my lungs burn. Then I hear a gunshot echo through the air. At first, I wonder if I’ve been shot, but then I realize I'm not hit. Turning to look, I see Antonio's body hit the ground with a thump.
I gasp and freeze, not knowing what happened, and that’s when I hear him.
"Baby, I'm right here," Emilio breathes as he wraps his arms around me.
Sobbing in relief, all of my emotions flow out in a torrent, and I can't stop them.
Grabbing my face and bringing my eyes to meet his, Emilio speaks again, but I struggle to comprehend his words. "Serena, I'm here, and you are safe. You are in shock, baby girl. I got you."
I'm hit with another excruciating pain in my stomach, and I wrap my good arm around my baby bump as tears stream down my face. "Emilio, our baby, something's wrong."
I feel wetness between my legs and look down to see my pants have blood on them.
Sobbing harder, my heart shatters into a million pieces.
Emilio wastes no time, picking me up bridal-style and carrying me out of the woods. He leans down and kisses me on my forehead. "It's okay, baby. We are going to get you to the hospital."
Gio and Marcello run up, followed by an army of men. Each brother is panicked, asking if I'm okay. I can't answer them. I've got nothing left to give. My baby is dying.
"We have to get her to the hospital. Now!" Emilio spits out frantically.
Then I remember. "Emilio, Josephine is in the house. She was helping Antonio. She's injured, but I think she's still alive."
Emilio looks towards my brothers.
"We got this. You just get my sister to the hospital, and we'll meet you there after we clean this up," Gio assures him.
Suddenly my eyelids feel heavy, and I fight to keep my eyes open. The world fades as I drift into the darkness.