Cruelly Fated - Book 4

Chapter 32 - Trusting Instinct

Stefano's POV

Pulling up to Bianca's place, I become emotional. Out of all the family members, she's the first one with whom I formed a relationship. Perhaps it was her vulnerability or her warm demeanor. Either way, I was drawn to my sister; we clicked with our similar personalities. Naturally, as her brother, I'm protective, and I promised her that I have not kept and now will be difficult to fulfill. She still lives in fear of the last masked man, which causes various emotions to surface for her and me. Rage is, prominent but I'm anguished also. I wanted nothing more than to find this cunt and help end that nightmare. What happened to her breaks my soul and crushed my heart. For a woman losing her virginity is momentous compared to a man. In general, boys don't care with who. For a woman, it's more profound. Bianca didn't have a choice, and it was gang rape. Motherfuckers! Vivid images race through my head. Killing the engine, I sit in my car for a moment, trying to gain composure. These goodbyes are breaking me, but I could never walk away without seeing her one last time. I know she has Petro, and he loves her, which gives me peace of mind, but the situation remains painful.

Shaking off the nerves, I step out of the car and head straight for the front entry. They must have seen me coming through the camera; Bianca holds the door open. Walking into the house, I place a kiss on her cheek. "Hey," she greets.

I smile meekly. Bianca is always well presented, makeup and hair perfect. The messy bun, yoga pants, singlet, and light cardigan, surprises me. Nudging my arm, she complains, "I know I'm a mess, but I'm home and comfortable." I chuckle, trying to hide my dismal state, but it isn't easy. Studying me, she releases a low breath, "Come on, I'll make coffee." Pivoting around, she leads the way to the kitchen.

Dragging my feet, I try and delay the inevitable. I'm about to disappoint her, and I hate to let anyone down. Shaking my arms, I rid of some tension. However, my muscles are still stiff. Glancing at the picture frames, my heart sinks. Bianca has already hung photos from my wedding. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I blow a breath and step into the kitchen. Taking a seat on the stool, I evict the clog in my throat as Petro enters. Sympathetically he meets my eyes. My guess is Raffaele or Tommy have already contacted him. Clasping my shoulder, he sighs, "How are you holding up?"

Parting my mouth to speak, Bianca interjects as she hands me a coffee, "How's Jasmine, "she questions. Then, taking a seat directly across from me, she loosens the messy bun while maintaining eye contact.

"Not good," I shake my head. Focusing on the cup in front, I begin relaying the events one last time, "She left and is heading to New York with the kids."

Gasping, tears well up in her eyes instantly. Standing from her seat, she comes around throwing an arm over my shoulders, "I'm so sorry, Stefano," Breathing heavily, she's softly spoken, "Maybe some space is a good thing. I mean, I know it's hard, Stef, but sometimes it helps provide clarity."

I nod weakly.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Petro advises, "I spoke to Dr. Wright, head of psychiatric this morning." He glances to the side, waiting for me to acknowledge before continuing, "I outlined her family history and Matt's suicide, leaving out her attack on Tommy. Without speaking to her, Dr. Wright is still confident that she's also suffering from PSTD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, in addition to her grieving. Flashbacks, nightmares, insomnia, withdrawal from friends and family, anger causing violent outbursts, and avoidance of anything that's linked to the traumatic event."

My brows pull together, and anxiety tightens my chest. The list is excessive, and I've noticed several of these in Jasmine's behavior. Parting my mouth to speak, my thoughts run chaotic, and I have a million questions. "The kids are safe," Petro assumes that is my initial thought. Of course, I don't believe she would hurt the kids. My worry steams around her coping with their high energy. "She's nothing like her mother, and the kids provide a healthy distraction." Rubbing his face, he assures me, "She will overcome this. The distance to the family is a good thing. It seems the house and drugs are a trigger. Jaz needs to deal with the trauma first."