NOT a Fairytale

Chapter 10: Fear

Roman's POV:

Tom and I got my dad into bed he finally has passed out. He has never laid his hands on a woman, ever. He always raised me to never raise my hand to a woman, unless she was a rat. Yet, he just beat the woman I am falling in love with nearly half to death. She is strong though.

"Tom, let's go check on the women." I whisper to Tom, he nods. We both walk out and I lock my dad inside. I see my bedroom door open, and hear my mom and sister crying. My heart leaps into my throat, there is a knot in my stomach. I walk in to see my mom and sister holding each other crying. I see Alex leaning over someone, and I realize its Diamond. Tom sees it at the same time. Alex snaps his head around.

"Tom, Roman, I know you are both protective over her, but she told me to not let anyone move her. So if try, I will knock you both out." Alex was cold and harsh, normally I would beat him for speaking to me like this, but I look around him to see a tube sticking out of Diamond's mouth, Alex is holding her head still.

Tom collapses to the floor. "I should have never encouraged this. This is my fault, I am going to lose her too." I knew Tom lost his daughter, I only just now realized, she would be Diamond's age, and although they looked nothing alike, they have the same personality.

"I'm here, what happened?" I heard our doctor come running in. "Shit! What happened?" "Mr. Luvano drank too much tonight, he blamed Diamond here for ruining his night, he accused her of being a gold digger. He choked her twice, threw against a dresser, she hit him pretty good too." Alex answered for all of us. "Her throat was swelling shut, she had us get stuff to intubate her, but she did it herself."

"You did good boy, now let me take over. Who is she most comfortable with? I need someone to help calm her down. She is crying.

I realized she was awake still, "Mom, can you soothe her?" My mom couldn't move. I went to her, I caressed her face and brushed her hair out of it. She calmed down, and looked as if she fell asleep.

"The swelling in her throat is going down, I gave her an injection of anti-inflammatory. Her swelling already is done enough, we could remove the tube. I can't believe she came up with this." The doctor finally spoke. I grabbed a pair of my shorts and put them on her. She was still just in Tom's shirt. Tom was over talking to her, apologizing for getting her into this mess. I felt like it was my fault. I brought her to the house, I triggered her PTSD by taunting her, I yelled, causing the commotion. It was all my fault.

I heard Diamond coughing. Everyone let out a breath we didn't know we were holding.

"Diamond I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought you here, I had no idea this would happen. I swear my dad has never hit a woman before." I'm holding onto her waist crying. Me, the big bad, mafia boss, Don, I'm crying into the arms of a woman.

"What is going on?" I heard a very sleepy, groggy version of my dad. I knew he had sobered up, because he was able to unlock the door. I felt everyone tense up, except one person. Diamond. Why wasn't she scared? Why is Alex standing in front of us?

"Why is everyone in Roman's room? Baby, Bella, why are you crying? Alex, who is behind you? Doc?" My Dad's questions were only met with angry glares from everyone, including my mother and sister.

"Randall, if you know what's best for-" he stopped. Diamond stood up, set her hand on Alex's shoulder. He stepped aside. My dad went pale. All his memories came flooding back. I saw it hit him. I looked at the clock and realized it had been 3 hours since I got hom in bed. Diamond just looked at my dad, letting take in his handy work.

"You broke my nose, and I would have died if I hadn't known how to save myself." Her voice was hoarse, raspy. More of his handiwork.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't in my right mind. It's no excuse. I don't know why I attacked you." My dad had dropped to his knees, apologizing. What is this woman doing to my family.

"You accused me of being a gold digger. I have never been so demeaned, in all of my life. I can take a beating, I can take being raped, I can take having the life choked out of me, I can take being called every other name in the book, kick me, hit me, strangle me, rape me, I dont care. The next person who ever accuses me of being a gold digging whore, will have a bullet between their eyes, or their throat slit in their sleep. Understand, former Don" she grabbed my father's making him look at her.

"I have been through all the other, through out my life. I have been convinced I was nuts, beaten, starved, sold, raped, left for dead, but never in my life have I ever been accused of what you accused me of. What men have done to me, has broken me, it the most brutal, disturbed woman. I have no need for money from someone else, I have no need for a man to stand at my side, I have no need to have someone back me up, I have no need to be called names, and beaten by a man who can't" she takes a whiff of my dad, " hold his whiskey, when he just met me. If it hadn't been for that whiskey fueling your anger, and making you numb to pain, if you hadn't surprised me, with me in just a towel. I would not have these bruises, you would. If you don't believe me, ask you friend Tom."

She pointed at Tom, without looking away from my dad. I saw something in my dad's eyes, I've never seen before. Fear. He was scared of the 5'3 tiny woman. He  choked her, thrown her, nearly killed her, and here she was scolding him.

"Has all that really happened to you?" I head my dad's voice, but I almost didn't recognize it. It was shaking so bad. Diamond tended up realizing she just told my entire family her back story.

"Yes." It came out more of a growl, because of the swelling.

"How are you still alive?" My dad voice growing stronger.

"Because giving up, it means I quit. I almost quit once. I won't ever do it again." Her voice sounded like her.

There were tears in my dads eyes. He barely met her, and he already nearly killed her, for nothing. He beat a woman who has known almost nothing but fear of men, and he just added to it.

"Former Don, I suggest you stop drinking, especially if you want your son happy, and around you. I won't be back to this house until you have been a week sober. You are a strong man, and have a strong family. You can and will quit drinking."

"I will, I promise I will. I never want this to happen again." My dad on his knees, like I have seen so many people begging to him. He is holding onto her shirt hem, crying into it. I walk up to, and give her a kiss to her forehead.

"Please give me a chance to show that I can be a good man, a good father, a good father-in-law. Please." My Father is begging her. I look to Tom who is standing firm, narrowed eyes. My mother is in shock, same for my sister. I look to the doctor who just has his head down.

"One week sober, if you can do that, you will have your second chance. I don't give third chances." Diamond is willing to give my dad a second chance. The way she said that to my father, was exactly like a Don. I had my arm around her waist.

I felt Diamond go limp, I caught her in my arms, but her head fell back. My mom screamed. My dad jumped up to help. Doc came over and checked her.

"She just passed out. She couldn't fight her exhaustion anymore. Put her into bed and let her get some sleep. I'll stay in one of the guest rooms, and check her when she wakes up."

My mom took my dad out, my sister gave me a hug. Doc left. Only Tom was left.

"I knew she carried dominance, and power. I didn't realize she carried enough to bring your father to his knees and begging her." Tom finally spoke, he had relief in his eyes.

"Roman, if you don't treat her right, you won't be in your father's position. You'll be dead, by her hand or mine. That woman will put you in your place whether it's in front of your men, or not. Everyone will see you as the face, but the will cower in fear at her. If you stay together, you two could take over the world together. No one would cross you or hurt you, for fear of her. She will love you with all her heart, and never break it. You can see your men are already more protective over her, than you."

Tom walked out. To say I was shocked by what Tom said, would be a lie. I could see she was already important to everyone she came in contact with. She demanded respect, without even raising a hand to someone. This woman will be the death of me or the best thing to ever happen to me.