Balotelli-Bale Series Book #6: Regina Mia & The Godfather Part 1

Chapter 40: Favor Owed

Keira's POV
I can see his reflection through the mirror. He is staring at me, a familiar gaze like the one he gave me after he saw the bruises my first ex-husband had caused me.

I rubbed the moisturizer over my hands and arms. "Time is ticking Nick. Spend it with your kids."

He closed the door gently. "Nothing scares me than seeing you black and blue. I can't imagine what you went through." He sat on the edge of the bed close to me.

Handsome devil. It's almost impossible not to blush when looking at him. I averted my gaze from the serious blue eyes, choosing to pretend I'm busy by sorting my make up brushes. If I knew he was coming, I would have put on some make up.

"I was just talking to Marcelle-"

"What did he tell you?" I turned around quickly.

"How would a kid his age describe sexual assault?" He asked me. "He feels guilty for hitting the man. I told him he had no choice. It had to be done. Kei I'm so sorry -"

"It didn't happen!" I snapped. I have bottled up rage. I don't know how I'm going to get it out of my system. I stood up quickly, assuming a defensive pose. "Nothing happened! I am not weak! I'm not... I fought back. Nothing happened!"

"Hey." He whispered and stood up too. "It's okay. It's okay mia amore. It's okay."

He came to me, trying to hold me despite my refusal. He enveloped me with his arms and I sank into his scent, staying still even when my heart is racing violently. I keep replaying that night and how I should have gotten out of that situation. Marcelle shouldn't have seen that.

"My children shouldn't protect me." I pulled away. "I'm the one who should protect them. He shouldn't have seen that."

"If something happened, it won't change how I feel about you. Please tell me, because I want to share in your pain as equally as I want to share in your joy."

"Nothing happened." I spoke more firmly. "Marcelle showed up just in time. He was a really big guy Nick... heavy. His breath smelt like alcohol and cigarettes. I still remember his vicious eyes... how his fist descended on my face to immobilize me. I can't forget that man."

"Where is he now?"

"Dead."

"Who killed him?"

I turned away from him, my attention on the front yard. I'm always looking out at the driveway, terrified that Darya will be back. Even the slightest misplwced sound at night, alarms me.

"I did . Along with four others. I had a shotgun. I was a terrified mother. I didn't hesitate. I'm... I'm not a good person, not anymore."

"Would you rather be a good person and have your children taken from you because you did nothing?"

"No."

He nodded. "I'm sorry Kei but in my world, the criminal underworld, good people lose. Good people die."

"I don't want to be part of your world."

"You became part of it when we got together. That was way before you even married Sinclair. I think you should know the truth Kei. You should know the truth about Mancini. He despises me. Why? I don't know. He put Margaux in play. Our meeting was never a coincidence. He wanted to have eyes on me. Later on when Margaux lost her grip, he turned his attention to you. For you to understand this, I need to go back a couple of years, back to when I was a teenager. It was a random afternoon. I was looking for Gio through the vineyard. I couldn't find him. It was then that I heard a gunshot. I ran towards it and stumbles across an old storage Good used to store empty wine barrels. He was in a physical struggle with a man. He was losing. His eyes were pleading for help as the knife sliced through his hand and got close to the center of his chest. I followed his gaze to see a gun on the floor. I could have given it to him or did anything else to distract the man. Instead I picked it up and shot the man twice. He was a relative to the Beluccis-"