Mia, Mine #sytycw15 #RomanticSuspense Book 1

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13: Natalie was tense the entire way back to the house. Her mother. Her mother was here. Her mother who sold her was here. Her whole entire body was wired tight, she couldn't help it. She had spent her entire life helping out her mother, and when the times got rough her mother just let her go like something that had lost its fun to use. Giovanni reached over and awkwardly patted her hand. Obviously he was feeling awkward because he was the reason she was here in the first place. Well, technically it was her mother because she had asked for money for god knows why. They finally pulled into the house and Natalie tried to take in deep breaths, tried to unfurl the tight ball of anxiety in her gut. She got out of the car, Giovanni stepping out soon after her. He wrapped a possessive arm around her waist and they walked into the house.

Giovanni stopped her just before they got to the front door, his lips thin as he saw her distress. He cradled her hands in his, brought them to his lips before he dropped them, still holding them clasped tightly within his own.

"Mi amour..." he whispered and Natalie raised her tear-filled gaze to meet Giovanni's blue worry-filled one. He spoke softly, but let the words scream for themselves.

"I'm here." he said simply.

 Natalie's eyes burned.

Such simple words and her heart warmed, because she knew he meant them.

She nodded and they turned to enter the house. They were met with three of the guards who worked around the house. They nodded towards Giovanni, which he returned before he turned to them. He opened his mouth to speak but Natalie spoke before he could.

 "Where is she?" her voice trembled, but she couldn't make herself care. The men looked towards Giovanni for permission, and once seeing his 'okay', nodded towards the door to the large living room.

Slowly, they made their way towards it and with each step Natalie felt more like she was walking to her doom. Bile rose in her throat and she shook with barely contained nerves as Giovanni opened the door.

They stepped inside and Natalie's eyes instantly zeroed in on the hunched form on the couch.

Her lips quivered with the effort to hold in the sob that so desperately wanted to escape.

Her mother, Rebecca, abruptly sat up.

Her gaze first settled on Giovanni and Natalie didn't miss the fear that flashed through her mother's eyes before her gaze settled on her daughter. She stood and Natalie noticed how good she looked. She didn't look like she was high, or drunk. She was wearing dark jeans, a tank top and a black jacket. Her mother's eyes filled with tears as she stared at her daughter. She took a step forward and Natalie shook her head adamantly.

"No. Don't" she gritted out, her voice cracking.

Her mother took another step and a sob escaped Natalie as she spat "STOP."

 Her mother stopped dead in her tracks, looking as if her heart had just broken. Natalie's had already been broken.

She didn't care.

 "Oh baby." Rebecca whispered once she saw the anger and hurt on her daughter's face.

 Her gaze flew to Giovanni and hatred bloomed in them.

 "Have you touched her?! What have you done?!" she snarled and Giovanni remained stony, his eyes ice cold.

"I have done nothing to your daughter. The daughter you gave up." He hissed the words and fury blossomed on her mother's face and before Natalie could do anything her mother stepped forward and slapped Giovanni across the face.

Giovanni's head whipped to the side and Natalie gasped as she stepped in front of Giovanni as Rebecca raised her hand to strike him again.

"Don't. You. Dare." Natalie whispered, her eyes narrowed.

She turned to Giovanni whose head was still to the side.

He was still as a statue, his muscles tense and his eyes practically spitting blue fire.

Giovanni snapped his head towards Natalie.

 "Get out of the way, Natalie." He said in a deadly low voice.

Natalie's mother swallowed hard and Natalie knew that if she let Giovanni get to her mother he would kill her without a second thought. Her stomach flipped at the thought and she shook her head as she stared up at him, gripping his large biceps desperately.

"Please. Don't. She isn't worth it." She whispered and tried to ignore the choked cry of pain her mother released.

Giovanni's nostrils flared as he took in deep breaths, and finally he calmed and wrapped Natalie into his arms. She tried not to flinch at his touch after seeing the murder she saw in his eyes not even a moment before.

"What do you WANT?!" Giovanni snarled.

Rebecca seemed to deflate in on herself and she collapsed to the couch.

"I-I know I'm not wanted. But, that doesn't matter. I came to tell you that N-Natalie is in danger." She said and Giovanni stilled.

 "How did you know that?" he asked and Rebecca sobbed in a breath.

 "Please. Sit. I will explain everything." She said and both Giovanni and Natalie hesitated before sitting down.

 "What do you mean?" Rebecca asked as she remembered Giovanni asking her how she knew. Giovanni's jaw clenched and unclenched.

"Natalie was shot at a few days ago." Natalie's mother gasped and her eyes began to fill with unshed tears. She dropped her head into her hands and Natalie could only stare at the person she had called her mother.

"Oh, god no!" Rebecca whispered, her voice muffled.

"He-he already found her..." Rebecca whispered as she raised her head, anguish on her face.

"What do you mean?!" Giovanni growled, impatient.

 Rebecca's gaze finally rested on Natalie. She sobbed in a breath, tears rolling down her face.

 "He won't stop until you're dead." With those few words, all hell broke loose...

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Ohhh! Cliffy! Cliffhanger! This chapter is really short! But, I am tired. I will post soon! Who do you think Natalie's mother is talking about? Why? Ahh! I can't take the suspense *wink wink* LOLZ. Vote. Comment. Follow! Keep tuned, my loves! XX :)