Chapter 28 #2
Somewhere in the scramble, I hear the sound of a slide racking.
Turning, I see my mother pull a small pistol from her waist and point it straight at Sebastian.
I never thought this is where my life would lead me, my sister barely breathing next to me, my father dead on the floor of some warehouse in the middle of a blood feud between a family we had no business meddling in.
Yet here we are. This life is full of choices.
And for once, mine are completely clear.
Picking up the gun my father dropped when his body hit the floor, I level the barrel at my mother’s head.
“If you touch him, you won’t live to see tomorrow. That’s a promise I have no hesitation in keeping, mother.” I say, silence washing over the room.
I stand, not wavering for a moment in my convictions. I will kill her. I feel no reservation or cause for second guessing that decision. But enough blood has already been spilled here today because of stupid men, I don’t need to add to it unnecessarily.
“You would never kill your own family, your own blood.” My mother spits, and I straighten my spine. She will never change. She will perpetuate this vicious cycle for every one of my siblings until they’re all nothing but shells of the people they were once meant to be.
“Sebastian is my family. And I will do anything it takes to protect him,” I declare, and I see the exact moment she loses her sense of reality.
She lunges towards me, and I pull the trigger. I expect to feel…something. Sadness maybe? Or guilt? But all I feel is vindication and a sense of relief, knowing Sebastian is safe for the first time in so long.
A groan sounds behind me, and I drop to my knees, the gun clattering to the floor. A sob wracks my body as I survey the damage they’ve done to my sister. I can’t imagine the internal injuries she’s sustained or how long she’s endured this torture.
“Aria? I’m right here. You’re gonna be okay, I promise. We’re going to get you to a doctor.” Maybe I’m trying to convince myself more than her as I brush her curls back out of her face. They’re caked in blood and my stomach rolls, bile creeping up my throat.
“I’ve got her, Ness. Let me take her out,” Enzo seems to materialize next to me, scooping her up gently.
“Be careful! Please, Enzo…don’t…” I beg, and he looks at me knowingly, sympathy lacing his features.
“I promise I will take care of her. I will keep her safe.” He vows, and I nod, letting them go.
“Vanessa?” I hear the voice I’ve been waiting what feels like an eternity for, even though it’s only been a matter of hours.
Turning, I cross the space between us in seconds, jumping into his arms. He catches me with ease, kissing my chest, my arms, my face, any part of me he can reach.
“I’m so sorry, I let you walk right into the hands of my enemy. I could never be worthy of your forgiveness, but I will spend my life earning it.” He holds me tightly to his chest, and I never want to leave this embrace.
“It’s not something you have to earn. There’s nothing to forgive, Seb.
Our lives will be a constant state of someone reaching for the power you possess and us fighting back.
And it’s a fight I’m willing to be a part of every single time if it means I get to stand by your side, Sebastian.
But maybe next time, let’s not keep me in the dark about cousins trying to burn the family tree, okay?
Next time someone tries to make a grab for the family jewels, try to keep me informed.
” I joke and he just laughs, burying his hands in my hair.
“I don’t know what kind of deal I made with the devil to earn a woman like you, but I don’t care. I love you, Vanessa.” he says, crashing his lips against mine in a desperate kiss.
I could get lost in this moment, the world disappearing around us even though Sebastian’s men are cleaning up bodies and evidence only a few feet away.
All I can think about is how safe I feel wrapped in his arms, in his kiss.
I’m sure a therapist could unpack something about that, but I’m gonna leave it alone.
He makes me feel seen and understood for once in my life, and I won’t ever give that up now that it’s mine.
“Wait!” I say, pushing back from his chest. “Matteo?”
The look in Sebastian’s eyes tells me all I need to know. The aftermath of this chaos will be a long road of recovery, but we will do it together. And that’s what matters in the end.
“He was badly hurt. Rory is with him now, and some doctor Breaker brought in. I do not know his condition. He managed to escape the house with his life but…whether he will survive his injuries remains to be seen.” he says, and my heart drops like lead.
“I don’t know that I really want to know the answer to this but…my dog? My house? They’re gone, aren't they?” I ask, burying my face in his chest.
“I don’t know the extent of the damage to your house, but Breaker said it was very substantial.
It will likely be a total loss. I am so sorry you’ve lost your memories there, Bambina.
But if you choose it, we can rebuild it just as it was.
” He hooks a finger under my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes as a tear escapes over the edge of my lashes.
“And Doug?” I choke back a sob, not wanting to hear any more devastating news, but feeling like ripping the band-aid off all at once is really the best way to go.
“I wish I could give you an answer there, but I cannot. Matteo said he ran into the woods surrounding your home when they got out of the house. We haven’t seen any sign of him. I’m so sorry, Vanessa.” He wipes my tears, kissing my forehead gently and pulling me into him.
The thought of him wandering alone in the woods, scared and probably hurt, is more than I can handle.
Sobs break through, pouring from my body in wave after wave.
Adrenaline finally crashes in my system, and I feel unsteady on my feet.
Fuck, if I pass out now in front of these men, I may never hear the end of it.
I have to remain strong. Even though my body is begging for a moment’s peace.
My parents are dead, my sister is hanging in the balance, my life as I’ve known it has been blown to pieces, but I have to hold it together. A queen does not falter, after all.
“You refused to let me fall. Let me spend every breath I have left returning that vow. You will never stand alone again, Vanessa. I swear it on my life. Let me hold you up now.” Sebastian whispers against my cheek, stroking my curls softly.
I lean into him, letting him support my weight as we walk out of the warehouse and into the light of day.
Somehow, the sun on my skin feels different than it did even yesterday.
It feels like a new beginning, like the dawn of a new era for Fortuna Nera, for Sebastian, and for me.
For now, I just want to find the doctor who is working on Matteo and my sister and feel some semblance of reassurance for the first time today.