Chapter Five

"...so daddy thought it would be a good idea to go ice skating. He broke a leg...literally!!!"

I and Alessandro have been seeing each other for a few months now but only began dating officially last two weeks. We were currently in his house and I had met his daughter, Anastasia but she insisted I call her Ana. I have no idea what Alessandro told her, but she has been off her rockers since I got here. She was so excited to finally meet her dad's girlfriend.

Alessandro had brought me over to his house to meet his daughter and his dog, I didn't even have the chance to compliment him on his house before I and Antonio were attacked by Ana and Gusto. Antonio eventually caught the fever and once we were in the house, I set him down and let him crawl around the living room playing with the dog. A medium-sized German Shepherd who loved sniffing my feet and running circles around Antonio. I and Ana continued our conversation until she got bored and decided Antonio and Gusto were better company.

I smelt him before I felt him, Alessandro leaned over the back of my seat and nuzzled my neck, biting it softly before coming around and sitting beside me, drawing me to sit on him.

"Are you having a good time?"

I nodded my head and smiled.

"Ana isn't wearing you out, is she?"

I threw my head back and laughed, catching the kid's attention. I waved at them to continue with their play.

"Ana wore me out alright, she's got the energy of a Ferrari engine."

"Okay, so you won't be having any energy for what I have in mind then."

I cocked my head to the side and looked at him, I didn't need him to say anything to know what he was thinking and color crept up my neck and cheeks at the images popping up in my head.

"Don't do that, there are kids in the house."

"So? They won't hear us."

"Knowing you, they definitely will hear."

"Well, I'm not the one who decides to be loud."

I slapped him on the chest and tried to get up, but he only held on tighter.

"You know, you look really beautiful when you blush darling."

I placed my forehead on his and just basked at the moment, we were interrupted by Claudia, Alessandro's housekeeper and cook.

"Food is ready people"

The kids ran ahead of us to the dining, we decided that just for today they can be restless.

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Alessandro drove me and Antonio back to my house, Antonio was out like a light in his car seat which would prove to be a struggle for me when it's time for his bath. He and Anastasia wore themselves out with all the playing they had.

I sighed when Alessandro pulled up at my curb, I could envision my bed in my mind and how much my body needed it right now.

"Thank you so much for coming over, Elena. I haven't seen Ana that excited or happy since her mother."

I smiled at him; Ana truly was a delightful child.

"I had a lot of fun with her, she is one huge ball of energy."

I leaned over and placed a peck on his lips before exiting the car with Antonio in my arms. I was so engrossed in getting into the house that I didn't hear when Alessandro left, and I didn't notice the black car parked outside my house. I opened the door and almost dropped Antonio when I heard a voice in the darkness.

"Where have you been?"

"Vincenzo?!! How did you get in here?"

He flipped the light switch, and the light bathed his features, he looked like he just got back from work. He had stressed-out vibes all over him so it's either he came here straight from work or he has been sitting in my house waiting for me to come home.

"I'm one of the richest and most powerful men in Italy, Elena."

That was supposed to be an answer? Anyway, I was too tired to fight with him over burglary, so I made my way up the stairs to Antonio's room and dropped him in his cot, took off his clothes, and decided that if he woke up he wasn't going back to sleep. So, a sponge bath it is.

Vincenzo stood there the whole time silently watching me, it was creepy. I knew he had a thing or two to say about me coming home the time I did, but I was too tired to listen, maybe if I just kept quiet he'd get tired and leave.

That wasn't happening because the moment I stepped out of Antonio's room and closed the door, Vincenzo took hold of my arm and dragged me to the living room and sat me down at the dining table. He began to pace the room before finally stopping right next to me with his hands on his hips.

"Where the fuck have you been, Elena?!"

"It's none of your business."

"It's my business goddamnit!!!"

He slammed his hands on the table and pulled a seat closer to me and sat down.

"It's my business who you fuck because I don't want anything to happen to my son."

"You forget something important here Vincenzo."

"And that is?"

"I am his mother, and I am within my rights to introduce him to people who are important in my life."

"There is someone important in your life?"

"Yes, his name is Alessandro, he's a businessman. We just returned from his house."

Vincenzo's expression was filled with rage, but I couldn't understand why and who it was directed at. Me for taking Antonio to meet my boyfriend or Alessandro for...I don't know. Italian men are so possessive.

"You took my son to meet your boyfriend?!"

"Yes. It would have happened sooner than later. Besides what do you think you're doing breaking into my house?"

"So, you now sleep around?!"

Seriously!!!

"That's better than fucking one's best friend, isn't it?! How is Alisha, tell her I said Hi."

He smiled widely. God knows what's going on in that sick mind of his.

"You're jealous."

I looked at him and laughed, you know the kind of laughter that wrenches your guts, the one that you have to hold on to your tummy before you laugh it out. That's the one.

I wiped a tear from my eye as I recovered. I haven't laughed that hard in a long while.

"Oh Vincenzo, trust me I am far from jealous. What exactly is there to be jealous of? You forget that I know you, you are nothing to be jealous of, and besides, I have someone much better."

I heard his hand swoosh the air but before I could react, it landed on my cheek sending me falling from my seat and rolling across the floor.

I just lay there, paralyzed by shock. I knew Vincenzo was not a gentleman, but I didn't know he was a brute.

I heard him stand from his seat and then I heard the door close. Thank goodness he was gone, that was when I let the tears flow. I slowly stood from the floor and touched my cheek; I could feel it already beginning to swell and I bruise easily.

I locked up and went up to my room, took a quick bath, and went into bed naked. Somewhere along the line, I heard my phone ring, but I didn't even bother to look at the caller ID. It rang again and again, and I fell asleep to the sound of my ringtone.

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I woke to the sound of Antonio crying and the ringing of the doorbell. I quickly shot out of bed and ran to my baby, he stopped crying the second I entered the room and stretched his hands out to me from his cot. I carried him and made my way towards the door. I looked through the peephole and it was Alessandro; I opened the door and went to sit on the couch. I turned on the TV to Disney world and settled Antonio on the floor while he watched PJ masks I felt Alessandro come up behind me and lean over the back of the couch I sat on, but the kiss I was waiting for never came. I turned to find Alessandro staring at me or rather at my face, that was when I remembered yesterday's events and the bruise and swelling that was on my right cheek. I covered my cheek with my palm and turned away. A useless move, I'm aware, considering that Alessandro already had enough time to study the mark and I could swear he knows this wasn't an accident.

"I'll ask you once Elena and don't lie to me. I need a name, now."

His voice was calm but knowing him, there was nothing calm about that order. I would tell him, or he would find a way to get it out of me. I took a deep sigh and tapped the spot next to me, he rounded the couch and sat beside me.

I told him everything that happened last night, how Vincenzo broke into my house, how we fought over him and Antonio and how he made his grand exit after he hit me.

"Have this happened before?"

I shook my head slightly, he nodded his head and remained silent. I knew he was far from calm; his hands were clenched together, and I could see the veins on his neck standing out. He looked like a miniature version of the Hulk just much calmer.

"Alessandro...say something."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. You're too silent."

"He's going to pay..."

"Please just let it slide. Vincenzo is a powerful man."

Vincenzo was built and could probably hold his own in a fistfight with Alessandro, but Alessandro is ex-military and owned gyms all across Italy and beyond. He'll murder Vincenzo. What Vincenzo lacked in fighting skills, however, he made up for it in power and influence. A power tussle wasn't what I wanted at the moment...or ever.

Alessandro remained calm for about fifteen minutes despite all my attempts to cheer him up, even seduction wasn't working. Eventually, he stood up, and with just a quick brush of his cheeks on my lips, he was out the door.

Even Antonio felt the tension in the room because after Alessandro left, he began to fuss. Either that or he just wasn't used to the lack of attention from Alessandro.

I stood up and went upstairs, taking Antonio with me. We were going to his house immediately, hopefully, I could stop him before he does something stupid. Like, kill Vincenzo.

By the time I pulled up into Alessandro's house, it was almost 10:00 am. It was like some higher power was preventing me from getting to Alessandro on time.

I ran into the house with Antonio on my hip and was greeted by Claudia at the door.

"Have you seen Alessandro?"

"No, isn't he with you? He said he was going to see you."

I shook my head and that was when the worry set in. I could feel it deep in my tummy that I was not going to like the results of today's reactions.

I smiled at Claudia and assured her that all was well, she was an elderly lady, and I didn't see any reason to worry her especially as there wasn't a tangible reason to be worried just yet. I took Antonio to meet Ana and he immediately forgot that I was his mother, and Gusto was all over me, but I had other things to worry about, so I left them and made my way to Alessandro's room. I guess now it was a waiting game, I pulled back the covers and after shedding some clothes I lay down in the bed and tried to get some shuteye.

I was awakened to the sound of the door closing; I opened my eyes to see Alessandro trying to get rid of his bloodied shirt. His face had more than a few cuts on it and some gashes, and he had a slight limp in his step.

"Alessandro, what have you done?"

"This is nothing, you should see the other guy."

He stripped down to his underwear and threw his dirty clothes in the bathroom without caring where it landed. He sat beside me on the bed and then lay down, dragging me with him.

"Cara, I know you're not happy with what I did, but he needed to understand that he can't touch what's mine."

I just sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. Knowing Vincenzo, he won't take this lying low. Right now, it's just a waiting game.

"I don't know why you're so worried, love."

"You don't know Vincenzo as I do. He's going to do something...anything. he's going to hurt you."

"He knows not to try; he wouldn't dare to bite the hand that has fed his generation for years."

His voice had taken a deadly tone, one I wasn't quite alright with. He sounded like some criminal mastermind. Was he?

I raised my head from his chest and took a good look at his face, I wanted to know when he lied.

"What is that supposed to mean? Have you known Vincenzo before now?"

"Its nothing to worry yourself about love, go to bed."

I sighed and felt the strength leave me, I closed my eyes and let the sweet darkness of sleep envelope me.