In The End (Butterfly #1) (6 page)

He turned back around, and still holding me in his arms announced, ‘Sophia, this is Larissa, my father’s wife.’

‘So you’re the one that’s got the Veneto boys’ panties in a knot.’ It was very much an accusation and her scarlet lips pursed as her eyes looked me up and down. ‘Now aren’t you just a pretty little thing,’ Larissa continued, her eyes molten brown contrasting against her platinum blonde hair that had been pulled up into a roll at the back of her neck. She was in her early forties and looking from her Chanel bag to her Manolo Blahniks, she certainly did not shop here.

‘Larissa, a moment please,’ Nicholi gestured, standing up and walking a few feet away. His eyes seethed and though I could barely hear them, it appeared a very animated and heated discussion. Larissa, once very vocal, suddenly seemed to stiffen upon hearing something Nicholi had said and marched back over towards me. Nicholi was hot on her heels, his face emotionless, and his eyes were as dark as the sky before a storm is about to hit.

‘Make sure you take good care of my grandson, little miss, I will be watching.’ She stormed away, her heels clanging on the tiled floor like jackhammers.

‘What was that about?’ I inquired, taking Nicholi’s hand as he sighed and sat down. He tried to compose himself and I could feel the tension exuding out of his body.

‘Jacob has a vivid imagination and although that makes him a very creative and emotional child, it also has the negative effect of giving him nightmares. Jacob describes her as the wicked queen from Snow White and though that may seem a childish explanation, she is truly wicked beyond belief.’ Nicholi paused, to sense my reaction. I kept my face as composed as possible and considered my response carefully.

‘She is Cross’s mother, but not yours?’ The resemblance was too obvious to ignore. Despite the difference in eye colour, both Larissa and Cross were two peas in a pod.

‘Yes and she has never let me forget it from the day she married my father,’ he scoffed. ‘Not that I would want it any differently, I have an amazing mother, who despite losing everything when that bitch came along is more humble, honest and worth a million Larissa’s.’ Nicholi looked moved, talking about his mother and I thought he had only begun to scratch the surface of what Larissa had done to his family.

‘Why was she following me, Nicholi? What have I done to her?’ The thought suddenly slashed through me, back to that night. I reflexively reached and touched my shoulder. Did she have anything to do with me being shot? Nicholi, noting my thought train, took the hand that I had placed on my shoulder away and gently kissed my fingers.

‘I would be lying if I said it had not crossed my mind a thousand times.’ He looked at me plaintively and I thought I saw a tinge of regret in his expression. ‘Larissa despises me for two main reasons, the first being my father, who despite everything that she has tried to manipulate him with, still views me as his son and as such a counsel in matters that affect the family business. The second and the main driving force of her vengeance against me is that I have legal guardianship of Max.’ I was stunned by this revelation and felt myself breathing in pace with Nicholi, absorbing all the information he was providing, yet feeling as though I was floating in a sea of vengeance, trying desperately to suck me under, each tentacle tightening its grip slowly and fiercely.

‘Sophia.’ Nicholi stopped and stroking my cheek with his free hand paused, trying to process what he was going to say and it looked like it was causing him visible pain. ‘I will understand if this is too much for you, us,’ nearly choking on the, us. ‘I couldn’t bear to bring you more pain than I already have,’ he gushed with complete sincerity, and I felt myself slip back to reality, ready to give the speech of my existence.

‘Nicholi.’ I stroked his face, trying to soothe away all the pain he had suffered and not wanting to cause any more, I chose my words very carefully. ‘There is a lot you do not know about me, my life, everything.’ I stopped, the emotions trying to consume me, fighting their way out like a caged animal, on the verge of extinction, I closed my eyes. ‘I will tell you everything one day, but for right now I just need to know one thing. What do you want from me?’ I opened my eyes and met his, both glistening, filled with a lifetime of hurt, guilt and regret.

‘I want to protect you and give you all the happiness in the world,’ he declared. ‘That’s all I have ever wanted,’ he sighed, and I knew what I was going to do.

‘Life used to be going to work, watching other people live, and I was just a mere bystander, not living nor dead on a conveyor belt circling the prize, but never being able to make that leap across. I realise now I was looking for you, the one person who has the patience and love and drive to fight for what they want whatever the consequences. That person who says, I want to know who you are. It has been so long since I have let myself believe anything was possible, but with you, nothing seems out of reach, life is not an endless battle anymore. I can see my road in front of me with an enormous neon sign saying, welcome home with love.’ I paused, gathering strength from deep within. ‘We will figure this out together, us, your family everything.’ I affirmed. Nicholi kissed me, so passionately and filled with longing, like a fire that had been dampening until it found a source of oxygen.

That was exactly how I had felt before meeting Nicholi, suffocating slowly and now I was able to breathe, he was giving me my life back, something I would fight to the death to keep. It had been so long since I had felt like I had anything to live for, I had lost everything including myself, but now there was a sliver of hope and I was clinging onto it for literally my life.

‘I have been searching for you for so long, I began to wonder if I would ever find you and then it was you who found me,’ his voice broke and he stopped momentarily. ‘I love you,’ and with those three words, I was his, no matter what. I leaned in and he held me for what seemed like a lifetime of therapy before pulling away and smiling, his eyes sparkling. ‘Are you ready to meet Jacob?’ taking my hand once again and pulling me up against him, my pulse quickening at the proximity of his body against mine.

‘Let’s go,’ I commanded, leaning in, my lips brushing against his. I pulled away and let myself feel the words I was about to speak, bound by chains for so long, breaking loose from their captor, shattering, the pieces turning into liquid then nothingness. ‘I want this too, us.’ Nicholi took my hand, and we left the mall behind with our demons sealed inside.

‘Sophia, when we get back to the house, could you do me a favour please?’ Still holding my hand, his fingers entwined with mine.

‘Of course, what?’ I questioned, clutching the gifts in my other hand that I would be giving to the boys shortly.

‘Could you take the kids outside to play? I need to speak with Cross privately.’ I guessed that was going to be a heated exchange and nodded in agreement.

We pulled up outside St Joseph’s School. Nicholi exited the car; opened my door and led me to the reception area.

‘I would like to pick up Jacob Veneto,’ Nicholi asked the receptionist politely and showed her his identification.

‘Of course, Mr Veneto, one moment please.’ She entered a code into the door, it opened outwards and I could hear the animated voices of children learning their ABCs. I carried the art set I had purchased for Jacob in one hand, the other nestled in Nicholi’s hand. He was watching me with an expression on his face I could not read. It was as though he had been waiting for this day, but that did not make any sense so I just brushed it off and looked ahead, spotting a little brown-haired boy running towards us.

‘Daddy,’ he yelled, leaping into Nicholi’s arms. ‘I missed you,’ he confirmed, before turning his eyes on me.

‘I missed you too, buddy, did you have fun at Grandma’s?’ Nicholi asked, planting a kiss on the little boy’s head, turning to me and smiling from ear to ear.

‘Jacob, this is Sophia.’ Nicholi’s voice broke a little. ‘She will be looking after you now,’ he advised and placed Jacob on the ground. I bent down to meet his gaze and noting that his eyes were lighter much lighter than his father’s was, I leaned in.

‘Hi, Jacob, so glad to meet you,’ I reached out my hand and Jacob eagerly took it.

‘Your hair’s like the sun,’ he proclaimed, eyeing the bag I was holding. ‘Is that for me?’ he asked smiling, turning around to Nicholi, as though he was voicing his approval of the new arrangements.

‘Yes, here.’ I gave him the brown paper bag containing colouring books and drawing accessories.

‘Your dad told me you like to draw, I do too, and I thought we could use them together later,’ I suggested. Jacob reached for the bag and surveyed its contents, I felt encouraged with my choice.

‘They are so cool, thank you, can we go now?’ Taking my other hand in his, the three of us walked out together and back to the car. Cross had parked up behind us and as we arrived, he got out of the car.

‘Hey, Jacob,’ he was holding a stuffed animal in his arms and turned to Nicholi.

‘Can you go get Max, I haven’t got all day.’ Cross looked at Nicholi scornfully and turned to me.

‘I hear you had the pleasure of meeting my mother,’ he eyed me curiously, watching Jacob holding my hand swinging himself in circles as though dancing a pas de deux.

‘Yes, she seemed to need to do all the same errands as me today,’ I replied, sarcasm flowing in abundance through me.

‘She can be a little over-protective,’ Cross retorted, looking more and more distant.

‘Over-protective? Is that what you are calling it? I would say psychotic,’ Nicholi huffed, returning to collect Max from the day care centre.

Cross just glared at him before turning back and looking me straight in the eyes, his expression unreadable. ‘Be careful, Sophia, you do not want to make enemies unnecessarily,’ and followed Nicholi into the day care centre.

I did not know what to think or feel, looking down at Jacob grinning back up at me; I suddenly felt the urge so strongly that I must protect him. From who or what I do not know, but something about Larissa had frightened me. She seemed translucent somehow yet full of darkness at the same time. She wanted something and Nicholi was thwarting her, for that I think she would do whatever it took to succeed and pulling Jacob closer to me, I would make sure she never had the opportunity.

Nicholi returned about ten minutes later with Max nestled in his arms. He was flat out asleep and from that angle, all I could see was a mass of blond curls swaying slightly in the breeze. Nicholi opened the car door and placing Max into his car seat, turned to face me.

‘This is Max,’ he whispered, brushing the lock of curls out of his eyes so gently Max never stirred. Jacob was next and after he buckled himself into his seat, we started out on the journey home. I could see Cross following us close behind in the wing mirror and noting that Jacob was entranced in his video game, turned to Nicholi, brushing my hand against his.

‘What are you going to do?’ I questioned. Nicholi had been so quiet since we picked the children up, I could feel the tension radiating throughout his body and the cogs turning at top speed in his head.             

‘He needs to leave, I do not want her in our lives and as long as Cross is at the house, she thinks she has her own little spy entrenched there, for her to manipulate at leisure,’ Nicholi confessed, looking visibly concerned.

‘What about Max though? I’m assuming he will be staying with us and won’t that anger her even more?’ I turned to check on the boys, Jacob locked into a fantasy world with his game and Max sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the battles that were being fought in his name, as it should be.

‘I want Max to go back to his mother, it’s where he should be and with my help the safest place he can be. He is only in my custody due to Larissa. I will explain more later when we are alone.’ Nicholi paused, noting Max stirring.

‘Hey, buddy, we are going home and you can play on the slide with Jacob and Sophia in a few minutes, okay?’ I turned around to smile at Max and give him the gift I had purchased.

‘Ball.’ His eyes lit up when he saw the Mickey Mouse ball I presented. He looked like a mini Cross, even down to the dimples when they smiled. I felt heavy suddenly, concern flowing through me, like a lighthouse beacon in an impending storm. I would keep these children safe, at all costs.

We arrived back to the house and as Nicholi had requested earlier, I took them both to play outside. Nicholi kissed me on the cheek and whispered into my ear that he loved me and proceeded back into the house, ready for battle.

He found us later building sandcastles in the sand pit, Jacob wanting a palace for Ariel, his favourite Disney movie and Max wanting to float the ball around the moat claiming, Mickey wanted to go swimming.

‘Hey, you three, what you doing?’ Nicholi smiled, but I could see his eyes were bloodshot and he looked emotionally drained.

‘Building Ariel’s palace. Daddy, can we go watch
The Little Mermaid
?’ Jacob pleaded with his father. ‘Sophia said it’s her favourite too,’ Jacob grinned at his father, awaiting the response.

‘Okay, as long as you eat all your vegetables at dinner, deal?’ Nicholi negotiated and I could not help but smile. Listening to Jacob talking about all the adventures they had together, I was in no doubt that Nicholi was an amazing father and I ached to join their little family unit. Negotiations agreed we proceeded back into the house.