Page 13 of Conquer or Die

THE NEW HOME

Isabella's POV

I stared at the sight in front of me, moving closer slowly pushing past Vincenzo I stood in front of the two people I cried over my whole life, the two people that left me broken … the two people I thought were dead. The two people I went through hell and back to find and here they are right in front of me and all I could think to do was stare at them.

Unsure if this was reality or a cruel twisted dream, “Mum? Dad?” I whispered, they looked up at me their eyes opened wide upon seeing me, I kneeled in front of them seeing their bloodshot red eyes, and fatigued bodies I cried out and pulled them in a hug they flinched making my heart shatter into pieces but within a second, they hugged me back slowly I felt them starting to calming down placing their heads on my shoulder inhaling my scent.

I tightened my embrace crying out, feeling my body shake and the tears falling out like a waterfall. “We need to move now” Vincenzo spoke up sternly, I turned to him tears still streaming down my face, I stood up quickly untying my parents and Vincenzo's men came over to help quickly escort them out of the building.

Everyone ran out of the building, one of Vincenzo's men taking my motorbike back while I quickly jumped in the car with Vincenzo, Lorenzo, and my parents. Each car took off speeding, I looked at my parents still unsure about everything, I edged closer to them my dad squeezed my hand weakly, my mum wrapped her arms around my waist. Both of them hugged me with little to no strength, I looked at the two of them my head racing with possibilities of what they had to endure. My heart skipped a beat imaging if their torture was like mine.

I sighed trying to calm myself down, feeling overwhelmed not knowing what to do with so many emotions flooding me all at once my breathing slowly becoming heavier. I let go of my parents and placed my hand over my chest, suddenly it become harder to breathe. “Isabella?” Vincenzo calls out worried, “Bella?” Lorenzo then calls my name with an equally worried expression as Vincenzo.

Sweat began trickling my forehead, my heart was pounding against my chest. I felt my throat start closing, "Isabella" Vincenzo calls out panicked. I lean down trying to breathe, my chest tightened, as a rush of dizziness overwhelmed my senses. My heart pounded relentlessly, threatening to burst through my ribcage. Each breath became a desperate struggle, as if the air had turned to a heavy fog, choking me with every breath I took. My thoughts spiralled out of control, a chaotic explosion of fears and worries. My mind raced from one worst-case scenario to another, each one more terrifying than the last. I knew the only person who could help me and he was already extending his hand out looking at me full of worry. I leaned forward slowly Vincenzo knowingly took his seatbelt off along with my own and pulled me towards him. Sitting me on his lap in the passenger seat, he softly rubbed circles on my back, whispering comforting words in my ear.

“Just like the thunder it’ll all fade in the background. Listen to my voice” he whispered, I felt myself calming down his soft-spoken words reminding me of the night when he rushed into my room to help my panic attack from the dark.

I slowly let out a shaky breath, feeling the tight hold on my throat and chest begin to ease. I take a deep breath and bury my head into Vincenzo's chest, needing to escape and calm myself down for a second. I inhaled his scent, my breathing slowing down listening to his deep voice as he kept whispering in my ear. I calmed down and solely focused on listening to his heart beating.

As much as I hate to admit, Vincenzo was the only one who could calm me down so quickly and effortlessly and right now all I needed was to lose myself in him even if it was just for a moment.

We arrived back at my house, I looked up from Vincenzo's chest and he looked down at me concerned, I nodded my head and got off his lap and out of the car. He followed me out closing the door behind him he stood in front of me, studying my face making sure I was okay. “Maybe you should come home” he spoke up worry evident on his face.

“I am home” I whispered back scared of what it would be like if I gave in and came back.

His features hardened he took a step back and got back into the car leaving me standing alone. Lorenzo comes out of the car walking past me and inside, Vincenzo rolls down the window "I'll send a car for you to come and see your parents, they'll be at the clinic on the estate undergoing check-up and therapy if needed" He assures me before closing the windows and driving off.

I watch as the car faded off into the distance, why did I say that. I wasn't home, home was wherever he is. I closed my eyes shaking my head regretting how I handled the situation, before rushing inside to see Dante, “there's mama's boy” I picked him up and rocked him in my arms, “you're going to meet your Abuela and Abuelo” I whispered tapping his little nose he smiled wide looking up at me with his beautiful big grey eyes.

"Hey Isabella, can we talk?" Lorenzo whispers walking into my room. I nodded my head smiling, “I just wanted to apologise for what happened, I don't know why I lashed out the way I did. I think I just built this fantasy in my head and seeing Vincenzo come into the picture it all came crashing down.” He admitted softly. I bit my lower lip placing Dante back in his cot. I stood up straight and ushered him to sit on the bed with me.

“Vincenzo is Dante's dad but that doesn't make you are any less important. You're his uncle, his fun, crazy, stupid, childish, and most importantly sarcastic uncle. Dante's going to need you in his life just as much as he's going to need his dad” I grabbed his hand giving it a tight reassuring squeeze.

He smiled calming down again, “I watched him come into this world, I saw you transition into a very gusty mum to a responsible one” he paused to laugh, I shook my head rolling my eyes. “I just ... I didn't want that all to go away. I already lost Maria, I didn't want to lose the two of you ... and whenever you're involved with Vincenzo it always ends with you leaving” he admits in a soft cautious tone.

I sigh knowing he was right “you'll always find us” I nudged him laughing.

He shook his head smiling, knowing he would “are you back to being the sarcastic little shit I've come to know and tolerate?” I teased, he rolled his eyes standing up “I do not have to condone such disrespect” he walks towards the door and turns back “actually I do, I have nowhere else to be” he pouts. I laugh shaking my head and tapping the bed once more, he rushes and jumps on the bed making me jump a little on impact.

I squeal laughing, “Dante's sleeping” he hissed. He takes a peep to a very awake Dante, “well not anymore” he shakes his head at me disapprovingly picking him up and laying him down on the bed. “Hey Leone” I sang softly making him laugh at his dad's nickname. “Leone?” Lorenzo questions, “is that how I sound when I try and talk Spanish?” he laughed, I nod my head yes laughing with him.

“Are you ready to go see daddy?" I pick him up and hold him like in the lion king. “Leone?” Lorenzo continues to mock.

I roll my eyes “can you not be such a puta for one day” I hiss getting up to grab Dante a change of clothes and pack my mum bag.

“Do you really want your son to be so much like you? You gave him the same stupid nickname Vincenzo gave you” he mocked jokingly. I turned my head to face him “first of all the sound of your voice is starting to irritate me” I pointed at him.

“Second of all, your brother gave him that nickname. Even with his memories gone when he says stuff like that, he really gives me such high hopes. Even said the same thing he did when I had that panic attack during the thunderstorm and the lights blew out” I sigh zipping the bag, “you know he's been getting a lot of these headaches, sometimes I'd catch him just staring into space ... what if” I cut him off “what if it's his memories coming back?” I finish his sentence off.

“This isn't Disney bitch stop finishing my sentences and let me talk” he bites before continuing “if it's coming back shouldn't he have remembered it all by now?” he questions, I pout thinking about it. “Not really, I think his memories are just triggered whenever something happens that triggers a past event. However, he could also just be fighting it off maybe a part of him doesn't want to remember everything” I sigh knowing that maybe he just rather leave me in the past. Maybe he missed who he was before me.

“Maybe he took it as a way to go forward without distractions” I continued before he cuts me off, “I think Vincenzo just needs a reason to remember” he speaks up.

I eye him sceptically “A son isn't a good enough reason?” I questioned.

“No, as much as he loves his son. That doesn't correlate to you, you're the boys mum but that isn't a reason to remember you. He needs a reason specifically from you” I eye him raising an eyebrow before I sigh. “I don't know what to do” I threw my hands in the air frustrated.

“Look after the fight, and we had a small argument in the car. I really saw it, I saw what Maria saw. The love in his eyes is a genuine form of love. The love where he will burn this world to the ground but won’t let a flame touch your skin, it was the first time I ever saw it, he spoke about you and Dante and finally, I understood him" he sighed. “If he is pushing away his memories or fighting to block as many as he can it’s not because he doesn't love you" he whispered, my breathing hitched at the mention of 'love' did I love him? Did he love me? How could we even know if our entire time of knowing each other we never said it all we did was fight.

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