In His Arms

Chapter 46

Working round the clock for the next twelve days, I barely get any sleep and I am about three-quarters done with the long list. Every two days I change the hotel I'm staying in, fluctuating between the high-end, expensive ones and the cheap, horrible ones to make my appearance seem unpredictable. So far, I've visited Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Iowa, Ohio and Illinois.

As of now most of the orphanages that are left are meant for Daniello's people to handle so as it is now I only have one last orphanage to visit and it's in Chicago but today I'm in Seattle. It's Saturday. My body aches and protests when I bend down to zip up the sides of my boot heels.

Looking at myself in the mirror just next to the door, I take in the ten-year-long portrayed image of my familiar bookworm-ish self. Dressed in a peachy pink A-line sleeveless dress that stops just above my knees and a black knitted long coat on my shoulders. My hair falls in a messy curtain around my shoulders finishing off the bookworm look.

"You look innocent enough," I murmur to myself, turning back into the room to grab my black sling bag which holds my phone, wallet and gun inside.

The gun is a Glock G20 which has a full fifteen rounds in the magazine which I assume is enough should I need to use it. Catching a cab from the lobby, I give the driver the address and he drives off. Looking out the window, a shiver runs down my spine when we pass by The Scala. The windows of the magnificent building are lit up like a Christmas tree and I can't help but wonder how Alexander is.

Twenty minutes later the driver pulls up outside the large lit-up landed property, paying him, I slide out of the cab apprehensive to ring the doorbell. My only memory of this house is that I was taken here after Italy.

Gritting my teeth, I decided that I should get things done and over with right now rather than prolong it any further. The ring of the bell dies out and the heavy wooden door opens widely to show Daniello in a dark blue button-down shirt paired with black suit pants and expensive-looking Oxford shoes.

"Alastora," He greets, pulling me into a tight hug. "Come, my family is all here. We're just waiting for you. Let me take your jacket."

Smiling softly, I let him pull and toss the coat to a maid who is waiting nearby, with a hand on the small of my back, Daniello steers me in the direction of what I suppose is the dining room and when we enter all chatter ceases to exist.

My first instinct is to turn around and run.

Sitting on the long rectangular table are Evan Holt, Olivia Grey, Gracelyn Sophia Holt and a brown-dyed black at the tips haired, pale-skinned pink-lipped woman who looks rather interested in the unfolding scene before her.

And...last but not least, Alexander Holt sits next to a baby high chair in which sits Danny Holt.

"Everyone this is my friend, Alastora Ootori," Daniello introduces cheerfully amid the tense silence that only has Danny's baby love noises filling it otherwise. "Darling you can sit next to my eldest son since his fiance won't be joining us tonight. She's not well."

Casting him a sharp glare as he pulls the chair out for me, I curse him internally. He set me up! He knew I was engaged to Alexander! 'Not well' my ass! Hold on...does that mean...The realisation has me staring at Daniello for confirmation and his subtle nod nearly makes me reach into my bag for the gun.

Alexander is the Don of Cosa Nostra! Holy fucking shit! Daniello knew and yet he agreed to give Alexander and Danny protection as per my request, the old fuck was just playing with me the entire fucking time!

"Dad, you're kidding right?" Evan Holt chuckles gesturing to me amusedly. "That's Janette Summers, Alexander's fiance. We met before."

Smiling kindly at Evan, I decide on the spot to feign cluelessness, I ask softly, "Who?"

The looks of shock that appear on the faces of everyone at the table have my smile widening in amusement. Glancing at Alexander next to me, a jolt of shock runs down my spine when I see him staring at me. His grey eyes are disturbingly blank of any emotion as he takes me in.

"You're kidding right Janette!" Olivia exclaims from across the table as the first dish of soup is served. "Did you knock your head on something such that you forgot who you are?!"

Looking at Daniello as if enquiring at her sudden outburst, the man just smiles as he eats his soup while his wife who is seated across him looks as though she is in a very boring history class. Turning to look at Alexander's facial expression, I make the mistake of meeting Danny's eyes and he immediately makes grabby hands for me.

Shit...

"You seem to look similar to my future daughter-in-law," Daniello chuckles once he's swallowed his mouthful of soup, causing me to tear my eyes away from Danny. "I assure you, Ms Grey, this woman isn't the woman Janette Summers you seem to be mistaking her for."

Unhappy with me for ignoring him, Danny immediately begins to wail. The couple across the tables has their hands over their ears while Alexander and Mrs Holt try to calm him down. I, on the other hand, feel my heartbreaking at the sound of him crying. My self-control is ebbing away quicker than I thought the longer I sit here and play to this facade.

After about ten minutes of Danny crying non-stop, Alexander stands from his seat with Danny in one arm and with his other he grabs me by the arm, dragging both the crying baby and me up some stairs and into a room.

Plopping me on the edge of the bed in the room, Alexander doesn't say anything when he passes me the crying baby who immediately stops when he recognises who's holding him. My eyes tear a little when Danny cuddles into me, gripping the front of my dress in his tiny fists as he dozes off.

"Did you know that that is the first time in two weeks that he's been that calm?" Alexander says gravely, his back turned to me. "Do you know how many times he's refused to eat? How bad it got that he barely sleeps?"

"I don't know why you're telling me this," I mumble, forcing the foul words from my mouth. "This is the first time I'm meeting you."

"It's just us in here, Janette," Alexander growls, turning around to meet my eyes. "At the very least admit that you are mine."

Standing from the edge of the bed, I place Danny in the crib that resides near the bed, prying his fingers from my dress. Danny whines a little at the loss of contact with me however he settles back into sleep soon enough. Before I can even straighten up to address Alexander, I am thrown backwards onto the bed with Alexander hovering over me, looking furious.

"Alexander, I-"

The rest of my words are lost in my throat when his lips come crashing down on mine in a torrent of passion and anger. It doesn't take me long to kiss him back and when his tongue slips into my mouth I taste the familiar metallic taste of blood that is probably from him kissing me so harshly.

Breaking away from me to trail kisses down my neck, I gasp for the much-needed air as he focuses on my sweet spot. His teeth bite down almost painfully on the spot but the mix of pleasure and pain has me gasping as an electric shock that runs down my spine leaves a spreading feeling of pleasure in its wake.

The End...for now