A Woman's Empire

XLIX

CHAPTER FORTY NINE

( A/N: thought I'll add some music to make this chapter more dramatic :) )

Suitcases were sprawled out on the bedroom floor and Audrielle folded Orlando's clothes. In only a couple of hours they would be on Leo's private jet flying back to America. Audrielle didn't know what to expect. Was Leo going to love her the way he said he did last night? Was he willing to promise the things he said in order to protect her and their son? Did Audrielle still love him like she used to?

Leo walked into the room with Orlando in his hands. Droplets of water fell from Leo's hair indicating he had just had a shower. "Ready gorgeous?" He asked as he planted a kiss on top of her head. Audrielle smiled and nodded.

Packing some last minute things, Leo zipped up the several suitcases and carried them downstairs. Audrielle made her way down with Orlando in his car seat and a teddy in his chubby little hands.

Camilla and Stella were standing with Leo as they said their goodbyes. Stella handed Leo a piece of paper that had a drawing on it. When Audrielle asked about what it was Stella replied saying it was all of them. Camilla, Stella, Leo, Audrielle and baby Orlando riding horses in the sun.

"Aww it's beautiful, Stella." Audrielle smiled and bent down to hug her.

"Come visit whenever you want sweetheart." Camilla mumbled to Audrielle as she kissed her on the cheeks before pulling her in for a hug.

"Will do." Audrielle pulled away from the hug with a warm smile and picked up Orlando's car seat.

Leo walked up to his mother and hugged her. "Thank you for letting us stay momma."

Camilla returned the hug but pulled back with a stern look on her face as she gripped onto Leo's broad shoulders. "Faresti meglio a trattarla bene questa volta o non avrò paura di ficcarti una pallottola in testa. Sangue o no." Camilla growled.

(Translation: You better treat her right this time or I won't be afraid to put a bullet through your head. Blood or not.)

Soon they were driving out of the driveway and waving out to Camilla and Stella. This time instead of driving to the airport in a sports car, Leo had organised for his personal chauffeur to pick them up in a blacked out SUV. He sat in the back seat with Audrielle and Orlando in his car seat in the middle.

There was silence in the car. It wasn't bitter but it wasn't soothing either. It was a silence that echoed loudly. That made your ears ring and your guts churn. Leo and Audrielle were both deep in thought and they were both thinking the exact same thing. Where to now?

Leo didn't know if he could promise Audrielle the things she desperately wanted to hear. All he knew was that business was business. He hoped Audrielle didn't think that because his father was dead that everything suddenly stopped. Instead it became a lot more dangerous. There were people out to get Leo, especially Audrielle since she planted the first bullet into Christian. Christian had ties from everywhere just to keep his dirty ass safe. And being the next heir in line, Leo had to step up and sort it out.

Something he was dreading.

"What's going to happen when we get back, Leo?" Audrielle whispered as she looked up at Leo with glassy eyes.

"Honestly? I don't know." Leo replied as he reached out and grabbed Audrielle's hands. Bringing them up to his face, he gently placed a kiss. "But what I do know is that no matter what, your and Orlando's safety is my number one priority. I promise." He sighed.

"What about Tanner and Lucy?" Audrielle asked, scared that they were going to come back and finish what they had started.

"They've ran off and are hiding. We don't know where but they fled the country before we could even trace them. They'll come back, we're sure of that but when they decide to show their faces again, I'll make sure that they both never see another day and are at the bottom of the ocean." Audrielle slowly nodded her head, letting the information sink in.