Chapter 8
THOR
I felt the tension the second I entered the living room, my gaze sweeping the space.
I had been in my penthouse when Pietra called me, nervous, implying that Antonella and our baby weren’t well, that they needed me. Which drove me crazy with worry. The next thing I knew, I was speeding toward the mansion.
Antonella was standing near the couch with her back to me, her shoulders shaking. Pietra, beside her, looked stunned, her gaze fixed beyond Antonella.
“… I no longer have a daughter.”
I followed the hard, sharp male voice and found myself facing a tall man in his early forties, standing in the middle of the room. With his appearance and expensive clothes, he reminded me of those buttoned-up Wall Street types. He had an aggressive posture and a heavy gaze.
This was Antonella’s father, Rocco Vicenti.
“Rocco, don’t say things you’ll regret later.
Antonella made a mistake, yes, like any human being, but she is still your daughter and always will be,” Martha reprimanded him harshly, entering the living room with a glass of water and offering it to Antonella, who refused.
“Come on, dear. Just drink a little. It will help you calm down.” Martha then looked at Rocco.
“It would be better if you left. Come back when you’re calmer.
Right now everyone is too upset, and you’ll end up saying things you truly don’t mean, like you just did. ”
Pietra took a step forward.
“Please, Mr. Vicenti, Antonella is pregnant, and all this stress isn’t good for her or for the baby. Do it out of respect for your grandson and your daughter.”
“What daughter?” His gaze, full of fury and contempt, fixed on Antonella. “The only daughter I had would not have such poor character with her own family. And I never had any vocation to be the father of a slut, Miss Castellammare.”
“You’d better follow Martha’s advice,” I told him.
I held Rocco’s gaze as I moved closer to Antonella.
“Heithor, this is Mr. Rocco Vicenti, father of…”
“I know who he is, Mother.”
“Heithor Castellammare.” There was anger in his voice.
“I hope you have as much money as you seem to have, because you’ll need a lot of it to maintain the luxurious life this little girl is accustomed to and to support the…
Well, what am I saying? You, apparently, are the father of the child, aren’t you?
” His head tilted. “Just one piece of advice. Being a father isn’t the wonder people paint it to be.
You can give your child everything, but that guarantees nothing.
And as you can see for yourself, some aren’t worth having. ”
Antonella gasped behind me, and I looked. That made my blood boil even more when I saw her red eyes full of tears and her face twisted with a deep sadness.
I brought my gaze back to her piece-of-shit father.
“Some parents aren’t either.” And I added, “And I hope you’re as intelligent as you appear to be and follow my mother’s advice before it’s too late. Father or not, I will not allow you to disrespect Antonella one more fucking time.”
“Are you threatening me, Castellammare? Do you have any idea who I am?”
I took a step forward, my gaze locked on his.
“Given your total lack of awareness, I imagine you’re the one who has no idea who you’re talking to.
And if you don’t get out of my house right now, I’ll make a point of introducing you to a little respect with my fists.
I believe that is not exactly a scene you want your daughter to have to witness, is it? ”
“Someone needs to teach you some manners and respect for your elders, especially for other people’s family.
” He looked at Antonella. “I hope he is worth everything you believe he is worth for you to throw your life, the entire future you could have had, and your family into the trash… Be aware of all the consequences your decision brings, so that later you won’t regret the stupidity you’re committing.
Once I walk through that door, you will cease to be a Vicenti. ”
“I’m not going to say it again, fuck.”
“N-N-No, please, don’t…”
Rocco lifted his chin, looking down at me, fucking with my patience.
“No one tells me when to leave, boy.”
My fist crashed against his jaw. He faltered, staggering a few steps back, and I lunged forward, ready to teach him some respect.
“THOR!”
I looked, catching the disaster behind me… Antonella was falling… I launched myself, letting my body absorb the impact on my knees when they hit the floor, with Antonella safe in my arms. I felt no pain, only terror.
“Jesus Christ!” Martha exclaimed.
Pietra knelt beside me. “Ai, Dio mio! Thor, do you think…”
“She only fainted, Pietra,” I assured her, in an overwhelming calm and confidence I didn’t feel, but I couldn’t create a bigger commotion. “Call Marcela.”
“She…?”
I looked up, focusing on the face of the man who, minutes before, had overflowed with rage and hostility, now wearing a cautious and even concerned expression.
My jaw locked and my teeth ground together.
“Thank God my hands are full. And pray, pray very hard, that nothing has happened or will happen to her or to my son… If either of them suffers any harm because of your fucking prejudices, I will personally hunt you down even in hell if I have to. And when I find you—and I will find you—you’ll wish you had met the Devil instead of me.
Now, if you don’t want the security guards to throw you out on your ass, get the fuck out. ”
I carried Antonella to the Range Rover. Kane, the head of security, approached, opening the rear door of the car. Martha got in on the other side, supporting her body.
“I want that man out of the mansion now,” I barked at Kane before sitting behind the wheel and speeding toward the hospital.
I prayed silently that it was nothing more than a stupid scare caused by the explosion of emotions and that they were both all right. I refused to think of the worst.
At the hospital, Marcela locked herself in a room, keeping the two most precious parts of my life inside.
I ran a hand through my hair and breathed deeply.
Anguish threatened to overflow the edges of my control, and there may have been some moisture in my eyes.
Fear weighed on my heart. Pietra wrapped her arms around me, and Martha stroked my arm, suddenly reminding me of their presence.
I wrapped an arm around both their waists and rested my head against the wall, closing my eyes.
“I need to do her paperwork,” I said after a moment.
“I’ll do it, son. Pietra, did you get her purse?”
“I did, mamma. But in the rush, I forgot it in the car.”
“Do you have the keys?” I asked. In my urgency for Antonella to be seen, I had jumped out of the car to put her on the stretcher and follow her into treatment.
“Yes,” Pietra said.
Martha kissed my cheek.
“Everything will be fine, son. Antonella and the baby are strong.”
“Mamma is right, fratellino.”
An hour later, when I was at the peak of my despair, Marcela reappeared. Immediately, I straightened my posture and looked at her fearfully, searching for answers.
“Is she all right? The baby?”
“They’re all right. Antonella had a small bleed and her blood pressure was very low, but it’s under control now.
I put her on IV fluids and administered medication, a mild relaxant so she can sleep peacefully and recover.
As for the bleeding, although it has been controlled, I am a little concerned. ”
“God, don’t tell me…”
“Listen, Heithor, Antonella’s pregnancy is healthy.
She has done all the necessary exams and follows all my instructions correctly.
If there were any problem with her or with the baby, I would already have diagnosed it.
Now, I need to be honest with you. My concern is that bleeding, even slight bleeding, occurred at this stage of the pregnancy.
That isn’t common, since both she and the baby are healthy.
Bleeding at this point is rare and only tends to happen for four reasons.
In the case of sexual intercourse, there are three: when the act is very violent; the woman has some vaginal infection; or there are wounds on the cervix, either hormonal in origin or caused by some illness.
I have been caring for her since the beginning of the pregnancy, and I guarantee that neither of those last two mentioned is the case. ”
“Antonella has not had sexual intercourse,” I pointed out with conviction.
“Well, the fourth is when what we call placenta previa occurs. That happens when the placenta attaches in the wrong place. Usually near the cervix, and not in the middle section, as is normal. But that is also not her case.”
She finished and stayed silent, waiting for an explanation from me.
I told her what had happened and my own speculation.
“That explains a lot. Antonella was very nervous. Even with the medication, it took a long time before I managed to get her to relax a little and stop fighting the effect of the medicine. Listen, Heithor, I understand that the situation is very delicate, especially for Antonella, but she cannot go through this level of stress again. In fact, any kind of stress should be avoided, if possible. I know sometimes it’s simply impossible because the pregnant woman herself has hormones right at the surface and turns a dirty glass into World War III, but if you can avoid it, do.
Honestly, I don’t know if we’ll be so lucky if this happens again.
” My spine chilled. “Both mother and baby are in good health. Her pregnancy has always been very calm, but even a calm pregnancy carries risks. So avoid touching on this subject for now. I know it’s not an easy request, especially given the subject itself, but try.
There is so little time left, and avoiding unnecessary stress until the birth will be a great help so we don’t have complications. ”
“I’ll do everything within my power. Can I see her?”
“Of course. They’re about to take her to the room. She’s sleeping and will probably only wake up tomorrow morning.”