STUCK 2

Chapter 21

He hadn't felt this way in ages, the foreign emotion catching him defenceless. He wanted children for the sake of it, for them to bare his name and when he died, his position. They were the carriers of his heritage, his learnings, his property, nothing more, never more. But somehow Tara had pulled the untouchable strings, enlivening a part of him he didn't know exist. With her, he wanted a complete connubial package, of not heirs but babies, that she grew in her womb and he took care of, that she cooked for and he fed. 

When he put Ina to bed a sudden gush of gratefulness hit him in waves. He watched her features with love, realising how fortunate he must have been to be able to feel...this. He stroked her head, pushing the wild curls behind her head before pulling the sheets till her neck. He was still in the trance of her angelic visage, the humbling feeling drenching his heart when he pushed the button to first floor in the elevator. When it dinged open his brows furrowed at the seen, a strange conundrum gathered besides pool. Hardly anyone lingered in the now empty hall, everyone crowding the area around pool. He strode, the warmth immersing his being vanishing into the cold air, replacing it with the restive anticipation and strangely enough, worry. He didn't know what he feared, but he did prepare himself for seeing something he might not like, and that angered him before he saw it, the woman thrashing in the water, almost drowning. 

It didn't take him a second to realise who it was. His gaze swept across the crowd, seeing as everyone stood like a statue, watching her struggles like scene out of the movie, having nothing to do with their lives. He felt a weak grasp on his bicep, the words dumped like trash in his ears, 

"Don't fall for it, she only wants your attention"  

As much as his mother's words tried, they failed to as much as reach his fuming ears, stopping him was  far from it. 

He watched her figure with an unwavering gaze, thoughts and questions inundating his senses. He removed his coat leisurely, diverting everyone's attention from the woman towards him, his muscles bulging through white shirt. Some women visibly gulped at the scene, overlooking the fact that another person drowned not several meters away. 

He carefully noted her floppy movements, keeping his gaze on her. It looked like she tried with all her might, but water seemed not to be responding, her movements not making sense to the physics of the pool. 

How can she not know how to swim?

The question repeatedly hammered his mind as he took off his shoes, still not believing how could the woman who was supposedly trained drown so helplessly. When he started unfastening his Rolex did his mother's voice raised, using his own thoughts against him,

"sa nuotare, Sta agendo per ottenere la tua simpatia" She urged, holding onto his arm as he undid the watch, throwing it on his coat lying on the floor. Except for the clench of jaw, he betrayed nothing.

(She knows how to swim, she's acting to get your sympathy)

He didn't care whether it was true. He wanted her alive, he wanted her regardless of whatever her intentions were. He was the problem, not her. 

He dived artistically, ignoring the pleads of his old mother, reaching the woman in seconds. Tara had started to give up when the chlorinated water didn't pay her efforts any heed,  pulling her downwards as if a heavy weight was tied to her legs. She could feel the hundreds of eyes watching her curiously, some seeping on their drinks, missing the privilege of popcorn to savour such moments. They weren't in the mood of saving a life, considering how freezing the water was in an already chilly night. It might have given them cold, not to mention their expensive clothes weren't worth saving her insignificant life. 

She breathed harder, even when her body shivered uncontrollably under the cold,  a strange heat swept across her body. Fatigue embraced her strength, unnerving her slowly non-functioning muscles, encouraging her to give up. And give up she did, letting her legs still for once and for all, letting the depth pull her down. She held her breath for as long as she could under water, and when she couldn't she simply closed her eyes, giving into the instinct of breathing through her nose, welcoming the water instead, betraying her pulmonary system with a gush of liquid. She felt another shock pulsing across her body when a strong pair of hands abruptly pulled her up in the air,  her eyes opened in an instant, gasping she saw through her hampered vision a shadow keeping her up effortlessly, looking hard through her, somehow angry at her fate. She locked her hands through his neck instinctively, desperate to keep her head up in the air.  With a jerk he pulled her up again, closer to him, watching as she coughed not so decently in the pool, holding him as if her life depended on it, ironically enough, it did. 

She felt a breeze of air as it scraped across her wet skin like a punishment, erupting shivers on their way. She trembled like a leaf, her teeth no exception, adding into her already compromised state. Somehow she wanted remain in the water, just to stay in its acclimatized warmth. The blend of air brushing against wet skin was a deadly combination, and after becoming its victim she wanted to crawl into a warm bed and cocoon herself to sleep.  In the pursuit of the well sought heat she leaned into him, his unexplained rage somehow warming now that it wasn't directed towards her. 

And he carried her through the stairs, the drip of water following his footsteps as he settled her besides pool. But as soon as she tried to stand, she stumbled, unable to keep her balance, holding onto his bicep again. And so he picked her up like his bride, feeling an unmistakable resistance from her hand as it feebly pushed on his chest, aware of the hostile gazes adhered to them like a tenacious leech. Donavan didn't look at her, he didn't need to, now that she was back in her senses, of course she wanted to get away, something that he realised he had had enough of. She watched as Enzo hesitantly picked up Don's suit jacked from the floor, carefully keeping it on her, covering her exposed thighs, making sure don did not take an offense.

"What happened?"

Tara watched in horror as she felt the dangerous vibration in his chest flaring across her being. But the question wasn't for her. Tara turned her gaze as Venetia stood slightly behind Mrs. Frantino, taking a refugee behind the only woman that could save her. She didn't miss the slight shiver of her legs, as if it was her who was pushed inside the pool full of cold water. 

Mrs. Maria didn't look scared to the least. Rather she looked more dangerous than she ever had, realising how the little woman was already making her way back onto the throne. 

"She promised me" her voice boomed, confident in its nature, "That she will become your wife again, taking over the Frantinos."

She took a step towards them, burning a whole through Tara with her gaze if she could, 

"And when I challenged her back she jumped in to prove her point, to show everyone how you cared about her. I won't be surprised if she plays a victim card now"  

There was a distinct hint of mischief in her eyes, the lie that she skillfully masked under her power. Tara was convinced her life was going to become just a little more difficult now, Frantinos adamant on ensuring that. She didn't hope no more, there was no way he would ever believe her side of the story over his mother's. 

"Is it true?" he asked, now looking at the woman in his arms. his hold under her legs tightening.

"No" she whispered back, looking through him, "Venetia pushed me in the pool." her teeth chattered and yet she dared to look back at the older woman, "Your mother told her to" 

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Author's note: Sometimes I think what is wrong with me, who writes cringe like this. AHHHHHHHH