Giovanni's pov: I watch her as she trembles and a part of me longs for nothing more than to hold her and promise her that everything would be okay. I wanted to kiss away her fears and protect her from the truth.
I couldn't do it.
I failed myself one too many times and I knew that no matter how hard I tried to protect her, it would only end up leaving her exposed to more harm.
I only found out about it after she lost the baby. I couldn't believe it and what I thought was fate was the mastermind planning of my father and Ben.
Whether she wanted it or not, Luc would avenge the death of his grandparents. I would make certain of it. A normal life was never in plan for Nadiyah and it broke my heart that amongst it all, this was all she wanted.
I couldn't give it to her.
All I ever brought her was pain and suffering that resulted in hurting me in the end only.
Ben continues to tell the story and her eyes fall on me every once in a while. I look away.. I couldn't do it. I couldn't stare her in the eyes without feeling as I was being stabbed in the heart.
Her heart was broken and shamelessly enough, I was the one who broke it. I hurt the women I loved most in the world.
I wanted to love her, all of her, to protect her and yet all I seemed to ever do was hurt her and put her in danger.
"I won't let it happen," she says softly. Her voice held confidence and I liked that. It reminds me of the Nadiyah before I become a huge part of her life.
My father's eye land on me and I know exactly what he wants from me: to calm her down. He wanted me to assure him and Ben that everything would be alright and that their plan would work out.
I couldn't do it. Calminh Nadiyah down was always easy when she was sad.
But..
She wasn't sad
I was.
I lost the person that I loved most in this world as punishment to myself for allowing her to get hurt. I should've been the one shot instead of her. This was all centered around me and yet she ended up hurt. She ended up loosing the baby and a part of herself as well, trying to protect me.
Me.
The monster who ruined her life and couldn't love her the way she deserved to be loved.
I look over at Abraham whose eyes haven't left the ground since the topic began.
He could do it.
He could protect her and if he couldn't, I'd get rid of him from her life until someone that could protect her came along.
He loved her though.
That was true.
"Nadiyah," I say firmly walking towards her. "Luc will avenge the death of your parents. "I, as his father, will make sure of it."
She stares up at me as I walk towards her. There's pain in her eyes not just from everything that had happened today but from everything before this.
I did it.
I hurt her.
In my foolish attempt to push her away, I put her through more pain than any woman should ever go through.
I married Kat just days after loosing the baby.
I was a monster.
I grab her arm and I can feel her body stiffen. She fidgets against my hold before looking up at me hopelessly.
"Come on," I say without turning back to see her reaction.
We walk up the stairs as all eyes are on us and for a brief minute it felt good, like how it use to be.
I close the door behind me and she stands there without moving.
"Sit, Nadiyah," I command.
She stares at me and continues to until I stand up. She flinches and my heart breaks in half.
I hurt her.
She was seriously scared of me.
"Sit," I say again without looking up.
"I know when Ben talked about the death of your parents it must've been hard for you to listen t-"
"Did you know?" She asks.
"Yes," I say nodding. "The day after you lost the baby. My father told me about it."
"So you knew all along?" She asks hurt. "Did Abraham know?" She asks.
"Before me," I say. "He was the first to find out, then Lester, and finally me."
"He lied to me.." she whispers. "You all sat in my face and lied to me about something this important."
"You know now," I say standing up. "You can actually do something about it."
"By allowing my son to grow up and become exactly what you are?" She asks accusingly. "Giovanni, Luc is a beautiful baby boy. He loves to laugh and he thinks burping sounds are the funniest thing in the world. He colors really well and even stays inside the lines. I got him into daycare recently and he is smarter than all the other kids. Luc-"
Her eyes were filled with tears and she wipes them quickly.
"Luc is everything a mother would want. He's the perfect baby. I would love for him to grow up to be a firefighter because Abraham got him a toy firetruck and he loves the sound the firetruck makes when-"
"I get it!" I say a bit too harshly. "I.. I-"
"You what?" She asks.
"I'm sorry, Nadiyah," I say closing my eyes. My thumb caresses her cheek and she closes her eyes as well.
"For everything," I whisper opening my eyes. Her eyes stay closed as her body falls lightly onto mine leaning in for the kiss I needed more than anything.
Just as our lips are about to touch there's a knock on the door.
"Hey," Abraham's voice calls out through the other side of the door.
She walks over and opens the door slowly. He stands before us and extends his hand out for her.
"Let's go home, Nadiyah." __
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