The Final Vow

Chapter 3

Once we arrived back home none of us dared to exit the car. It was quiet, but that didn't mean it was safe. "Stay here, we need to sweep the property," Tyler told us while climbing out with Ben. I looked back at Leah who was quietly sitting in Kate's lap. "Leah, are you okay?" I reached over taking her hand in mine. "Is he back?" She asked without looking at me. "Is who back?" I looked at Kate who had her brows furrowed in confusion. "Uncle Toni." Leah mumbled. I was in disbelief. She remembers? I didn't think she'd remember. 

"No, he's never coming back," I reassured her.

"Then why is she back?" Does she remember Alexa too? Why did I think she wouldn't? Why did I think she could go on with life, not remembering it all? I looked at Kate for help, unsure what to say. "We don't know, but Daddy is going to find out. We are going to be okay." Kate answered for me. I felt vulnerable for the first time. I let my guard down, and let myself believe we were safe and normal. "Mommy, Lele is sad." Riley pointed at Leah. 

"Hey, we will be okay, I know we will." Delilah tried to comfort me. I looked back at Robbie who was lost in thought. I knew he was thinking the same thing I was, and I knew he was worried, how could he not be? His wife and unborn child were in danger today. Soon the sound of more vehicles grabbed everyone's attention. Luca hopped out of one and hurried to us. He quickly opened the door and pulled Leah from Kate's arms. His expression was soft, with worry. "Hey, princess, see I told you I was coming." Leah wrapped her arms around him tightly. I didn't understand her behavior. Why was she clinging so much to Luca? "Dada!" Olivia squealed, squirming out of my arms. 

"All clear." Tyler and Ben returned. 

"Good, everyone inside, until we find out what's going on, Lana and my children need around-the-clock protection. Delilah as well." Luca announced. 

"Hey, I can still help. I'll stay with the girls, and protect them." Delilah argued. 

"No way! You're six months pregnant." Robbie fought back.

"I'm fine I can do this." Delilah scoffed irritated with Robbie. 

"No, Delilah, Robbie is right." I watched Luca and Robbie exchange a look. Delilah looked at me for help. "Being pregnant didn't stop Lana from protecting Leah." She tried again. I knew she'd hate me for it, but I agreed with Luca and Robbie. "Yes, I protected Leah, but she is my daughter. It was a miracle I even lived past that night, It's not worth the risk." I thought back to the night I was shot. I thought I had lost the twins. That I'd die with them. I couldn't encourage Delilah to risk her and her unborn baby's lives for my children. That's where I have to draw the line. "I'm sorry Delilah, but I'm pulling you from duty." Luca glanced at Robbie, again exchanging a strange look. "You asked him to do this didn't you?" Delilah shoved Robbie and quickly stormed inside. "This house is officially under lockdown!" Luca shouted to everyone while heading inside. 

Once inside, Kate quickly began distracting the girls with a game. Luca stormed off to his office, and I hurried to follow him. Whatever was going on, I was going to know about it. I'm not going to be blindsided by this again. I need to get my shit together and protect my children at all costs. "How many men does she have?" Luca sat with Tyler, Ben, and Thomas. 

"I couldn't tell, but she did say get the girls, so we can only assume her target is your children." 

"I agree they pulled back once the girls were secure." Ben agreed with Tyler. I watched closely as they scrambled to make sense of what just happened. Of course, now my brain has started to function properly. "Thomas, do you think we can look into her whereabouts and activity during the last two years?" Everyone froze when I spoke. They must not have seen me come in after them. "Way ahead of you, the only thing I can find on her is she checked into a women's hospital two years ago, after that, nothing. She's a ghost." Thomas shook his head trying to process today's events. 

"Not possible," Luca argued. "People can't just ghost like that." 

"You can." Thomas pointed out, with his eyes squinted while thinking. 

"Thomas, that's not possible either," Luca argued again. I was lost. I didn't understand what they were talking about. 

"She was working with Antonio." Thomas shrugged. I sighed in frustration. "Can someone please explain what we're talking about?" 

"I'm talking about Antonio's business. I think it may be possible Alexa inherited it all. Alexa may have been carrying his child, we don't know for sure if it was, but if it were that would be his only line of succession, and how she inherited it." Great, so now that psycho has an entire mafia behind her and an agenda against me. "So what do we do now?" I looked at Luca, who was staring at the ground. "Well, if she does have Antonio's men, we need to get someone out there to investigate." He thought out loud. 

"I'll go, I'll head to Europe, I have some buddies there who used to work for Antonio. I'll see what I can find." Tyler offered. Luca quickly nodded in agreement. "The rest of us will stay here, on lockdown, until we hear back from you." I didn't know how to feel at that moment. All I knew was I had a lot more to lose now. Alexa's timing couldn't have been worse. I wonder if maybe sending the girls away to a safe house might be better for them, rather than staying here. Alexa's been here she knows how to get in and out if she wants to. And let's face it sometimes Luca can be predictable, I'm sure she knows we're here, under lockdown, right now.