Novel Straight 103_I Ran From My Ex, Straight Into My Best Friend’s Father

“No!!” he groans, then sags against Ken, who holds him upright. It can’t be true. Caterina is too smart to do something like that.”

 “No matter what you think or how you feel,” I continue, ignoring His emotional outburst. “It’s true. She’s pregnant, so if you don’t think this is tearing me apart, ripping my heart to shreds, I don’t know how else to prove it to you. Do you need to see me bleeding out? Would that satisfy you? Make you understand how important this is?”

 At the other end of the hall, the elevator doors slide open, and the sight of my daughter’s pale, motionless form on the wheeled bed pulls me from the conversation. I try to distract myself from the tubes in her arms, but it isn’t easy. I hate seeing her like this and, even more, knowing she is here because of me. She will be devastated when she discovers the bald patch on the back of her head where ten stitches now reside. I forget all about Charles and ur conversation and sprint across the space to greet the nurse.

 “The results haven’te back yet,” the nurse tells me just as I reach them. “I know you want answers, but it will take some time.”

 “What if she doesn’t have time?” I demand, walking beside the bed and grabbing onto her frail hand.

 “Mr. Rossetti, her pupils are normal size and responsive,” the nurse assures me. “There’s no reason to believe she sustained severe injury. There’s a chance this is nothing more than a concussion, and that’s something that will resolve itself in time. All we can do is wait for the test results and the doctor to confirm.”

 She could’ve died today, and there would’ve been nothing I could do to stop it. That’s how fast it could’ve happened. One single instant, and everything could’ve changed. “Hang in there, baby,” whisper, clutching her hand. “I’m going to make them pay Don’t you worry.”

 “Boss.” Roger enters the room and thrusts his phone my way, “It’s Costello.”

 Of all fucking times.I grab the phone and bring it to my ear. “Sebastian, I really don’t have time for this right now.”

 “Oh? You don’t have time for our meeting this evening?”

 Releasing Tatiana’s hand and walking out to the hall, I whisper, “Listen. Things… things are about as bad as they could be right now.” I can’t afford to hold back now. He might be able to help me somehow, and even if it means showing a sliver of weakness, it’s worth the cost if it brings Caterina home safely.

 “What’s that beeping in the background? It sounds like you’re in the hospital.”

 Observant kid. “We’re at the hospital in town.”

 “Is everything okay?” He seems interested, yet an intelligent man knows he’s merely digging for information. Quickly as possible, I give him the rundown, hitting on the important parts for the sake of time. “I’m sure my ex–wife had something to do with this, although I don’t know who she was working with. Roger has eyes and ears on it, so hopefully we’ll have an answer

 soon.”

 A nce into the room shows Roger seated at Tatiana’s side. I don’t think he’s blinking, staring at her with an intensity I’ve never seen from him. “My money is on Jack Moroni.”

 “I’ll ask around, see if there’s been any chatter. Please, let me try to help.”

 I don’t have a choice but to ept, do I? No less than my entire life hangs in the bnce. My daughter, my unborn child, and ‘ woman I love. They need me. I can’t afford to fall apart the way Charles is, swinging from grief to rage to helpless horror and back again.

 “Thanks. Let me know if you hear anything,” I mumble into the phone and hit the end key. I grip the device in my hand, squeezing it tighter than necessary. Somewhere out there is the woman I love, and she’s at the mercy of someone menacing because of me.

 I’ll never forgive myself if I lose her, if I lose our baby.

 Finding her isn’t an option.

 If I have to I’ll burn the world to the ground to bring her home.

 CATERINA 

 +20 BONUS

 Just when I thought I’d been through the worst that a person could ever possibly go through…you know, after everything that happened with Luciano, all the ups and downs I went through with Hanni, losing, mom, and watching my father fall apart. All of those things have left invisible scar tissue running through my body, brain, and heart. That scar tissue however isn’t thick enough to protect me against the shaine that’s now coating my insides with a sticky residue.

 “Do you really have to watch me do this?” As if pissing and shitting in a bucket in the corner of the room isn’t bad enough. That alone would be horrifying and degrading without an audience keeping tabs on my every move.

 The thick–necked thug standing with his back to the closed metal oor barely offers a sneer in response. The room is no longer dark thanks to the bare bulb glowing overhead, but I’d prefer the darkness. At least then, the darkness would hide his vulgar expression and the cold glittering of his beady eyes.

 “Aren’t you going to respond?” I demand, standing beside the bucket, trying like hell not to look inside, because these assholes refuse to empty it.

 “Yeah.” His lips turn up into a full–on, nauseating smile. “I was actually just thinking about how I can’t wait till the boss says it’s okay for us to get to know you better.”

 My stomach churns when he reaches down and grabs his crotch through his jeans. Like I needed a visual exnation.

 “I’d think long and hard about that because the moment you put a hand on me, is the moment you’ll end up losing that hand,” I vow, meeting his gaze.

 “You’re a real big talker, but I don’t see anyoneing to rescue you yet. A smart girl would learn her ce around here before talking shit like you are.”

 My biggest concern is keeping myself alive. I don’t know how long these guys will treat me decently–not that there’s anything decent about watching me relieve myself, which I have no choice but to do while they watch me do it. I’m both ashamed and embarrassed, but I have to be strong the way I know Gianni would need me to be.

 Somewhere out there, he’s looking for me, and the only thing I can do is keep it together until he gets here. I refuse to let Jack think he’s won. That thought alone keeps me from shattering into a million pieces. I’m not going to give him that type of satisfaction. He thinks he’s dealing with a weak, fragile flower. Except I’m not a flower. I’m a Queen and given the opportunity, I’d kill him and anyone else I have to in order to save myself and my baby.

 “Satisfied?” I ask once I’m finished peeing.

 “I’ll be a lot more satisfied when the boss loosens up the rules.” He’s even breathing heavier than before, the noise making my stomach churn. It takes a certain kind of sickness to get off on the despair of another individual.

 “Hey, remember what I said. I doubt I would be breaking any woman’s heart by castrating you. In fact, I’d probably be doing them a favor.” My panic rises when he turns toward the door, and I blurt out, “Where is Jack? I want to see him.”

 “It’s a real shame you don’t call the shots.”

 “I’m serious. I want to talk to Jack.”

 “So am I.” He lets out a maliciousugh before leaving the room, swinging the heavy door back into ce with a thud before the lock clicks into ce.

 Now that I’m alone, I can let the mask fall. Putting on a front is exhausting, and the exhaustion only gets worse with every visit from these assholes. No matter how hard I try, there is no fighting back the fear that races through me. It isn’t easy to ignore the doubt tickling the back of my mind now that a full day has passed, and it’s dark all over again, signaling the end of another day. So much time has passed, and Gianni still hasn’t found me. I know he’s trying–I believe that to the depths of my soul–but that doesn’t mean he’s anywhere close.

 How much longer until they’re no longer satisfied following Jack’s rules, which probably aren’t going to be strictly enforced anyway. These do not seem like patient or smart men, for that matter. They’re bored, probably irritated that they have to be here

 to guard me.

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Novel Straight 103