When The Wrong One Loves You Right 3: Forever And Always

Chapter 2: Home

Vince's POV

"Can I still be friends with her?" Luca asked me outside the diner.
"Yes. Let them talk about what happened. If they don't want to fix the problem then I will. I don't care how much money I lose. If I lose a business partner to save that girl, then so be it."
"Is that why you liked dad so much?" Luca asked his mother.
"What?" Ana asks.
"You liked dad because he likes to be the hero."
"I love your dad for a lot of reasons. Saving people was one of them."
"I'm not a hero. You both realize that right?" I said. " I've killed more people than I've saved."
"You are my hero." Ana smiles.
"Only because Sandro wasn't there." I say.
"You saved me from more than Franco." Ana said rolling her eyes.
"I don't save people Ana. I hurt them. I hurt you." I looked at the ground and rested my arms on the top of my car for a moment. Of all the things I'd done in my life hurting Ana was the thing I regretted doing. "Let's go Luca. Goodbye Ana." I said and got in the car.
"Get in the back baby." Ana said.
Luca did what she told him, he leaned the seat forward and climbed in the back seat of my Porsche.
"What are you doing?" I said looking at him in the mirror. "Why are you sitting in the back?"
He didn't have time to answer. Ana slid in the passenger seat and shut the door.
"What are you doing?" I said again, this time to Ana.
"I'm going with you. My guys are going to follow us." She said.
"Where am I going?" I asked.
"Go home." She shrugged.
"You want me to take you to my house?"
"Yes." She answered.
"Won't your husband be upset?"
"No, he knows I'm with you. Besides he has all six of my babysitters following us. Take me home Vinny."
I stared at her for a moment weighing my options. Seven years ago I would have done exactly what she said, but now she's married to Sandro I didn't want to risk it. I pull my phone out of my pocket and got out of the car.
"Stay." I said to her and close the door.
I find Sandro's contact information so I can call him. It rings three times.
"Vince, what's wrong?" Sandro asks skipping the formalities.
"Nothing is wrong. Well..." I hesitate.
"Is Ana hurt?" He asks concerned.
"No she's fine." I hesitate as I speak.
"Is Luca hurt?"
"No."
"Then what's the problem?"
I take a deep breath and decide its best to just say it.
"Ana wants me to take her to my place. I wanted to make sure you knew." I said leaning on the hood of my car.
"Are you asking for my permission?" Sandro laughs.
"I don't know what I'm doing." I said frustrated.
"Yes Vince, Ana can come over to play. She already texted me and told me that she was going with you. Keep her safe. When she's ready to leave I'm sure she'll be able to find the door. Satisfied?"
"I don't know. You're not the person I'd normally share with but I'm freaking the fuck out."
"It will be fine. She won't bite unless you ask her to and if you ask her to I might have to kill you. So behave." Sandro answers sounding amused.
"Is this a good idea?" I ask more myself that him.
"Look Vince. I'm not going to lie to you. I don't want you and Ana together. I don't think it's a good idea. While she is with you today, the idea that she could be cheating on me will be in my mind front and center. If you don't want her to go with you tell her. She thinks she can handle being around you but I don't think she is ready. If you hurt her, I don't care if you have children together, I will kill you, all vendettas aside. Capisci?"
"I understand."
I hang up and get back in my car. I take a deep breath before I open the door and climb back inside.
"Everything okay?" Ana asks.
I don't respond, I weigh my options again. My conclusion, this is a bad idea. I started the car and began to drive.
"Where are we going?" Ana asks.
"I'm taking you to your home." I sigh.
"But,..."
"No but Ana. I need you to understand that I love you, but I can't do this. You may be ready to be around me but I am not ready to have you this close to me like nothing happened."
"Vince." Ana begins to protest.
"No, I'm not finished." I say over her protest.
"You said goodbye to me and broke my heart. You hurt me. Maybe I had it coming for hurting you all those times. We can't be alone in my home and expect nothing to happen. I can't take you to my place and pretend the last seven years didn't happen. I'm not ready to do this yet. I'm not strong enough to have you in my life. So believe me when I say it's not you, it's me. I can't do this yet."
"Vince nothing will happen between us. I'll keep my hands to myself."
"That's not the problem, I'm not sure I can keep mine off of you. If I get you in my house I don't know if I could let you leave. The last time we were alone I got you pregnant."
"If you want us to be friends again we have to start somewhere. Please Vince. Show me your house and then I'll have Ryder take me home. Give me five minutes. If you need me to leave I'll do it. I can't live without you in my life anymore." She begs.
"I'm not ready to take you to my house Ana."
"Then take me home and stay with me there for a bit. We could watch a movie or sit and catch up. You could meet my kids. Last time you saw them they were babies. You can leave whenever your ready. Please, just try for me Vinny?"
Ana put her hand on my arm. If I hadn't looked over at her I would have been fine. But I'm stupid. I looked at her gorgeous big blue eyes and pouting face then I couldn't say no.
"Fine, but if I disappear I need you to understand that I couldn't do it."
"Okay." Ana said and smiled at me.
I drove to her and Sandro's home. As soon as Luca got out he disappeared inside. I'd been here before but I'd never seen Ana when I was here.
The house was huge. She'd done a good job decorating. Everything went with everything else. She had everything she could ever want. I could see her everywhere I looked. Photos of her and her beautiful family lined the walls. My favorite photo was the one that hung in Sandro's office behind his desk. The photo was all of them together and happy. Sandro sat behind Ana holding her waist tight. Rosie and Aldo stand on Sandro's left, Luca and Matthias on his right. The five smaller kids that belong to the Vazquezs' stand in front of them. Matt, Ali, and Sandro's youngest, Zeke were sitting on the floor laughing at the photographer. This photo was printed on a large canvas and would graduate to a new room in the house when the mandatory year was over. Then a new one would replace it.
Inside the house was busy. Everywhere I look someone was doing something. I shoved my hands in my coat pockets and followed her further inside.
"We didn't eat at the diner like I'd planned." Ana said. "Are you hungry?"
She slid her coat off and handed it to a maid. She'd kept it on at the diner. The way her dress hugged her body was enough to turn me in to a stuttering fool.
"Um, ah, I." My brain had officially shut off.
"Vince?" Ana smiled at me and put her hands on her hips. "My eyes are up here."
It took me a moment to get myself together before I could respond.
"I'm sorry," I said smiling. "I didn't hear a word you said.
Ana laughed. "I know."
She walked over to me and linked her arm with mine.
"Come on." She smiled and tipped her head. "Lets go eat and we can catch up."
She pulled gently on my arm leading me through the house. I went with her, my heart pounding with every passing second. I liked how relaxed she seemed to be. I like how she placed her hand on my bicep while the other rested on my forearm as we walked. The way she touched me was innocent, but electric. If we'd gone to my house and she'd done this I would have carried her to my bedroom and never let her leave. It was a good decision to bring her home.
We entered the dining room to find the table set. Luca was sitting with an empty plate in front of him, texting while he waited.
"Carlotta will Sandro be home for lunch today?" Ana asked the maid who entered through another door with Zeke on her hip.
"Yes, Mrs. Montorini. Your husband called and said he would be home with Mr. Franeze for lunch. They should be here shortly." The woman answered.
"What's for lunch?" Luca asked.
"Stuffed manicottis, Salad, and garlic toast." Carlotta answered.
"Are my kids home yet?" Ana asked taking Zeke from her.
As if to answer the question a shrill scream came from down the hall.
"It seems I don't need to answer that question." The maid smiled.
"Fuck! Stop!" Sandro's voice echoed down the hall.
Ana laughed.
"Welcome to our circus. Have a seat where ever you'd like Vince. I'll be back in a minute."
I walked over to the table and sat next to Luca throwing my coat over the back of the chair. I tipped my head back and looked at the ceiling.
"What's wrong with you?" Luca asked me look slightly concerned and confused. "I've never seen you like this."
"Your mother." I answered.
"But I thought you loved each other."
"We do. That's the problem. If we had done things differently eight years ago, it would be me married to your mother right now and not Sandro."
"Do you miss having her around?" Luca asked.
"Yes. She's always so happy. She made me better when I was with her."
"Is this what you look like when your in love?" Luca smiles. "I've never seen you so out of it before."
"You have seen me like this. You just don't remember." I smile and sigh. "It wasn't that long ago but it may as well have been a life time."
"Do you think that you and mom could do more together? I like seeing you with her."
"Luca I'm not going to lie to you buddy, things between your mother and I get really complicated really fast. Love is hard. I would do anything your mother asked me too and that makes it even harder. If I don't lose my mind today, I will try for you and the twins. I can't promise that this won't end quickly."
"I just want you to try and be friends."
"We are friends, but what I want from your mother is so much more than that."
"That's gross." Luca answers.
"No it not. In a few years you'll understand what it feels like to love a girl and know she loves you back. You'll never fully understand what I had with your mother but it was the real thing."
"Luca. Can you come help us please!" Ana hollered from down the hall.
"We should do this again." Luca said smiling and standing. "I don't remember the last time we had a conversation."
"That's because you live with your mother and only see me every other weekend." I say as he walks away.
I sit and listen to the silence for several minutes. I stand and look out the window. "What are you doin here Vincenzo?" I ask myself aloud.
I turn when I hear the door open. Luca comes back in the dining room holding one of his sister's hands. Dante follows with the rest of Ana's clan.
"Daddy!" Alisha exclaims.
"Hey baby!" I say catching her as she jumps in my arms. "How's my beautiful little princess?"
"Good." She says hugging me.
"Just good? I haven't seen you in a week and a half and you're just good?" I say tickling her sides.
She laughs and squirms in my arms. I can't believe how big she is, or how much she looks like her mom.
"I didn't expect to see you here." Dante smiles.
"I didn't expect to be here." I answer. "Everything with Ana is unexpected."
"That it is." Dante agrees.
"Where's Matteo?" I ask Luca.
"He's fighting with Tyler." Luca answers. "And he's winning from what I saw."
"Is that where your mom went?" I ask.
"Yep."
"Go sit by Luca." I say to Ali as I put her down.
"Are you leaving?" She asks sadly.
"No, Princess. I'll be back in just a minute, okay?"
She nods and climbs in the chair I was just sitting in. I walk out of the dining room to see if I can help end the brawl that seems to be happening between Matt's son and mine.
As I get closer to the entryway I see Matteo break out of Ana's grip and punch Tyler. Tyler falls back and Sandro catches him.
"Matteo Vito Benedetti." I say sternly.
I don't have to yell. As soon as Matteo hears my voice he cowers.
"That's enough." I say.
"Sorry dad." Matteo cowers looking at the floor and hiding behind Ana.
"I'm not the one you need to apologize to." I reply.
"Sorry." He mumbles.
"No, do it right." I say folding my arms across my chest.
Matteo turns to Tyler and stands up straight.
"Eyes." I said.
Matteo looks up at Tyler.
"I'm sorry I hit you." He said quietly.
"And."
"And made fun of you at school. Will you forgive me Ty?"
Tyler looks confused, but he nods his acceptance.
"Table, now." I command.
Matteo walks past me and I turn and follow him with my hand on his shoulder.
"What was that?" I ask.
"Tyler wouldn't let me play with him and his friends at recess. So I teased him and we got in a fight."
"You don't fight your family. They are the ones who will save you when you get older. Your brothers are everything. If you make enemies of them you won't last very long."
"I'm sorry dad."
"You don't need to apologize to me. You need to learn from what I'm telling you."
"Yes sir."
I open the door and let Matteo in the dining room. Ana grabs my arm before I can enter.
"Can I talk to you?" She asks.
"What is it Ana?"
She looks like she's studying my face.
"How did you do that?" She asks.
"What are you asking Ana? I feel like there's more to that question."
"Have you ever hit our child."
"No." I say furrowing my eyebrows. "I'm appalled that you would even think that. I would never and have never hit any of our children. When they don't do what they are told the lose privileges, toys, games, or something that makes them think about what the did. I don't want them to hate me the way I hated me dad. I want respect. They all understand that they have to respect my rules and I have the final say."
"You've never hurt them?" She asks.
"Ana, do I look like I'm lying to you? You know what I do when I lie. Do you see anything that makes you think I'm not telling the truth?"
She looks at me a moment. Studies me up and down.
"No." She replies.
"Can we eat?" I ask.
"Yes."
I open the door and usher her inside.
"After you." I said.
I pulled the chair out for Ana to sit by Sandro and take my seat between Luca and Ali.
Sandro and Ana have done a great job raising the kids. During lunch they all went around the table and told each other about the day up to that point and the smaller kids told of their imaginary adventures on the playgrounds at the school.
Natalie took to questioning me after the stories were done and the kids left the table to go play before they had to go back to school. Ana had excused herself for a moment and left the room.
"Who are you?" She asked. "What's your name?"
"I'm Luca, Alisha, and Matteo's dad. My name is Vincenzo."
"I remember you."
"Really? What do you remember?"
"I remember you were a really good dad."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, you used to sing to me when I would cry. Mommy would be asleep and you would get up and sing me back to sleep."
"Are you sure you remember that, or do you remember your mom telling you stories?"
"I have highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM), or hyperthymesia. I remember everything, even things from before I was born."
"Really? Do you remember the song I sang to you when you would cry?"
"I remember it, it's the same song mommy sings to us when there is thunder outside. Did you know mommy is scared..."
"Of thunder?" I interrupt. "Yes. The first time I sang that song to your mom she was your age. Your grandpa went to a funeral for someone who wasn't dead and left your mom with me." I glanced up at Sandro who smirked at me.
"Do you love my mommy? I remember that you loved her when I was little. You use to hug her when you fell asleep. Do you love her still?"
"Natalie!" Sandro scolds.
"It's okay. She's just curious." I smile. "Yes. Nattie I will always love your mommy."
"Do you love me? You use to tell me you did. You would tell me I was beautiful and I was your favorite baby because I was so well behaved."
"Does she seriously remember all of this?" I ask looking at Sandro.
"Yes, it's a little annoying sometimes because she can say remember when you said I could have this for doing that at x time on x day. Most times I don't remember saying it but if I go look at security videos sure as shit I said it." Sandro answers.
"Nattie do you remember your dad?" I ask her.
"Yes, We don't talk about him." Natalie answers. "But I remember him. His name was Matt. He was funny and he loved me. I used to fall asleep listening to his heart. Uncle Mark was funny too. I had trouble telling them apart. I still see them sometimes."
"Where do you see them Natalie?" Sandro asks with concern in his voice.
"Outside of the school or at the park when I go for walks with mommy, Uncle Ryder, and Uncle Shadow."
"Have they ever tried to talk to you?" Sandro asks hijacking my conversation.
"Yes, Matt bought me ice cream while he and Mark talked to mommy in the park a couple weeks ago."
"How often does mommy talk to them in the park?" Dante asks.
"At first it was once every few months and just Matt, then it was both of them for a few weeks. Last time I saw them they had a man named Diego with them. He was scary. Mommy stood in front of me the whole time."
"Do you remember what they were saying?" I ask.
"Mark said that he deserved to see us because we were his fucking kids too. Then mommy yelled at him and put my headphones on me."
"Was Uncle Ryder there?" Sandro asks.
"Yes. All mommies guys were there. Uncle Ryder pulled his gun out before we left. Mommy was screaming at Mark and crying. She hit him when he grabbed her arm and then she pushed him backward."
"Is that the first time they hit each other?" Dante asks.
"Yes. Mommy told them to leave us alone because if Sandro found out he'd be mad."
"Why didn't you tell me before that they were bothering you and Mom?" Sandro asks.
"Mom asked me not to tell you. She asked me keep it secret so no one would get hurt."
Ryder walked into the dining room and froze. He turned on his heals to walk back out of the room.
"No, get back here." Sandro said to Ryder. "We are going to talk right now."
"Fuck." Ryder whispered.
"Uncle Ryder watch your mouth." Natalie scolded.
"Sorry princess. Why don't you go play so I can talk to your daddy and you can't get me in anymore trouble." Ryder said walking to the table and taking a seat.
"I don't want to go play. I'm having a conversation." Natalie said snobbishly.
"Go play Natalie." Sandro commanded.
"Can I ask one more question?" She asked.
"What?" Sandro asked.
"Can I go with Vincenzo after school today?"
"I thought you were going to hangout with me and you siblings at the aquarium today." Dante said.
"I was, but I don't really like to watch the fish swim. I get bored."
"It's okay with me but you have to ask him?" Sandro answers.
"Can I go with you after school of your not to busy Vincenzo?" Natalie asked me and smiled and proceeded in a sing-songy voice batting her eyelashes. "Please Vinny."
I smiled remembering when her mom used to do the same thing.
"Please, please, please?" She begged.
"You are your mother's daughter." I say smirking at her. "Let me think about it and I'll give you an answer before you go back to school."
"Okay." She sighed disappointed. "Maybe next time then."
She moped out of the room. I had to shake my head at her. She'd reminded me of her mother so much.
"Little Ana all over again." Sandro said reading my expression.
"Rosie was the same way." Dante said.
"I haven't seen Rose and Aldo for years." I said.
"Can you believe they are going to be sixteen in a few days?" Dante asks.
"Are they having a party?" I ask.
"Rose wants to do something separate from Aldo. She wants an actual sweet sixteen and not a stuffy party with people she doesn't know."
"Ana said you were going to plan one. Did you?" Sandro asks.
"No. I have four days to plan a giant party to make my daughter feel like a princess. I don't know what to do." Dante answers.
"Ask Lexi and Ana to help." I suggest.
"Lexi?" Dante asks.
"Yeah, the blond woman you walked with at the wedding."
"Oh. You mean Alexis."
"Yeah, whatever. The woman who's dating my brother."
"Which brother?" Sandro asks me.
"Sergio. Did you not know?"
"I knew it was one of your brothers, just not which one. They were all hitting on her at the wedding seven years ago." Sandro shrugs.
"Have they been a thing that long?" Dante asks. "They should be married by now."
"Yeah. Sergio won't ever ask her for marriage." I smile.
"Why not?" Dante asks.
"He's waiting for all of us to die so he can have Ana." I smile. "They have some agreement that they will marry each other if they are both single at any point after they turn 35."
"I doubt that all three of us are going to die in the next five years." Sandro answers.
"That's what I told him. He told me he asked Ana to carry his child. He's convinced that he will marry Ana one day."
"That's weird." Dante said shaking his head.
"Maybe, but if the whole deal with the contracts wasn't a thing, they probably would have ended up together." I said.
"I think Antonio would have give him a run for his money." Dante smiles.
"Ana hates Antonio." Sandro said.
"Ana didn't hate Antonio until after you 'died' and he was teasing her. He was trying to get her to smile but he didn't know how to read the room enough to see that he was ruining the relationship." Dante replies. "If he had a chance to go back and change it he would. He's had a mild obsession with her since he was a tween. Besides they seem to be friends now."
"There is no way to have a mild obsession." I say. "You either do or don't. I bet Antonio has a stalker room full of pictures of her."
"It's not a room, it's a series of scrapbooks." Dante jokes.
"Guys, come on." Sandro complains. "Your talking about my wife here."
"Your right. We need to regroup and focus." Dante laughs. "You said ask Alexis? Do you have a phone number for her?"
"Yeah. She will probably be here for Victor and Debra's wedding tomorrow night. You can talk to her then but I'll give you here number if you don't." I answer and pull my phone out of my pocket.
I send a text to Lexi telling her she was going to hear from Dante with his number. Then I send him her number.
"Are you both coming to that?" Sandro asks.
"My mother threatened me. I have to be here." I answer.
"Me too. Dad wanted to come and I didn't want him to come alone. He's been a little off since mom died a couple months ago." Dante said.
"I was sorry to hear about that." I say to Dante.
"She was really sick. It's better now that I know she's not suffering." Dante said sadly.
"So Ana." I said. "She's been talking to the Vasquez twins?"
"Care to explain that?" Sandro asks.
Ryder sighs.
"It started a little over a year ago." Ryder said. "In the beginning it was just one of them and it felt harmless. But as time went on they both started showing up. They just wanted to see the kids. Last time they showed up with that Diego guy. Things got heated quickly. Mark and Ana were arguing. He said he'd see the kids even if he had to take them from her. She was ready to walk away and she tried, but he grabbed her arm. She slapped him and shoved him backward. Told him to never speak to her or the kids ever again. She told him she didn't want to get her husband involved but if they didn't listen she would and you'd end them all."
"When did this happen?" I ask.
"Sunday morning."
"This happened two days ago and no one said shit to me?" Sandro asked.
"Ana asked me not to say anything until before her walk on Sunday. She was going to ask you to go with her."
"She's scared." Dante said.
"She wouldn't ask you to go with her if she wasn't." I agree.
"I'm not waiting until Sunday. If Ana threatened them they could try to ambush her." Sandro said. "I'm fixing this in the next 72 hours."
"Luca got in a fight today at school. We need to talk about that too." I said.
"Didn't you and Ana discuss that?" Sandro asks.
"He got in a fight with Nicolas Petrovich." I answer.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Sandro asks running his hands through his hair annoyed.
"No I'm serious. He was defending Jenny Bellini and knocked Nick on his ass. Broke the kids nose."
"Fuck." Dante laughs.
"I need a drink." Sandro said standing and leaving the table. "Are you two coming?"