211

Isabella

The crowd fell silent, and my heart started thumping loudly. But it was too late to stop now.

 "And over time, even when I was in Rome in exile, they tried to kill me. My cousin and Roman actively tried to end my life multiple times but failed. Until their son, RJ, actually fired a gun at me, killing my child in the process."

 I took a step down one of the stairs, then another, compelled to move closer. The crowd was so large now that I couldn't even quantify how much more they had multiplied.

 "They cannot be let to live, period, and not just for my sake, but for the sake of the throne. Let this be a warning to the allies. We see you, and we are coming for you, so sit tight," I said, dropping the mic on the floor.

I turned to Damon, who gave the signal to Raven, who did the honors. Raven got up from sitting by the stairs, climbed the raised platform, and clutched the first person, pulling their head back.

With one of his sharp knives, he slit their throat, causing a torrent of blood to flow and the body to start spasming uncontrollably. I turned my face away, feeling as though I had seen enough but also feeling slight nausea. I kept my face away until Damon looked at me sternly.

"Look," he said. I shook my head.

"Do I have to?" He shook his head, and I reluctantly turned my face back to witness Raven slit Patricia's throat. The rest of the crowd was deathly silent as they watched the execution take place in front of them.

"Why not guns?" I made a mental note to ask Damon later. Finally, when the deed was done, the blood began to flow off the edge of the raised platform, staining the gray stone with dark red, thick blood.

I turned away and walked towards the van that I came in. I was done, I thought to myself, swallowing the bile that rose in my throat at the sight of the spasming bodies and the smell of blood.

Damon opened the door soon after, bringing the smell of blood into the van. Another wave of bile rose inside me.

 "Are you all right?" he asked. I shook my head.

 "Please, close the door," I said, and he quickly complied. "The smell of the blood is too much for me right now." Damon nodded and reached for my belly. He pulled me onto his lap and began to rub the still sore flesh.

"Does it hurt? Does it hurt when I do this?" he asked as he pulled my jumpsuit aside off my shoulders until my breasts and waist were exposed to him. His hands moved under the waistband and found my belly, and I flinched slightly when his fingers came in contact with the soft flesh.

 "A bit, but not as much as it hurts outside. Does it hurt inside?" He leaned towards my neck and planted a soft kiss under my ear.

 "We will make another one, Mia Bella.”

“But there's a slight chance that I may not be able to have another one. Andrew told me something funny the other day. He said he heard rumors about how I was infertile, about how I would never have a child and be the end of my lineage.”

"I don't see anything good for our future. I don't see why you should love me." I decided as I tried to pull myself from his embrace. He pulled me back in response. He planted another kiss on my ear then grabbed one of my breasts through my bra.

"I will never love another woman like I love you. I don't need to love any other one like I love you. And if you can give me a child, we will simply adopt one and put an end to this madness in the City."

 I almost started to cry. I allowed myself to lean back into his once and relax as his hands continued to fondle.

Moments later, after enjoying the comfort and the sweet attention that he gave me, he reached underneath my bra and began to play with my nipple, causing me to squirm.

"I can't," I said softly, as I felt tears gather in my eyes.

"Mia Bella," he said softly and pulled me closer until I sat flush against his erection.

"This can't happen for anyone else. It's just to you, Mia Bella," he said as he slowly began to remove the second part of my jumpsuit and pull it down until it was at my waist.

 In one swift motion, he took off my bra, leaving me naked from the waist up. He turned me around so fast that when I came to, I found myself straddling him.

He fisted my hair, effectively scattering the intricate updo that Paula had helped me with. My hair fell around our faces like curtains, the red blocking most of the light out from us, making it seem more intimate.

 My eyes fluttered closed as his lips touched mine. I suddenly pushed him back as I felt yet another wave of bile rise from my belly and reach my throat. I pushed it down, swallowing it until I didn't taste it anymore.

"Are you all right, Mia Bella?" He caressed my cheek.

"Take off your coat. It smells like blood," I said as I began to claw at his jacket until he took it off.