I crouch down and I can feel my breathing stopping. Everything seems to be going in slow motion and my body could not move.
"There you are," I hear Adriana's voice close by. "Didn't you hear me calling for you? Why didn't you answer me?"
"Are you okay?" Adriana asks with a worried look on her face as she runs towards me. "What happened?"
"T-there was a man," I manage to pant out.
"Which way did he go?" She asks.
"The bathroom," I say pointing.
She rushes into the bathroom and I slump down against the wall.
"I'll see you again, Nadiyah," the man says appearing before me once again. "Soon."
I shut my eyes and stay like that until I can feel myself being picked up and my body tenses up. My eyes close even tighter and my breathing stops.
"You're okay, Nadiyah," Lester says standing me up. "What happened?"
"There isn't anyone in the bathroom," Adriana says appearing again. "Are you sure that's where he went?"
"He just walked by," I say getting down from Lester's hold.
"What did he look like?" Lester asks stepping in front of me.
"I'll go get Giovanni," Adriana says.
We nod our heads in agreement. My heartbeat was beating out of beat and I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared.
"Nadiyah," Giovanni says running towards me. "What happened? Please tell me you're alright."
My arms wrap around him and my body shutters. "I-I don't know," I whisper. "I've never seen him before."
"What did he look like?" He asks slowly pulling away.
"Uh tall, white, well built um.."
"That's good," Lester says. "Do you remember anything else?"
"What he was wearing?" Adriana asks. "His shoes? Anything else?"
"Black," I say. "He wore all black and.." my voice trails off to what he said "I'll see you again, Nadiyah."
"And what?" Giovanni asks with a concerned face. "Did he say anything to you?"
"He said he would see me again, soon."
"Like hell he will," Giovanni says pulling me close to him once again. "He won't. I won't let you out of my sight again." He says something in Italian and Lester and Adriana nod their heads before going opposite ways.
"He knew me from somewhere," I whisper against his chest. "The baby.." I say remembering the feeling. "The baby was so scared and I felt so helpless."
"I'll have Roberto check it out when we get home," he says rubbing my back. "How about now?"
"Not as much," I say taking a deep breath. "Luc," I say remembering the man's face. "Oh my god, what if he goes after Luc?"
"Luc is with Elizabeth and Katrina, he won't attack him in front of all those people," he says.
"He could attack Luc?" I ask pulling away. "I need Luc, right now."
"He won't attack him. He might be after you and not Luc," he says not letting go of his hold. "If he goes after Luca he's asking for a death wish."
"I.." my voice trails off as I feel another movement in my stomach. I shut my eyes and rest against Giovanni's chest.
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"She's okay," the doctor, Roberto, says removing his gloves. "A little scared but she's doing okay."
"It's a girl?" I ask.
"Yeah," he says putting his stuff away. "They tend to be a little more easily scared so take it easy," he says before saying something to Giovanni in Italian. They shake hands and he leaves.
"It's a girl," I say covering my stomach. "We're having a baby girl."
"Yes," Giovanni says tucking something behind my ear.
I let out a sigh of relief.
She was okay.
There's a knock on the door and Giovanni goes to open it.
"Is the baby okay?" Abraham asks from the side of the door. "Lester filled me in that Roberto came already."
"She's okay," Giovanni says not looking away from me. "It's her mother im more worried about than anything else."
"Nadiyah is strong," Abraham says looking at me. "Right?" He asks.
I nod my head in response.
"You should rest," Giovanni says sitting back over on the edge of the bed. "I'll be downstairs."
"Please don't leave me," I whisper taking his hand back into mine.
A sad smile comes over his face as I scoot over on the bed and leave space for him.
"Okay," he says kissing my forehead. "I'll be here."
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Giovanni's pov:
I slowly remove my hand from hers and her body tenses up. Her cheeks were stained with tears and even with that, she looked breathtakingly beautiful to me.
She was no longer wearing the dress she wore at the airport and had on a simple t-shirt and sweatpants.
She lets out a soft breath before scooting closer to the edge. I drape the cover over her body before slowly closing the door behind me.
"How are they?" My father asks handing me a glass of wine.
"She's scared to be alone and I don't blame her," I say sitting down. "I looked away for two minutes and this happens. Something as simple as going to the bathroom by herself is something I dread now. What else can I do?"
"She's safe and the baby is safe, that's a blessing. Think of the good that came from this and be happy that nothing else happened."
"For how long?" I ask. "What if I didn't send Adriana to go after her? What if that bastard tried something on her? I would never be able to forgive myself," I say resting my head down.
"I believe Nadiyah would have done whatever it took to protect that baby," he says assuringly. "I think you two are too dependent on each other and as long as that is the case, you'll beat yourself up for whatever happens to her and she'll blame herself for never being able to do anything without you."
"I want nothing but to protect that woman with my life," I say raising my head. "Seeing her so scared today.. it hurt me seeing her like that. She clung onto me unlike before. It wasn't out of love, it was out of fear. She is scared and I know she will lie and say she isn't because that's the type of person she is but she is scared and I hate that I can't do anything to remove the image of that man from her mind."
"As I've said, Nadiyah is strong. She inherited Benvolio's stubbornness and with that, I know for sure when push comes to shove, she'll find away. Its in her flood. She is your woman after all."
"I don't ever want for push to come to shove. I want, no, I need to protect her," I say setting down the glass.
"Then protect her Gio," is all he says before standing up. "The way you love her reminds me a lot of your mother and myself so my question to you is, what do you think you'll do if Nadiyah ever died?"
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What do you guys think Gio would do if Nadiyah ever died? Comment below.
& it's a girl! Luc will be a big brother to a baby sister, oh boy!
