Escaping The Mafia Boss

Chapter 36

Katerina De Luca

I sat silently on a black stool as my paintbrush gently glided over the medium sized canvas with expertise while my other hand rested over my protruding bump. It's already been three months since I decided to live with James, Rosy and their four year old daughter, little Riella. 

At first, I didn't want to live with them. I didn't want to risk their safety if Arosio were to ever find me. 

But then I found out that I am having twins, something that my doctor in Los Angeles probably tried to inform me of the night I escaped but I didn't bring my phone with me so I never knew. The morning after I first arrived in Texas, Rosy pointed out my larger than average baby bump and brought me to her doctor. 

As soon as the doctor confirmed that I was pregnant with twins, I felt all of the color drain from my face. My breathing came out in short pants and my vision blurred before I ended up passing out right then and there in the doctor's office. 

It wasn't because I was unhappy but rather, my fears had increased tenfold. 

Up until that moment, I had perfectly planned how to stay hidden from Arosio and his mafia with my one baby girl but when I found out that I am having two babies, one girl and one boy, I had to reevaluate all of my plans. 

Running away and travelling with two newborns would be nearly impossible.

I wouldn't be able to hide from the cameras in airports or train stations while carrying my babies. Just the mere sight of one woman holding two babies would be enough to catch Arosio's attention no matter where I go. These kinds of thoughts were invading my mind with each second that passed by but when we returned home, James and Rosy argued with me and insisted on me living with them, at least until my babies are born. 

In that moment, I had to decide between leaving them and proceeding with my original plans of renting an isolated cabin in the countryside of Texas by myself or follow James and Rosy to their renovated home on the other side of town. Their safety is what made me hesitate a lot and even though they did give me a choice, I knew deep down that they wanted me to stay with them and would feel hurt if I abruptly left.

In the end, I chose to stay with them because I was scared to leave alone after just finding out I am having twins but the main reason is, I truly missed James and Rosy over the past few years. 

"There you are, Kitty Kat! James and I were looking for you everywhere but of course, you're in your art studio," Rosy teased as she walked into the connecting garage that James had turned into a mini art studio for me two months ago. 

Within our friend circle, only Rylan and I majored in art and I always dreamed of creating artwork that would help children diagnosed with autism and with mental health symptoms feel more safe and empowered in this world. 

"I'm sorry, Rosy. These two little brats kept kicking me and only calmed down when I started painting," I explained while covering my painting up with a black plastic sheet but it was quickly snatched away from me by Rosy's curious hands. 

"Oh, what do we have here? You painted the same silhouette shadow of some man...oh but he's not just some man, is he? Even his shadow is handsome, and that ring on his left wedding finger..." Rosy trailed off as my shocked eyes snapped back to my painting and gazed at the familiar shadow of the one man who kept reappearing in my dreams every single night. 

Every painting I have in this studio, inadvertently turned into a painting of the shadows of either Arosio or Elijah or both sometimes. Though most of the time, it would turn into a painting of Arosio and every time I wanted to rip the painting apart but I could never bring myself to do it.