MATTEO (book 2)

42. XENA

The amount of federal agents and police here is making me think something is happening, happened, or wrong.

We were all ushered into my place, just sitting on the couch with Hamada, and a social worker.

"Is everything okay?" I ask.

"Yeah. We have good news, just waiting on-"

"Sorry I'm late." I hear Matteo's voice. "Sorry. Got caught up."

He was high.

I could tell.

"They're on their way." He sits down, like right beside me. "Hey, baby."

"Hi. You stink." I shuffle up.

He smiles.

Ten minutes later the door opens and my face drops.

Neves.

Everything in my body went completely weak.

"Neves." Dad gasps.

She almost falls to her knees. Ilaria grabs her, walking her to the armchair. I get up, practically throwing myself on top of her.

How on earth?

"How... Are... Oh my God."

"Hey little ones." I hear Matteo. My eyes drop to two children, one walking, the other in a pram.

"Holy God." Mom gasps.

"They're mine." Neves's voice breaks. "My boys."

"Yours?" Dads eyes sparkle with tears.

"My boys." She repeats, but looks at me. "You look so different."

"You look beautiful." I look at her sunken eyes, pale skin and how skinny she was.

She smiles softly. "I missed you so much, Xena."

"How... Where-"

"Matteo." She grabs my hand. "He found me."

I turn to look at Matteo holding the older child with a smile on his face, not paying attention to me.

He knew and didn't tell me?

He knew she was alive?

That she had kids?

How long did he know?

"Are... Are you okay?" I look back at her.

"I will be." She smiles. "Now."

"How did... Matteo? How long?"

"Two months." Hamada answers.

Two months?

I feel sick.

I feel bile rising in my throat and run outside quickly, holding my hair back as I throw it all up.

He knew for two months?

He walks out. "Hey-"

"Don't touch me." I push him away. "Leave me alone."

He stands back, frowning. "What?"

"Two months, Matteo. Two fucking months, you knew and didn't tell me?"

"I couldn't."

"You wouldn't."

"I couldn't, Xena." He takes a step back. "A fucking thank you would have been nice." He walks away.

I wasn't mad that he left.

I walk back in. She hugs me. "He saved me, Xen." She rests her head on my shoulder. "Saved me."

I stay silent.

There was a lot of hugging and checking her blood pressure. While she's with mom, I crouch down to the child.

He smiles, he has her smile. "Hello, I'm tia Xena."

"Xena." He repeats.

"Yeah." I smile, lifting him up and putting him on my lap.

He smiles, playing with my hair.

We were here for hours, catching up, playing with the boys. They're unamed. Her abuser didn't let her name them. He hardly let her see them.

She was feeding the baby with a bottle, as the older one sat her feet, playing with her shoelaces.

Mom and dad fell asleep on the couch. Agents we're around the building but left us alone.

"Xena." She looks at me. "You're picking your nails."

"I'm just... I'm happy to see you." I smile.

"I have so many stories to tell you." She smiles back. "They're not all bad."

"I have so many to tell you too."

She holds back tears. "Xena, go to him."

"What?"

"Matteo. He saved me and you shouted at him."

"He lied to me."

"He saved me, Xen. Is that not enough? He put himself in danger countless times to save me. To save them."

I don't want to talk about him.

I stand up. "Hey, kid. Wanna sleep?"

He nods his head.

I hold his hand, helping him walk to the bedroom. An agent stayed with him as he crawled into the bed and slept.

"They don't even have names." She says. "I just call them kids."

"You don't have to name them yet." I stroke the baby's cheek.

"I do." She looks at him. "Mattio."

I look up.

"Let's call you Mattio after the man that saved your life." She whispers. "Mattio Mendes."

I smile.

"And let's call your big brother Xavier." A teardrops falls onto Mattio's head. "Xavier and Mattio."

"They're beautiful names."

"For you." She looks up. "Xavier. I know..."

"I always wanted a baby called Xavier."

"I stole your baby name." She giggles.

"I'll think of another one." I take Xavier off her. "Do you wanna sleep?"

"Yes. I want you to stay with me."

"Of course."

Hamada set up a moses basket in the bedroom, we put Mattio in there. She gets beside Xavier and he cuddled up to her, I get beside her and she cuddled up to me. "I haven't slept in a bed in so long."

"What did they make you sleep on?" I ask.

"Just a gym mat. Unless I was pregnant or staying with him. Then, I'd be allowed the thin mattress or some nights his bed."

"He'll gets what is coming to him."

I will make sure of it.

Even if it is the last thing I do.

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