Savage Crown II

26. Twenty-Six

Natalia
Amir drove me over to my grandparents house across town where mama was now staying. As we pulled into the modern styled two story home we saw there was a white delivery van parked right outside the drive way. Mama stood at the door signing off on the delivery paper work as the guy opened the van and took out a huge bouquet of mixed roses and handed it to her.

As I got out of the car Amir followed behind me standing tall in an all black and a large coat concealing two guns tucked away inside. His tanned skin glowed in the afternoon sun giving his bald head a shiny sheen. "You know Amir, you don't have to follow me" I said to him.

"Sorry Ms. Natalia but it's Mr. Clarke's orders." He said flashed me a smile. As we approached the door mama's eyes locked onto Amir with a burning rage

"I would like privacy with my daughter. You can stand guard out here" she huffed. Amir gave her a quick smile, "very well Mrs. Leon" Amir nodded respectfully.

As I went inside I was hit with the memories of my grandparents. Their house modern on the outside and inside decorated with nothing but family photos hanging on the walls and picture frames on the shelves. Papa bought this house big enough for my grandparents and my siblings for the nights when we wanted to sleep over with them.

Mama left me to go grab some refreshments from the kitchen. As I viewed each photo carefully I stopped at the ones that rest atop of the white manteled fireplace. It was Mama and Papa on their wedding day. Mama was smiling brightly and joyful while papa sported a small smile too. The happiness in his eyes showing through such a dark character and my eyes wandered to the picture right next to it of me and my brothers, I was six years old wearing a baggy white t-shirt that was stained with mud and dirt, I was using Gio as a crutch that day because I had sprained my ankle fighting a kid that was bullying someone else. My heart filled with pain remembering what I did to my brother.

"How are you doing mama?" I asked as I heard her coming back into the living room with a pitcher full of lemonade and some sandwhich bites.

"Furious" she responded placing the tray on the glass center table. "Has papa tried reaching out to you?" I asked sadly knowing they had never spent a day apart for these reasons.

"Yes, he came by a couple times and sent me flowers, texts and calls." She said nonchalantly. "Flowers? I don't see any flowers mama" I said looking around the living room at the empty white porcelain vases, then I focused back onto her as she sat down on the cushioned grey couch. She pushed her dark brown hair behind her ears. Her brown skin pale and her dark brown eyes sunken in.

"I burned them all, and each time he's come I haven't opened the door." she said wiping a tear from her eye. "Your father and brother overstepped a fine line that night in deciding to kill Callum even after you gave a valid explanation. If we are not honoring our words and promises between our familia then whats stopping us from tearing each other to shreds from the inside way before our enemies can?" She said. "Your father resents and wanted to kill Callum from the moment you decided to stay with him as his real wife four years ago. He never expected you to really fall in love with Callum... he blames him for stealing his little girl and making her stay away in a foreign country for years" she continued "but your father fails to realize you are grown. You were twenty-two back then and Callum wasn't that much older than you at the time either he's three years older than you, and as much as he hates Callum he can't change the fact that our families are interwined through Zoey now and that only you know what's best for you and your child."

Mama was right, as many times they had promised not to hurt Callum they dishonored their word. In our line of work family is what we have and whom we can trust. Many organizations had fallen because they'd tear each other to shreds from within. Being the only daughter to a powerful man like my father, he expected me to return to our family, but that all changed.... I loved Callum and after giving myself completely to him again these past nights I realized just how much I still do. During those four years appart time felt like it paused.