Tranquility

Chapter 37: The Children of Salvatore

*TW: mention of abortion/ forced abortion*
Jo's POV

I can't help but wonder what's in the note as I make my way back to Hero's place. He's gonna be pissed if he sees it, and if that creepy girl is telling the truth I don't want to be the reason he dies.

I see the house coming up so I stop on the trail. I fold the letter up more and shove it in my pocket. I can't seem suspicious, I've always been good at that.

I continue my walk, but the possibilities of what could be in that letter is haunting me. Is it my ultimate death, or Hero's? Will it tell me what my father is doing?

I'm scared.

I never used to feel that before.

I approach the house and use the key Hero gave me today to unlock the door. When I walk in the place in nearly spotless, and the once dirty carpet has been replaced with a new one.

"Babe, I'm home," I say and look around. It's weird to come home to somewhere this clean. I mean I do a decent job but this is just... amazing.

"Hey," he says and leans down to kiss me. "Like what I've done with the place?" He asks and I giggle a little, nodding.

"I got your shit," I tell him and shove the letters to his chest in a playful way.

"Thanks baby," he says softly before leaning down to kiss me. I kiss him back and keep a smile on my face.

"Is Felix here or did he leave?" I ask and walk over to the fridge to get some water or something.

"He's in my office, can you believe he helped clean?" Hero says in a amusing tone.

I laugh and pull a bottle of apple juice from the fridge. "Hard to believe either of you cleaned," I say with a playful smirk.

"Don't get your hopes up," he says and shuffled through the mail. "I'll be in my office if you need me," he says softly as he comes closer. He gives me one last kiss before making his way up the stairs.

Once I hear his office door close, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I bite my lip slightly as I put the bottle on the counter. I make my way to the downstairs bathroom and lock the door. This should be the safest place to read this letter... right?

I take it out of my pocket and flatten it out the best I can. I should've thought this out better but alas, here we are.

It smells like him... like my father. If that even makes any sense. This was written in his office, with his favorite pen he used for special signings. Interesting.

My dearest Josephine,

Hello my darling. Certain things have come to my attention and I'm worried they haven't come to yours. I know what you do with the Tiffin boy, and I also know when your doctors appointments are. You better hope you're not pregnant because when I get my hands on you, you will be getting an abortion.
Anyway, we're doing fine here, but I want you back on my side. I've heard you seem happier. Why aren't you happy here? What do I do wrong? Kaitlyn, the girl who gave you this letter, has informed me of many things. She's always watching Josephine, which means I'm always watching.
You should watch you back, you seem to be getting weaker then you were. I'm disappointed in you, you aren't my daughter anymore. I want my daughter back and I plan to get her back.

Beware my dearest Josephine
You never know who's watching

Love always,
Salvatore Langford

My blood runs ice cold as I read the last two lines over and over and over again. I look around and see the window by the shower. I close it and put as many bottles on the ledge as I can, trying to make it hard for anyone to see in.

First things first, I need to tell Hero.

I don't know who this Kaitlyn bitch is, but she's not gonna dictate what I do. Especially since this directly involves the person I love. I look in the mirror an see my cheeks are bright red, my eyes glassy and my lips slightly swollen from how hard I was biting them as I read the letter.

I somehow get myself together enough to unlock the bathroom door and walk out of the room. I close the living room, kitchen, and entry windows and use the shades or curtains. It makes the place kinda dark, but I rather it be dark then have someone watching me.

I slowly make my way up the stairs and head Felix and Hero fighting behind the office door. "You have to tell her, I mean she gets your fucking mail!" Felix yells and I knit my eyebrows together.

"She doesn't get that mail! And either way, she has a lot going on Felix. She almost died! Do you even get that? Do you even get what that's doing to her head?! Because I know she's keeping it all in... I know she is," he says and I bite my lip again. Shit. Looks like I'm gonna have to explain my shorty feelings and shitty past soon.

After some silence I walk enough so it seems like I'm coming up the stairs and I knock on the door. "Come in," Felix says and I open the door. Hero's face flushes pink and I grip the letter in my hand. I look and see the two windows open. I go over and turn the light switch on before pulling the curtains closed.

"Baby, what's going on?" Hero asks and I hand him the letter. He quickly scans it and then gives it to Felix to read.

"I told you he would come back... that girl ran into me when I was getting the mail. She told me not to tell you, that- that she would kill you," I say as I feel the tears rush to my eyes. Hero pulls me closer and I straddle his lap as he sits in his office chair.

  "She can't touch him," Felix mutters and I shake my head.

  "For the supposed genius of the group, you're pretty fucking stupid. My father can touch anything and anyone, anywhere he wants whenever he wants. Don't underestimate him, because then it'll bite you in the ass." I turn to say to Felix before nuzzling my head into Hero neck. "I can't lose you," I say only soft enough for him to hear me.

  "I can't lose you either baby, don't worry, we're gonna fix this," he reassures me and I nod. I don't move, and I don't plan on moving. For the rest of the time Hero does his work I stay in his lap.

  "We should probably talk about my drug problem..." I say out of nowhere at some point. He puts his pen down and leans back in his seat.

"I've been meaning to ask you about that," he says softly and I look up at him.

"There's not much too it... but it happened more often then the hospital records say." I tell him and his eyes slightly widen before going back to their normal place. "My dad... he would get mad. Like really mad. And he just didn't know how to parent. My mom didn't either but she at least kinda knew right from wrong. My dad didn't."

  I look at him for some sort of reaction, but when I don't get one I continue. "He's a mafia leader so in a way I don't blame him, but I also completely blame him. He wasn't meant to raise a kid. I was an accident so it makes sense. So he didn't know how to punish one. He just... filled me with drugs. Just like he did with the guys he was punishing. I'm not afraid of dying anymore so I guess that's a good outcome," I say and let him let all the information sink in.

  "You're the best accident ever baby, and I'm sorry that happened," he says and I giggle, kissing him.

  "It's the past and we're the future, that's what matters," I say against his lips and kiss him again.

It's funny really, how I was an accident

But also how the baby I might be having is one too.

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Authors Note!🖤

Me actually posting twice today???
I'm so excited for Serenity (it's the second book lol)
Also this chapter 👁👄👁

Hope you enjoyed!
See you in the next one!