Escaping him (On Hold)

CHAPTER 28

After a long flight we finally landed in Palermo, I stood up and stretched then kicked Dominik's shin to wake him up.

"We are going to our little setup where Naledi is." Pierre simply said. He was a man of a few words and I appreciated that.

We walked towards an awaiting SUV and we got in. While we were on the way to our destination, I thought of the confrontation that Don had with Marco. I tried to put the pieces in my head, but I did not seem to remember exactly what transpired all those years ago. I didn't exactly remember why Rico let me go only to plan my murder almost a year later. What exactly transpired was that Marco told me that Rico was in Africa and he assumed his identity the entire time but what is actually the story? That is what went on in my head with the entire ride.

I felt my shoulder being shook and I shuddered as I came to. I realized that we had arrived, and I had spaced out. I got out of the car in front of an apartment building and trailed behind Pierre and Dominik, we entered an elevator and Pierre pressed the fifteenth floor. "Aren't you glad to have us in your life." Dominic said smugly. I punched him in the chest, "I'm not glad because you fucking sold me to that bitch, and I won't forgive you for that. If only you knew what I forced myself to do then you would understand. I never chose this life just remember that Dominik."

"But you chose Marco, you've chosen to follow him here." He said matter-of-factly.

"What the fuck did you want me to do when his crazy mafia cousin had my kid and brother held hostage? I had no choice." I snidely retorted but, on the inside, I did not entirely believe my own words. 'I don't even know why I did that' I thought to myself. Marco had said he loved me, and I guess I believed him. I did not know if that was still true, but I hoped it was.

We exited the elevator and walked down the hallway until we reached a door on the left, Dominik passed a key to Pierre and he unlocked the door. As the door opened, I slowly breathed out, I was nervous to see my daughter again knowing everything that Marco and his sick and twisted family had put us through. I had barely spent a few days with her before I was kidnapped.

I entered the room and I saw a figure resembling Jay sitting on the couch with Naledi sitting in between his legs. I let out a strangled sob at the sight. "Naledi, mommy is here." Jay said.

A little figure jumped off the couch and ran up to me, I spread my arms wide, and she leapt in them. I spun a little as I hugged her tight and squished her tiny body against my chest. A tear ran down my face as I embraced my daughter again. "I missed you so much Naledi" I said in between sobs. "Mommy missed you so much every single day" I said as more tears streamed down my face.

"I missed you too mommy." She replied in her small voice. I put her down and held her hand as we walked to the couch. I embraced my best friend and cried even more at the thought our last encounter, how I last saw him and everything that had transpired since then. It just weighed me down emotionally that I had not had time to properly cry, however in that moment I took my chance to shed all the tears I kept in, to let it all out.

He embraced me and ran his hands down my back comforting me. "It's okay Loni, it's okay you're safe now. Everything will be okay." He repeated said to calm me down. I pulled away from the hug and looked at him, "how have you been Jay?" I asked in concern.

"I've been better." He softly said. He looked physically defeated, he had a stubble and dark circles under his eyes which made me even more concerned if he was taking care of himself when I was away. "I was genuinely worried about you but I'm glad you're here right now."

He grinned and nudged my shoulder, "don't worry I'm always going to be here for you. I won't leave you." He spoke.

"I'm glad I have you in my life." I replied. I appreciated him so much even though I was not able to be there for him the way he was for me. After everything that happened, I chuckled like a lunatic. What had happened was crazy, I felt like my life was a movie at that point and that made me laugh. "What did I do to deserve this actually?" I asked him still laughing. Everybody looked at me in silence, but I could see a glint of pity in their eyes.