Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19: "So you're telling me that you have no idea whatsoever of what you want for your wedding dress?" Ana-Marie asked in part astonishment and part horror. Natalie bit her lip and fiddled with her napkin in her lap as she shrugged a shoulder.

"I've never really thought about it. I was busy taking care of my...my mother and I never thought I would have the time to get married." She said softly and hated the pity she saw that flashed through Ana-Marie's beautiful eyes so she hurried to say something.

"I like simple. Elegant. I've always loved lace." She admitted with a slight smile and Ana-Marie nodded as she wrote down on a little notebook she had pulled from her purse. Natalie couldn't believe that she was actually going through with her marriage to Giovanni.

She had to admit though, the thought didn't scare her anywhere near as bad as it had. Why? She had no idea.

"What about theme?" Ana-Marie asked as she scribbled notes in delicate and elegant handwriting. Natalie furrowed her brow.

"What do you mean 'theme'?" she asked and Ana-Marie stared at her before giving a growl of frustration as she began to stuff the notebook back into her purse.

She chewed on the end of her pen as she stared at Natalie.

"This is going to be harder than I originally thought." She murmured and Natalie grimaced, but didn't say anything. Ana-Marie waved over the waiter and he immediately came over to the table, as he had done each time Ana-Marie had raised a dainty hand.

He watched their table like it was a snake about to strike at any moment. Ana-Marie asked for the check in Italian and since Giovanni hadn't given Natalie any money she stared helplessly at her as she pulled out her wallet.

Ana-Marie caught the look in her eyes and smiled softly.

"Giovanni gave me money." She said and that only appeased Natalie somewhat.

Standing, Natalie looked pulled the strap of her purse over her shoulder and stared out of the glass window that had sat right next to their table.

Just as they were turning to leave there was a loud scream and the sound of glass shattering pierced her ears even as the glass pierced her skin. Ana-Marie instantly dropped to the floor and one of the body guards lunged for Natalie.

She hit the floor on her left side and she cried out as her side throbbed with pain and more shards of glass cut into her skin. She could feel warm rivulets of blood and the slight sting, but the adrenaline that was pulsing in a hot rush through her made it seem dull in comparison.

The guard who had tackled her leaped up and pulled a gun from his holster. Ana-Marie began cursing in Italian, her eyes furious.

"Can't I have one normal lunch!?" she growled as she dusted off glass.

She had a small cut on her cheek and brow and small ones along her arms, but other than that she was fine which Natalie was grateful for.

Finally finding some sense to move, Natalie got onto all fours, ignoring the glass that bit into her knees and palm as she glanced frantically around. Her gaze stopped at something sitting on the floor and she slowly crawled to it.

Ana-Marie tried grabbing her ankle, but Natalie only focused on the small red brick that had white paper taped to it. She grabbed it just as Ana-Marie managed to get a firm grip around her ankle to pull her back with force. Natalie was surprised at the strength she had for such a small woman. Ana-Marie stared at her like she was crazy.

"What in the hell were you thinking? You could've been seriously hurt!" she started and looked down at what Natalie was gripping tightly in her bloody hand.

"What is that?" She nodded towards it and Natalie looked down and managed to loosen her bloody painful grip only slightly.

There was a small piece of white paper wrapped around the red of the brick with a small tan band wrapped around, holding it in place. She started to pull it off when the guards came rushing back in. One grabbed Natalie by her forearm tightly in a bruising grip as he pulled her up and practically dragged her out of the restaurant while Ana-Marie glared murder at the man who was pulling her along. She said some not very nice and very colorful words and Natalie would have laughed if it wasn't for the shock that had her mind freezing and fumbling.

The guard practically threw her into the car, then Ana-Marie. A second later they were burning rubber, screeching off down the road. Natalie realized a moment later that Ana-Marie was shaking her by the shoulders and yelling at her.

"Natalie? Are you okay? What is wrong?" she asked and Natalie swallowed as she tried to work some spit into her very-dry mouth.

"I-I-I'm fine." She choked out and Ana-Marie winced as she looked at Natalie's cut up face.

She could already see nasty bruising starting around shards of protruding glass. Finally, she focused on the small brick that had caused so much trouble that was now smeared with the crimson red of Natalie's blood. Natalie seemed to notice that she was holding it as well and with trembling hands, began to unravel the small tan band so that she could free the white piece of paper. She opened it and paled at what she read:

My dearest daughter, you've grown into such a beautiful woman. I long to be with you and soon my longing will cease. Your purpose is calling and no doubt you can hear it... You are mine. Love, Daddy.

Natalie just sat there for a moment, staring at the messy scrawl on the small piece of paper even as her blood ran cold in her body. Ana-Marie, impatient ripped the paper from Natalie's hands almost ripping it in the process as she looked down and read it.

Her lips thinned and anger flared hotly in her eyes.

She took in a deep breath and stuffed the piece of paper into her pocket of her sundress and then leaned forward so she could take a shaking and pale Natalie into her arms as they zoomed off back towards the house...

**********

Giovanni sighed and rubbed at his aching temples. Why hadn't the damn Tylenol helped any yet? He told himself it was because of all the work he had to do, but another part of him knew that it was because he was worried about Natalie. He had been adamantly against her going out at all with knowing of the threat out against her, but Ana-Marie had talked him-or blackmailed more like it into it. He knew that he couldn't always have an eye on Natalie, but he could try at least, right? No. She would be fine. He had different guards watching both her and Ana-Marie and was sure no harm would come to them. If it did then he knew he had a serious problem. Still, Natalie never left his mind. Her scent, her luscious body and full lips. Her scent and her touch that sent him aching with pleasure. He wanted her with more of himself than he had ever wanted anything and that scared him. He needed her, and he didn't like needing anything let alone anyone. This was supposed to be an easy deal and now he was...feeling. He didn't like that, but in a way he did.

The time he had spent with Natalie lately he had been happier than he had felt in years and years. He wondered what it was that had them attracting each other so strongly because he knew she felt it, too. It was there, always.

Strong, electric, hot and full of tension just aching to be released with one soft delicate touch. He resisted the urge to pull at his hair.

Out of everyone why did he get the spitfire with the hot body, beautiful eyes and wonderful personality? Then again, her being as defiant as she was and her being her had been a big thing that he liked about her. Not many people stood up to him and it was refreshing to have someone-someone like Natalie-do that. A sudden ringing of his phone had him grimacing as the throb behind his eyes increased.

With a low growl, he pulled out his IPhone.

He answered in Italian and what one of his men said had him stilling, his blood running cold before pulsing hot with rage. He hung up and shot up from behind his desk just as Nicholas came in, looking worried.

Giovanni knew he was worried about his wife.

"They will be here any moment." He told him and not even a moment later they heard the door being thrown open.

Both men practically ran down the stairs to find both women slightly pale, bloody and bruised. Giovanni watched as Ana-Marie rushed forward into Nicholas's arms and then turned his attention to Natalie.

He flinched.

The left side of her face was crusty with dried blood and was already turning a shade of black, blue and yellow.

Her arms were lumpy with what he figured was imbedded glass as were her long legs, bruised as well. He clenched his teeth as fury pulsed a hot wrath in his chest.

He wanted the blood of whoever did this, but before he could think more of that Natalie launched herself into his arms, whimpering slightly at the pain it caused. He shushed her as he stroked back her hair and murmured softly into her ear.

He turned his gaze to Nicholas and his wife.

"You can go home now." He said and with a grateful nod, they left.

Giovanni bent his knees slightly so that he could swing Natalie up into her arms. She didn't seem to notice, her hand still clutching the lapel of his suit tightly.

He turned towards one of the other guards.

"I am going to clean her wounds." He told them and made his way up the stairs, not faltering once with Natalie's weight. He pushed the door open with his side and hip and slowly placed Natalie down on the bed. She looked up at him with glassy eyes and he stroked the side of her bloody cheek with a finger before he turned and went towards the bathroom.

A moment later, he came back in with a plastic box that was a first aid box. He sat down next to her and turned on the lamp and then set his gaze on her as he pulled off his suit coat so he was left in just a now-dirty with blood white button down.

"I have to get the glass out." He said and saw the fear of the incoming pain flash in her eyes.

He stroked her face.

"I am so sorry, mi amour." Her lips quivered and then she jutted out her chin and nodded stiffly.

He had a feeling this was going to hurt him more than it was going to hurt her.

With that, Giovanni grabbed the tweezers from the box and laid down a soft white clean towel on the bed, then covered it with Natalie's arm and began digging out the glass.

Natalie tried not to focus on the pain, but it hurt and she couldn't help the tears that streamed down her face.

With each whimper from her, Giovanni would flinch or wince.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity for the both of them, Giovanni had picked out each small and sometimes large shard of glass from her skin and was now just wiping away the small trickles of fresh blood with the evidence of his digging. She pulled something from her pocket and swallowed hard as she handed it to him.

"My father." She whispered, her voice hoarse.

Giovanni read it and clenched his teeth and fists as he resisted the urge to snarl and punch something, so instead he gave a tight nod. Natalie stared at him for a moment with unfathomable eyes before she nodded also.

"I'm going to go get in the shower. Okay?" Giovanni nodded and bent down to brush his lips lightly across hers, a touch she barely felt-a touch that seared her to her toes.

Then, he leaned up and pressed a kiss to her forehead, stood and walked out of the room.

Giovanni waited a moment outside the door waiting to hear until the shower was running until he turned to find one of his guards staring at him nervously. Giovanni set furious eyes on him as he leaned in and shot out a hand to grip the man's neck in a tight harsh and painful grip. The man's eyes watered with the pain, but he stayed quiet even as Giovanni leaned into whisper in his ear, the words a low and deadly growl.

"Find him." ...

*****

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!! More to come. It is slightly longer because it took so long for me to update last time because of everything that happened. Anyways, I hope you liked!! Keep reading, my most amazing readers. Vote. Comment. Follow. xx :)