Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34: Natalie blocked everything out after one continuous blow after the next. She went to a dark corner in her mind, huddled herself close and blocked out the pain with each kick, punch, or slap, though, she know that the pain was at the forefront of her mind- just waiting to be acknowledged. Before she had blocked out the pain it was horrible, still was-but with each kick it jostled her dislocated shoulder it felt as if it was being ripped open and set on fire. At this point, she couldn't even be really sure what this monster of a man would or would not do-how far he would go. She knew there was evil in the world, but this man was an evil she never thought she would ever have to deal with.

Yes, she knew he must be very mentally ill, but even before she was sure that he was still an evil person.

Another punch, another kick, and she resisted the urge to cry out as his fists and feet pounded into her battered body over and over and over again.

Her father stopped suddenly and her whole body thrummed with pain to the point she thought she would pass out, but she knew that she couldn't pass out. She knew that if she were to fall into that deep and thick, beautiful and relentless big black oblivion that was waiting for she may just stay there-floating forever.

That couldn't happen.

She saw through her swollen eyes to see her father's whole body tense and she slowed her breathing, willing her ears to hear what he was hearing.

Then, she heard it.

Car engines and a lot of them.

Hope licked at her heart with warmth and it dulled the pain that seemed to consume her. Natalie's father let out a foul curse and he grabbed her by the arm and hauled her up. She cried out at the brutal handling and the new position as her father began to drag her from the middle of the warehouse and out the back. She fell limp against him.

She wanted to scream, to kick, but her energy was running low and she didn't want to use it all until she was sure it was the best time. They stumbled out of the warehouse and Natalie managed to see that the warehouse they had been in sat on a large dock.

Waves crested up against the tall posts of the dock and rain sprinkled down from slate grey skies. She tipped her head up even as her father practically screamed at her to hurry. The rain drops-though they stung against the many cuts on her face- felt wonderful as it ran in rivulets down her bloody and battered face. It was like a light caress of the heavens above telling her it would be okay and she inhaled the smell even as the wind picked up and the rain began to fall in small, fast and hard pellets. She opened her eyes enough to see her father leading her towards the edge of the dock just as 3 big black SUVs pulled up and screeched to a halt in front of them.

Men in suits immediately jumped out of the car, drew their guns and crouched low as Natalie's father growled and pulled a gun to harshly stick the cool hard metal of the gun against her temple. Giovanni got out of the car with the men, standing in the middle of them and raising his hands even as his guards aimed and crouched low on either side of him.

Natalie wanted to cry when she saw Giovanni's beautiful face. He wore the tux that she assumed he was going to marry her in and his hair was slicked back from his face with rain, his sharp jaw and cheekbones blades against his skin as his eyes darkened to the shade of a stormy sea as his eyes rested on the almost-naked, bloody and bruised Natalie. She knew she didn't look good, knew her arm was hanging off limply to her side even as her father swirled them sharply around.

"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" He screamed and by the time he said it they were at the edge of the dock and Giovanni and his guards were only a few feet away.

Giovanni kept his hands in the air even as Natalie's father dug the gun into Natalie's temple. She felt another warm rivulet of blood track down her cheek and she longed to just break free of this man's hold and run to Giovanni, but she knew it wasn't what needed to happen right now.

"SHE IS MINE!!" Her father bellowed and she realized-almost idly she didn't even know his name-even after everything he had done to her.

"Let her go." Giovanni said in a low voice, though Natalie heard him clear as a bell even as the rain and wind slanted over all of them.

It was like a big showdown that you see in the movies.

Natalie saw movement in the corner of her eye and saw her mom was around the same distance away as Giovanni, but far off to her right.

Rebecca was pale, her hand covering her mouth as she watched the scene unfold. Natalie's eyes slowly drifted back to Giovanni and their gazes latched. The warmth she always felt when Giovanni looked at her came alive and fluttered like a lost butterfly in her belly. She managed a smile at him through cracked and bloody lips.

A silent communication went through their gazes and Natalie saw the moment Giovanni nodded his head.

She didn't hesitate.

She used her good arm and elbowed her father in the gut, taking him by surprise. He grunted and she heard the gun clatter.

Giovanni didn't hesitate, either.

He barreled towards Natalie's father and they all went falling to the rain-slicked dock. Natalie winced as pain shot up her side and she scrambled away as fists flew between the two men. It all happened so fast, yet so slow. Giovanni was bigger than her father both in muscle and height, but her father was relentless in his attack-constantly coming back. Giovanni held him down and Natalie saw the moment her father grappled for the gun again. He brought the handle down on Giovanni's head. It stunned him and Natalie's father threw him off and shot to his feet as Natalie slowly stood, too. Worry consumed her if Giovanni was alright, but her thoughts went away when she saw her father zero in on her.

He snarled with rage and pointed the gun.

A big bang sounded.

Blood splattered all over the dock as Natalie's fathers brains were blown out, a hole right in between his eyes. Right at that moment, right before he got shot-he pulled the trigger and white flashed at the muzzle of the gun. Natalie knew it would hit her and she braced for the inevitable pain that would burst through her.

It never came.

She was tackled to the dock and her head slapped against the wood. White exploded over her vision and for a minute her mind was completely and utterly blank of anything, any thoughts, any wishes, any prayers and slowly she blinked back to herself. She was tangled in a ball of limbs and smelt her mother's perfume.

She whimpered and felt warmth seep at her side.

She tried to sit up to see where she had been shot and when she looked down her white nightie was now stained crimson. It wasn't Natalie's blood, though.

"Mom?" Natalie whispered.

Her mother was lying face down on the dock and Natalie's heart fell to her feet.

"Mom!" she shouted and moved to turn her mother over with her one uninjured arm.

She rested her mother's head on her bare legs as Rebecca gasped for air, her face pale. Natalie's vision blurred and she ran her hands over her mother's face, neck, and arms until she stopped at her torso where a scarlet flower bloomed on her mother's blouse. Natalie gasped in a sharp breath even as tears fell down her cheeks and mingled with the rain falling from the stormy sky.

"Momma," she whispered hoarsely and put pressure on the wound.

Her mother coughed and a horrible gurgling sounded from her chest and a drop of blood ran from her mouth and down her cheek. Natalie pushed on the wound and willed the bleeding to stop with all her might and she was beyond pissed she only had one good working arm to use at that moment.

"Stay with me momma!" She said and her voice broke on a sob.

Her mother reached up a trembling and bloody hand to cup her daughter's cheek, a trail of red marring in her finger's wake.

"My baby girl," she gasped and her eyes shone with tears.

Natalie choked on a sob and held her mother's cool fingers to her skin.

"I'm so sorry for everything." Rebecca whispered and Natalie shook her head adamantly as she kissed her mother's fingertips.

"No, momma, its fine. Don't be sorry. I forgive you." She sobbed and her mother's eyes gleamed with happiness.

She trailed a cool and bloody finger along Natalie's cheekbone.

"You're gonna be such a good wife and mother." She said softly and Natalie wanted to scream.

To scream that her mother was in the position she was supposed to be in, that her mother had to be the one laying in her blood.

"Momma loves you, momma always loves you..." she whispered as her hand fell from Natalie's cheek.

Her gaze shifted on the sky and then they were empty.

"Momma?" Natalie whispered and got no response.

"Momma!" She sobbed and cradled her mother's body with one arm to hold her mother to her chest as she rocked back and forth.

"Momma! I love you momma. Momma, please!" she whimpered and felt arms come around her, smelt Giovanni.

It all felt a million miles away, but she still felt his warm lips at her ear as he draped his coat around her.

"Come on." He said, his voice hoarse.

He tried to pull Natalie away, but she started sobbing again.

"No! No. I can't leave her! Giovanni!" she screamed as Giovanni tried to pull her away from her mother's lifeless body.

He picked her up, swinging her in his arms.

She curled her fists into his dress shirt-marring it with streaks of scarlet as she sobbed into his chest.

Soon, darkness wrapped around her even as her tears still fell warm down her cold cheeks, then she fell into the deep and thick, relentless and beautiful, big black oblivion...

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AWW! :'( SO sad!! Anyways, I hoped you liked this chapter. I am sad to say, this book is almost done! I can't say thank you enough for everyone that voted, commented, followed, any of it! It means SO much! I'm going to update soon. Also, my new book is in the making... Can't wait for you guys to see what is next!! Keep tuned. I love you all! VOTE. COMMENT. SHARE. FOLLOW. XX, Love, Hannah :D