Dive In

Chapter 30

•Nolani•

Two sets of wide amber eyes blink back at me and I melt under their stares. I take in the rolls on their arms, their round belly's full of milk, their perfect noses and the dark tufts of hair on their heads. Rome has my nose and Rafe has Giovanni's. They both have my eye shape and dark skin tone, but Giovanni's mouth and the cleft in his chin. Rome's hair is starting to curl like mine whereas Rafe's only has a few waves. I trail my finger tip across their soft cheeks and lean down to inhale their baby smell. My heart overfills with love, I don't think I've ever been this content. Rome reaches out and grips a fistful of my hair, Rafe let's out a giggle at his brothers antics as I pry the chubby fingers from my curls. Once I'm free of his grasp Giovanni appears beside me.

"Sto arrivando." He murmurs and then brushes a kiss across my cheek.

(Sto arrivando: I'm on my way)

What does that mean? A horrible feeling abruptly washes over me, one of pure terror that sends a shiver up my spine and goosebumps across my flesh.

"Help me." I whisper, fear smothering me to the point I'm gasping for air.

The weight of the twins in my lap disappears and I look down at them but they're gone and my panic only grows.

"Help me!" The plea comes again but Giovanni's no longer beside me.

"Help me!" I scream but even I can't hear the words, they ricochet through my head in a sharp echo.

I pinch my eyes closed as pain takes over my body. I thrash around against the feeling but there's nothing there except darkness.

I groan and force my eyes to open. My surroundings spin around me, my vision going blurry the harder I try to focus. My entire body aches painfully, there's a spot throbbing on the back of my head and judging by the tight, puffy feeling I'm pretty sure my right cheek is swollen.

The room finally stops spinning and my surroundings become visible. I blink up at the white ceiling and shift against whatever I'm laying on. It's stiff and uncomfortable, possibly a cot. I slowly sit up and I bite back a gasp as pain shoots across my lower stomach. I suck in deep breaths and slowly exhale them, trying my best to breath through the painful sensation. After the pain subsides I glance around the dimly lit room taking it in, trying my best to figure out what's going on and how I ended up here. There's a toilet, a sink, the cot I'm on, and a metal chair. The walls are made of cinder blocks that have been painted white and the floor is smooth gray concrete. There's a camera in the corner of the room and a single metal door with bars through the small window.

The back of my head stings and when I bring my hand to the spot it comes back painted with fresh blood. I wipe it off on my black leggings and try not to panic. I'm obviously locked up somewhere but why? And how did I get here. I want to lie back down and go back to dreaming of my babies but instead I stand up.

If my head is injured I definitely shouldn't be sleeping.

Another excruciating pain shoots across my lower stomach, it hurts so bad I whimper and brace myself against the wall as I pray for it to pass.

"Is everything okay?" A man with a Russian accent asks and it's like getting hit by a bus as I remember how I got here.

Matteo had us get inside the safe room, there was a man that tried to act like he worked for Giovanni who wanted me to follow him but I wouldn't. He hurt Matteo and Jade, then me. My hand grips my stomach as a devastating realization hits me. He kicked me in the stomach.