Fatal

Chapter 25

"Kylie, oh my god I haven't seen you in forever!" I screamed as I was attacked by a firm hug from my dad's now wife. We pulled away moments later, both of our faces having huge grins plastered onto them. "I'm so glad you two could make it! How's Sheffield? How was the flight?" I shrugged as we moved from the doorway and into the living room, sitting on the couch. "It was ok. Long flights are never fun so eh. As for Sheffield, things are pretty good. I have a job at a tattoo parlor and I also work in Drop Dead. I have missed it here though. It's crazy being back home. Not much has changed." I said as I looked around the room. The only thing that really changed was the size of the movie collection and the tv. It was humongous now. Kylie nodded as she beamed at me. "Yea, your dad wouldn't let me really redecorate. You know how he is." She commented and I giggled. "Yea, trust me, I do." I said and she nodded as we both laughed a bit. "So, your dad said you and Chris would be staying in town for awhile." Kylie said and I nodded. "Yea, we were thinking of just staying until new year's then heading back." I said and she nodded. "Well, you are very welcome to stay here, both of you." She said and I smiled. "Thank you but we already paid a month rent for an apartment downtown." I said and she pouted a little. "Well damn. I hope I still get to see you though!" She said and I grinned. "Of corse!" I said and she grinned back. "Excellent!" She chirped before she stood up. "Dinner will be ready soon. Do you mind going out to the patio and getting your father and the rest of the guys?" She asked and I nodded as I used the arm chair to stand and walked out to the back of the house where everyone was sitting and having beers.

Vinny was the first to notice my presence, letting out a girlish squeal as he jumped up and ran over to me, huggin me carefully in a weird side hug. I laughed at his actions before I looked at him. "Vin, I'm pregnant, you can hug me straight on." I said and he blushed sheepishly as everyone laughed, causing his cheeks to burn a light shade of pink. "Oh, shut up." He mumbled, directing it towards the male laughter. He then turned and hugged me gently and smiled at me. "It's been a long time since I've gotten to see you and now you're pregnant." He chuckled, looking slightly uncomfortable. I knew Vinny had a crush on me when we first met and I figured maybe that was why he was so uncomfortable. "Guys, dinner is almost ready. Ky requests you all wash up." I said loudly so everyone heard. I then turned to Vinny with a soft smile. "Can we talk after dinner?" I asked and he looked down nervously, nodding slight. "Yea, sure." He hummed and I nodded before I headed inside l, everyone else following behind me like a black and white and rainbow cloud. I went into the kitchen and washed my hands before I helped Kylie set the table and get the food set up before everyone sat down at the huge table and began conversing as they fixed their plates.

After dinner, everyone went into the living room to pick a movie to watch and I took the opportunity to pull Vinny outside. "Why have you been acting so weird?" I asked, getting a sigh in return. "Don't worry about it" he said and I shook my head. "Vin, you know I love you. I worry about you. I haven't seen you in years and now you're acting so strange. What's going on?" I asked and he looked away from me for a few moments, staying silent. I knew whatever was going on, it was hurting him. I wrapped my arms around him in a comforting hug, his arms wrapping around my shoulders as he buried his face in my shoulder. We stood silently for a few minutes before I heard him mumble quietly. "Why him?" He asked and I pulled back enough to look at him. "What?" I asked, my face falling slightly. "Why Chris? Why him? Since the day I met you, I've thought you were beautiful and amazing and just so perfect. I love you. Why did you pick him?" He asked, voice shaky. I felt my chest tighten a little as what he said sunk in. "You love me?" I asked and he nodded as his face burned crimson, his arms falling to his sides as he backed out of my hug and leant against the wall, shuffling his feet. "Vin, why didn't you tell me before?" I asked and he shrugged. "Devin told us all you were off limits. I respected him enough to keep my distance." He said and I nodded slightly. We stood silently again, this time my mind whirling with the new information. I remembered the night my dad had Chris arrested, everything that was said rushing back to me.

'Oh please. You forget I know you, Cerulli. I told you paws off Hayden when she first showed up. I told all of you guys. Vinny crushed on her when she first showed up but he had the respect to obey my one rule. You aren't good for her Chris.'

The flashes of that night played in my head over and over, making my breath hitch as the room span between the images. I could faintly hear Vinny trying to get my attention as I started to stumble down the hall, leaning on the walls for support. I needed air. I felt like the house was crashing down around me. I hadn't thought about that night really since Chris got back last year. I had him so I had no reason to. Now it was back, haunting my existence in that moment. The last image to play in my head was Chris being ripped away from me and dragged out of the house, Chris being handcuffed and shoved into a car, that car pulling away.. it played in my head on a loop, causing my heart to cease up. I couldn't breathe.. I felt myself begin to fall and arms catch me before I crashed, everything going silent and black.