Chapter 90 - Fear

Vanessa.

Dimitri closes the door just as I take off my dress “Hurry and get dressed. We cannot keep them waiting all evening." He walks to me and embraces me from behind, resting his hands on my belly.

“We can. I do not want them here." His nose is in my hair and I hear him sniff.

“You always do this. You agree to have dinner and then want to back out. We can but we won't. Get dressed."

He mutters something under his breath before moving away to get dressed. By the time we pass the spacious hallway into the formal dining room, the table has already been set with all kinds of delicacies. One would think that we were about to feed dozens.

“Good evening, everyone." On the other end of the large table is Mr. Alexander, Dimitri's godfather, and next to him is his demonic daughter. Instead of dinner, I think we should be considering an exorcism to cast her out of our home. I feel my heartbeat spikes and my blood run cold as Alexander runs his eyes down my body. The chill spreads across my stomach as his eyes stop there. There is no hint of surprise there which means he knows. I think we have Francesca to thank for that.

Dimitri takes his place as the head of the table after acknowledging his godfather with a nod which is returned with a smile that seems to have replaced the curiosity and coldness it was sporting. Carter is sitting on the left side of Dimitri and Tianna is sitting next to him. I smile at her. I did not know until the last minute that they were gonna be here. Next to Tianna, Diana does not stop looking at her phone and texting.

I slide into my seat after greeting Alana and Trent who are seated next to me. The only people missing are Brian, Estelle, Stephan, and Hayden. His godfather wanted to have dinner with them all.

“I am glad that our hosts finally came down to join us. I was thinking you were never going to show up."

“Considering what I saw them doing, it's a miracle that they decided to grace us with their presence."

“At least their presence is graceful. Unlike someone I know." Alana remarks and turns to her.

“Dining with maids and bastards is..."

“Is better than dining with ugly people. Do you need me to get you a mirror?" Tianna throws the insult back. She just had to throw our social status in our faces. It's good that no one is gonna take any of her nonsense.

“Oh! I know you. You are that..."

“Enough, Francesca. She is not always like this." It is sad to have a child that continues to drag you to your knees. It is very disappointing. Based on what I have heard about this man, it is a surprise how soft he sounds. Or maybe he is faking it.

Dinner continues well into the evening. The men discuss business. Their legal business. Nothing connected to the gore and violence that lies under this house. Wine is passed around stiffly. The mood is tainted but we try as much as possible to make it seem warm. Honestly, I'm more stressed in this dinner than I have been in my entire pregnancy. I guess this is a result of having bad company. Their energy seems to suck out the joy.

“I never knew you were with child. I would have sent gifts." Alexander tells me as they are about to leave. There is a hint of annoyance in his voice but he hides it so well that I am not sure it's there but I feel it as goosebumps already on my skin.

“Not a lot of people know," I respond with a smile.

“But I am not just other people. I'm family." He rests his eyes on my stomach and I feel worse than uneasy. He reaches out and takes my hand in his turning my attention to his signet ring. The symbol looks too familiar. “I will let it slide this time. But next time, do not think you cannot tell me anything."

His hands fall to his side when he sees Dimitri approaching “I hope we get to do this again, son. It was wonderful being around such wonderful people."

“Goodnight, Dimitri," Francesca says and follows her father out of the house. I wish her shoe heel would break so she can fall face flat. That would make my evening better.

“Dimitri, come on.' Trent calls out and hurries in the direction of the study.

Dimitri kisses my forehead and promises to be back soon before leaving to join his friends. I don't know why but I have this bad feeling. It's like a thick cloud over my head. I don't know if it has anything to do with the guests that left but the mood has been heavy for a while. I almost feel like I should cry but nothing has happened. Maybe it's just my hormones getting to me. I'll have to ask later if it is normal for me to feel like crying when nothing happens.

“So, that bitch huh? Thank God she is gone." Alana's voice cuts through my thoughts. I turn to see her glaring at the door even if it has been a few minutes since they left.

“I wish they would never come back."

“You and me both."

“What do you know about Dimitri's godfather?" I ask as we walk to join the others in the living room.

“Not much. I have only met him a couple of times. At formal gatherings. The one time he visited our home, he left Dad in a sour mood. Days later, Dimitri came home and nearly brought the house down. He set the little guest house at the back on fire to prove a point to Dad and Dad in return, had him arrested and locked up for weeks."

This is my first time hearing about this. I know that he and his father never got along but I never knew it was that bad.

“I never liked the man though. He just felt creepy. Everything about him including his smile and nice, assuring words seems too fake. And the fact that he used to stare at my mom funny." What the hell?!

“And Dimitri never noticed any of this?"

“He never did. You know how he can get. At some point, it seemed like he worshipped the man. Anything he said to him was the gospel in his way. It could have been because Dad had a fallout with him. At the time, every e enemy of our dad's became an ally to him."

“He was a full-blown rebel." Funny how he had no respect for authority but always wants to call the shots for everyone. A control freak that goes berserk when there is another authority.

“He was worse than a rebel. And if you ask me Dad made it worse. He kind of fueled his temper. You see, they are both cut from the same cloth so it wasn't hard to irritate the other. And Dad never let him see how remorseful he was after every outburst. He loved us all but was too rigid to show it."

First, his mother was snatched from him and then, he had to live with a father who would rather provoke him. No wonder he finds it hard to show feelings. He had no one to let him and had to be strong all by himself. No one to lean on.

We are distracted by heavy footsteps approaching fast. It's the guys and they have looks on their faces that range from worried to angry.

“How would you guys like to have a sleepover tonight? Girls' night at the Ian's house."

“Why? I thought you wanted a quiet evening after everyone was gone." I wanted that too.

“Yeah. But something happened. Hayden was attacked and shot. I don't know how bad it is which is why I need to go to him." There is a collective gasp from everyone.

“Is he okay?" Diana swiftly moves in front of me.

“I am not sure but I will let you know after I get there. But for now, I need you to be safe and I know you will be there." He has a bag in his hands. “I already packed some things you might need. Anything else, you can get there." He is in a hurry.

“Okay, let's go." I let him lead me out of the house and into the car.

He drives off immediately and the others follow till we get to the house. Stephan is waiting at the door when we get there. He helps me out of the car. “How long till you get back?"

“I won't stay long but I'll make sure it all ends. I'm not gonna lose any more people."

“Do what you have to do but make sure to come back home quick. I don't want to be away from you for long. I love you."

He joins his forehead with mine “I love you too." He kisses me and it makes me warm.

“Hey! I'm gonna freeze out here!" Stephan yells pulling us away from each other.

“You trust him now?"

“He has to prove himself first. And he knows I'll kill him if anything happens to you. And I know he will oversee things while I'm away.

“Okay go on." I move back and wave him off.

“Go inside first."

“Please, I already have a cold!" Stephan yells.

“Suck it up, pussy!" Dimitri yells back as I walk up to him. One of the employees comes to take my bag and we walk in together.

“You got everything you need?" Stephan asks as I get to him and I turn back and wave as Dimitri dives out of the gravel driveway.

“The only thing I need is leaving and I need him back as soon as possible. Come on, let's go inside."

After spending some time with the girls, I go back to Dimitri's room to sleep. I keep thinking about him and what must have happened to Hayden. I hope he is okay. I'm half asleep when my phone's notification tone goes off. There is a message from Dimitri.

Come outside. I forgot to give you something and I would die if I leave without it getting to you.

So dramatic. I put on my robe and slippers and practically run out of the room. The entire house is dark so I doubt anyone would see me running like a penguin. I wonder why he would want to meet outside. If he wasn't so protective of his possessions, I would have thought it wasn't him. But I know better and I don't think anyone in their right mind would touch anything that is his.

I have to wrap my hands around myself to protect my body from the cold. He should have come inside. I should have demanded for him to but I wanted to feel like a character from a romance novel and stupidly agreed. And worse, I did not bring my phone along to call him. “Where are you?" I walk a little further from the house “It's getting cold." A presence behind me startles me and I nearly jump. I turn around and it's not Dimitri. It's someone else.

“Oh! Leon. It's just you. I was scared for a moment." I put my hand on my chest and try to call my racing heart.

“I am very sorry Vanessa, but I have to do this." He looks apologetic. He stalks closer to me like a predator.

“Leon, what is going on?" The fear starts to consume my whole body.

“It's not your fault. You are a nice girl. You just had to go marry that bastard and now you're carrying his monstrous child. We have to put an end to this."

Who the hell is we? I turn to run but he is faster and his palm is covering my mouth before the scream comes out. “Calm down, Vanessa. It will all be over soon."

No! No!. I try to plead with him but he does not give him. I force my mouth open and bite him making him help and his hand drops from my mouth. I hit him with my elbow and free myself, then I make a run for it. I barely get two steps in when I'm pulled back by my hair. He looks angry and he slaps me across the face, the action sending me down to the floor. I feel the tears gather in my eyes and I'm scared for my baby.

“Please, Leon. I'm pregnant."

“I don't care." I am still on the floor when he comes behind me again. I wrestle with him, putting all my best but I know it's of no use when I feel a prick on the back of my neck. It makes me weak almost immediately. “That will get you to shut up."

I feel him lift me up and soon we're moving. I fight to stay awake but whatever he injected me with is too strong. I cannot fight it for too long. I feel drowsy and my eyes are heavy.

“Finally! I thought you were going to spend all night." I feel like my ears are deceiving me when I hear her voice. I know she is a bitch but I didn't know...maybe my ears are just hearing things because I'm about to pass out.

“I bet you don't have any smart remarks to throw. Right?" I see her smiling at me before the darkness consumes me.