CHAPTER 12
An animalistic lust burning in those eyes, the full, tempting lips curled in an ugly rictus, that innocent face contorted by viciousness…the man standing in front of Brian was the embodiment of evilness and cruelty a few months earlier. The images of the stranger assaulting him again and again, using his body, hurting him, were as fresh in his mind as if those horrendous things happened right then and there.
The sight of his rapist standing there, staring at him without a word, examining him with undisguised curiosity, was more than Brian could endure. Covering his ears with both hands, to stop the desperate pleas for mercy and cries of pain that were still echoing in his mind, he darted from behind the counter, ran past Tanner, who was just walking inside the library, and went into his small office in the back.
Once there, Brian locked the door, then stood with his back against the wall, trying to calm his erratic breath down, but failing miserably. Why? He screamed in his mind, burying his face in both hands again. Why wasn’t he allowed to put the past behind him and just live his life in peace? Why did that monster emerge from the pits of hell again?
As these questions, and many others, roiled through Brian’s mind like a hive of mad bees, he felt his knees becoming weak, so he let himself slide down and sat on the cold floor, arms wrapped around his trembling body. Suddenly, the man’s eyes went wide with terror, and his heart started hammering against his ribcage again.
That beast was there to harm the baby he was carrying, Zelda, his precious princess, who he promised to bring into the world, no matter what it would take. No, Brian shook his head, I’m not going to let him do this, there’s no way in hell that the old hag wins, I will fight tooth and claw to not let that happen. With this in mind, he crawled under the desk.
“Boss, are you alright there?” Tanner’s familiar voice brought the librarian back from his dark thoughts that started spiraling out of control. “What’s wrong, are you sick?”
“Call Luca.” Brian’s voice was barely a whisper. “Tell him to come here as soon as he can. Bart must not know of this, only Luca,” the librarian whimpered.
“Very well, boss, I’ll do that.” Tanner's reply came in a reassuring voice. “In the meantime, try not to panic, it’s not good for the baby.”
“I’ll do my best, but I don’t know for how long.” Brian’s reply came in a livelier voice. “Thank you,” he added, when he heard the guard’s muffled voice talking to his sub.
About half an hour later, Luca stepped inside the library. “What do you want?” He frowned at the sight of the guy, who was still there, then turned to the guard. “Where is the Wisdom Keeper?”
Tanner gestured with his head to the back of the reading hall. “In his office. The boss lost it when he saw this fellow here.”
“Sir, it's me, Rinaldi, please let me in,” Luca said softly, accompanying his words with a discreet knock at the door.
“I can't move.” Brian barely articulated the words from under the desk. “I…I can’t let them do this, please help me.” He started to sob uncontrollably.
“Sir, I'm coming in.” Luca’s voice was calm and soothing.“Don’t worry, I have the spare key.”
Brian let out a long sigh of relief at the sight of the Sicilian. “Don't let him take my baby, that’s why he came here, to harm me and little Zelda, please don’t let him.”
“Who are you talking about, Master? The guy in the library?” Luca’s brow was pinched in confusion. “He looks very inoffensive, a bit lost, even.”
“He got me pregnant.” Tears started to fall again from Brian’s eyes, staining his cheeks. “I just remembered how he…” He left the sentence unfinished, unable to continue.
Luca didn’t reply; he just stared at the librarian, understanding and compassion mixing in his beautiful, stormy-grey eyes. After a while, he cleared his throat. “I think you should talk to him, see what he has to say. That guy there doesn't look dangerous at all. And is very pregnant.”
Brian locked his eyes with those of his lover, then nodded. “Okay, but be ready to intervene in case he would try to attack me, to…” Not wanting to relive the nightmare once again, the librarian cut himself short and let the other man help him out from under the desk and lead him out of the room.
“Hey, my name is Adam, I just came to tell you I... I'm sorry for what happened,” the guy greeted the librarian with an extended hand. “I know you didn't have a say in this. The doctor said we...we'll be fine, so don't worry.” The young man abruptly stopped talking, hugged himself and started shaking.
Brian swallowed hard a few times. “I'm sorry I panicked. I…I don't remember much, only you on top of me. I barely remember escaping.” Even though he was still scared, the librarian hugged the young man. “I'm sorry I don't remember what happened.”
“That's...that's okay, I guess.” Adam whispered in a hesitant voice. “You have it better than me, who remembers everything. That old hag laughing when you...never mind, really.” He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.
Brian gave the younger man another tight, warm hug. “I'm sorry I hurt you.” He rubbed soft circles on the other one’s back. “She did something to us.”
Adam let out a long, heavy sigh. “Yes, she did, but I hope that there will come a time, sooner rather than later, when she will pay for everything. That evil woman won’t be able to hurt others anymore, and that's the most important thing.”
Tanner and Luca, moved by Adam’s state and the horrific nightmare behind the bits and pieces of story he shared, guided him and Brian into the reading hall, where they sat next to each other. After spending a few minutes in silence, examining the librarian from the corner of his eye, the younger man started to talk.
Everything began when his father borrowed money from that vile monster, Donna Fabrizia, about a year earlier.Because some of his business partners failed to keep their part of the deal and delayed the due payments, the man wasn’t able to repay the loan on time, and went to ask for an extension, even if he was aware the extra interest would be astronomic.
Surprisingly, Donna Fabrizia was very understanding of Adam’s father's situation, and agreed to extend the loan period. The man was shocked when she didn’t charge him extra for not repaying the debt at the original deadline.In exchange for her generosity, the woman asked him to send his younger son, Adam, to her villa for a month or two. The rest was history, the young man concluded his story.
A leaden silence followed his last words; the four men looked at each other, but none of them voiced their thoughts. After what seemed like an eternity, it was Adam who started to talk again, after swallowing hard a few times and taking a deep breath. In a shaky voice, he told the others why he came to the library.
Brian was the father of the baby he was carrying, a little boy, just like he sired the little girl in the librarian’s womb. Adam’s intention was to keep in touch, talk over the phone or on camera once in a while, offering updates on his state through different stages of the pregnancy and finding out the latest news about Zelda’s progress. If he was allowed, of course, he added, lowering his gaze.
Brian changed his position so he could face Adam, and took the younger man’s hands in his. Of course, he said in a soft voice, nothing would make him happier than the two of them keeping in touch and sharing their experiences throughout pregnancy. Now, when he saw there were no reasons to fear the other father of his baby girl, the librarian wanted him to be part of her life, and was grateful for the chance to know about his son and meet him when the time comes.
Later that night, Brian told Bart what happened at the library, emphasizing that Adam was just another victim of the evil woman who was hell-bent on destroying their life. His husband listened to him without saying a word, hugging him tight and holding him like a child. It doesn’t matter what Donna Fabrizia does, did, or will do, the blond, younger man whispered when the librarian finished the story, in the end, she’ll always be the sorry loser, because love always wins.
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Brian lay sprawled on the bed in the guest room at Reardon’s villa’s that served as bedroom for him and Bart when they spent the weekends there, a smile of contentment playing on his lips. The bed was ultra-comfortable and extra-large, the biggest the librarian ever saw; his darling husband called it Bedzilla, and he, Reardon, and Edwin agreed the name was suitable.
Brian started to caress his swollen belly, the smile on his lips getting brighter. One more week, and little Zelda will meet her siblings and fathers, he said to himself, his heart jumping with joy at the thought. Everything was going extremely well with the pregnancy, to everyone’s great relief, and the doctor didn’t expect any complications during the C-section surgery.
Over the months that passed since Adam showed up at the library, the young man called Brian once a week, sometimes even more often, and they spent hours on end talking about the babies and showing each other photos of the ultrasounds. Just like in the librarian’s case, the younger man’s pregnancy was in normal parameters.
Bart wasn’t jealous when Brian was called by Adam or called him; on the contrary, he was thrilled at the thought of meeting baby Sean, what his bearer chose to name the baby boy. He even suggested a shared custody agreement of sorts; when the children would grow older, they would spend the weekends together, alternating between their fathers’ houses.
“Can I come in?” Edwin’s soft voice brought the librarian back from his thoughts. “I knocked two times, but you didn’t answer, so…”
“Sure, little brother,” Brian gave him an affectionate smile. “Sorry, I was thinking about Zelda, Sean, and how they changed our lives for the better.”
“They surely did,” Edwin nodded as he headed to the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and caressed his older brother’s belly. “Hello, sweetie, your uncle here. Everything will be alright, you don’t have to worry. Your job is to be a cute, sweet princess.”
“Ow,” Brian exclaimed, pain contorting his face. “I think she wants out a little earlier than planned,” he continued between pants.
“Is everything alright here?” Reardon peeked inside the room, his voice a bit worried. “Is it only me, or does your brother not look very well?”
“No, he’s not.” Edwin pulled his phone out of his jeans’ back pocket. “I’m calling his doctor, can you please get downstairs and get Bart and Luca.”
“Of course,” Reardon nodded. He used his teleportation powers to go to the living-room, where the two men had the time of their life in the company of all the children. “Guys, it’s time. Brian went into labor, or at least that’s what Edwin and I think.”
“Ugh these contractions aren't playing around.” Brian was said between pants when the three men rushed into the room. “Hey there, ready to meet the newest member of the Cavallieri clan?” He greeted them in a happy voice.
“The ambulance will be here in about forty minutes,” Edwin announced after ending the call. He looked between the three men. “Do you think you can help him to safely get downstairs?”
“We can at least try,” Luca’s answer came after a moment of reflection. “Master, can you stand?”
“Yes, I think so,” Brian breathed out the words between two sharp inhales. “Actually, I think it would hurt less if I stand.”
After what seemed an eternity to everyone involved, the librarian was comfortably sitting on an armchair in the living-room. “Soon, you are going to meet your daughter. Are you ready?” Reardon’s words were accompanied by an encouraging smile.
“Never been more ready,” Brian smiled.