Fabio handed me a gun. We were careful not to walk into a gunfight on the way out. My father’s men had taken care of most of Abriana’s scum, so our path was clear. I was covered in blood from my fight with Enrico—his and mine. To my great relief, Mario’s car was gone by the time Fabio and I made it out of the warehouse. It was a blood bath outside. Bodies everywhere. Some ours and some Abriana’s. I detested violence. There were never any winners.
The drive back to my family home was long. I couldn’t focus on anything except having Ella in my arms. She’d been through a lot, and I needed to comfort her. Back at the mansion, my father and his men were waiting for us. They ushered me inside to check my wounds, most of them superficial, and then we waited for Mario.
“Why is it taking so long for them to get here? What the hell is going on?” My voice was shaky as I paced the driveway. I had all kinds of terrible thoughts running through my mind. I couldn’t live without my Ella. Someone from the gatehouse radioed us to say that Mario's car had just passed through the gate.
When the car came into view, I raced to see if Ella was okay. I’d never been so happy to see Mario. She leaped out of the car and ran to me, throwing her arms around my neck.
“Oh, thank God! Oh, my darling, Ella. I’m so happy to see you. You’re safe now. I’m never letting you out of my sight again. Never!”
I held onto her for the longest time. For the first time since I’d known Ella, she cried into my chest. Her sobs shook her body, the realization that she was safe, overwhelmed her. A tear rolled down my face as I held her. The anger that had been front and center in my mind, turned to unfathomable love and joy at having my love back with me, safe and sound.
“Are you feeling okay?” I was concerned about our baby, but I thought it best not to mention it just yet. Ella had been through enough without panicking about the fetus growing inside of her.
“I’m fine, my love. My face feels like a punching bag and my eyes like sandpaper, but other than that I’m fine. Joe, do you think our baby is okay?”
“The baby is a Coli, gorgeous. He’ll come out swinging.”
“He? Do you know something I don’t?” She smiled up at me through the bumps and bruises and swollen lip.
“It’s a hunch. Let’s get you inside. Your mother is a wreck. I’m sure she wants to hold you.”
ELEANORA
I was eager to get back to the hospital to check on Franco, but Joe would have nothing of it. He all but forbade me to leave the house, and after my ordeal, I didn’t argue much. With me settled in and safe with my mother and the Colis, Joe, Fabio, and Mario left us to be with Franco.
My mother followed me around the house as one would with a toddler. After what she’d been through with my father’s death and her only child’s kidnapping, I gave her a break. The first thing the mothers did was to feed me—because that’s what mothers did. I drew myself a warm bath and relaxed into it, tired and bruised. I was exhausted but the odds of any form of restful sleep were not in my favor. As I lay in the bath, I touched my belly. It didn’t feel real—me, a mother! I prayed that my baby was okay. “Quite a start for a new life, hey little angel.”
I wondered how far along I was. When I’d skipped my period the first time, I put it down to the stress of moving. I had always been a bit of a “knit one, skip one” kinda girl when it came to my menses, so I didn’t think much of it. But then, when I’d skipped the second month, I grew suspicious. I didn’t tell anyone because I was afraid to disappoint if I wasn’t pregnant.
My mother was ecstatic when she hugged me and congratulated me. Bella couldn’t hug me enough. It was clear to all that their first grandchild’s birth was an event they’d waited for all their lives. As soon as the dust settled, I would call my doctor for an appointment. An ultrasound would confirm my baby's health. I didn’t for one moment think that baby Coli would be anything other than healthy as a horse.
Bria was going to flip when she heard my news. The bathwater was tepid by the time I dried off. I wrapped myself in a bathrobe and sat on the edge of the spare room bed. I took a sip of herbal tea my mother had brewed for me and dialed Bria’s number. When she answered and heard my voice, she burst into tears.
“Ella! Oh my God, it’s you!” She tried to speak through her sobs. “You cannot understand how scared I was when Fabio told me what had happened to you. Are you okay, Ella? Are you hurt? Come on, talk to me!”
“I would if you gave me half a chance.” I chuckled into the receiver. My lips and my cheek hurt. “I’m okay, Bria. A little bashed up but fine.”
“What the hell is going on, on that side? Fabio refused to let me get onto the plane. I feel like I’m on Mars on this side. No news, no calls. I was losing my mind with worry.”
“On a scale of one to ten on ‘fuck it,’ I’d rate my experience a solid twelve. One day when I’m bored to tears, I’ll tell you about it.”
“I’m so relieved, Ella. I love you too much to
