Chapter 30

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Hello everyone!! First off, I just wanted to say I am SO sorry it took me so long to update!! It has been a really crazy week for me, especially with my illness and I am so sorry that it took me this long. I will try and make sure I do it faster. Anyways!! I cannot believe I have 1k! It is a dream come true and I never ever thought I would get this far and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it and how happy you all make me with each read, each vote, each comment! THANK YOU!!! I love you all! Enough of my ramblin'! Ahh! New chapter! Oh and I LOVE this song! ^^ Enjoy! XX, Love, Hannah

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CHAPTER 30: It has been around 4 and a half days since the fight Natalie had with Giovanni. Every part of her still felt drained, leaving only an empty coldness in her chest, she tried not to focus on it too much, but no matter what she still felt it there and she only tried to convince herself that it was coincidence that the cold empty feeling place was where her heart had once sat.

Right now, she didn't know whether it could even be called that. It was just a shell, an empty husk with a film of shattered colorful images of her time with Giovanni made out of it. So, with the feeling that her legs would give if she got out she stayed on the couch, and tried not to think about everything that seemed relentless in circling her mind.

She knew she should get up, knew she should shower, but just couldn't find and muster up the energy to do so. She sighed and rolled over onto her side, her eyes sliding closed. She didn't want to think, didn't want anything going on in her mind right now. She was about to let herself get lost in the dark oblivion, but then her eyes shuttered open when the door to the hotel room opened. She figured it would be Ciara and managed to take in a deep breath for the lecture she knew she would be getting, but instead when a pair of feet turned the corner, Natalie looked up and found her mother staring down at her.

She immediately straightened as Ciara came up behind Rebecca. She shot a death glare towards Ciara and if looks could kill Ciara would be dead...and then some. Natalie sat up and pulled the blanket tighter around herself as she tried to comb her fingers through her snarled hair.

"M-Mom! What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice quivering as Rebecca came to sit next to her. Her mother eyed her, her gaze sympathetic and understanding.

Natalie looked away.

She couldn't bear to see her mother look at her that way or she was sure that she would break down and right now she didn't feel like doing that. Rebecca reached over and grasped Natalie's hand within her own.

"I know what happened with Giovanni." She said softly.

Her mother's voice came out strong, but Natalie could tell this wasn't easy for her.

"Baby, you need to forgive him." She whispered and Natalie's jaw opened and closed a couple times before she was finally able to utter words.

"What? Are you serious?" she asked and her mother's lips twitched before she nodded and swept some hair back from Natalie's face.

"Yes, I am serious." She said again.

Natalie opened her mouth to protest, but Rebecca stopped her with one look. Natalie had never seen her mother look so...fierce and determined, so ruthless.

"Now you listen to me close, baby girl. We don't talk about what happened with Johnny and I am so sorry for that. I am so sorry for everything that happened, and I will forever pay the price because my guilt never leaves," she said and then took in a deep breath.

Natalie watched her mother closely as she leaned forward and held Natalie's gaze.

"Let me tell you this, baby. If Giovanni hadn't done it, I would have. I would have sooner or later and let me promise you this-what Giovanni did was a hell of a lot better then what I would have done. He would have been on his hands and knees begging for Giovanni to do what he did. I would have killed him and much, much worse. That, I promise you. I wouldn't have one ounce of regret either." She said.

Natalie inhaled sharply at her mother's words and the malicious glint that shone in her mother's eyes.

After a moment, the look left her mother's eyes and she let out a breath as her eyes softened. She took Natalie's hands again.

"Baby, I know how much you love him and I know how much he loves you. I could tell from that first night that I came to you. I could see it both in your eyes even if you didn't know it yourselves. He loves you and he made a mistake, but he did the mistake with all of the love he holds for you in his heart. Don't let the love of your life slip past your fingers because of one mistake, especially a mistake wasted on a man such as Johnny." She whispered and lifted a delicate finger to wipe the tears away from Natalie's cheek.

Natalie hiccupped a sob and launched herself into her mother's arms, holding her mom tightly to her. She closed her eyes and embraced the scent and motherly love that filled her as the cold hollowness left her chest and was filled with love and determination, not just for Giovanni, but for her mother as well. She pulled back and kissed her mom's cheek as a wave of energy rushed through her.

"Thanks momma." She whispered.

Rebecca smiled, her own eyes shining as she stroked Natalie's hair again before letting her fingers drop. "Go get your man." She said with a smile.

Natalie grinned and jumped up from the couch and stopped at the edge of the door as she turned back and ran to Ciara, throwing her arms around her.

"We will talk about this later..." she whispered into her friend's hair. Ciara pinched Natalie's butt making her yelp.

"Go! Shower! Makeup! You stink!" she said playfully and Natalie scowled, but was unable to keep her lips from twitching as she did exactly that.

She stripped off the big t-shirt and her panties before she hopped in the shower. The warm water danced down her skin and she let her eyes fall shut with pleasure. As she rinsed and lathered her hair with the delicious smelling shampoo and conditioner she couldn't deny the bundle of nerves she started to feel build in her belly.

What if he didn't want her anymore? What if he was done with her now? The thoughts that swirled and built in her mind seemed constant, unforgiving and harsh, but she told herself to push them away. She was going to do this anyway. She wasn't going to lose him after it seems she just found him.

After savoring the warmth and relaxation of the shower for a moment longer she stepped out and wrapped herself in the hotel robe and stepped over in front of the bathroom sink so she could use some of Ciara's makeup before she stepped out and slipped on a spaghetti strap floral sundress with a white cardigan. When she stepped back out into the main room she hugged and kissed Ciara and her mother goodbye before she left the hotel and began making her way back to the house. She knew she was being followed, knew it was Giovanni's men from the familiar cars and she felt a little bit better to know that Giovanni still cared enough to protect her, and took that as a good sign. She pulled up to the large iron gates, met with the guard outside who seemed more than a little surprised to see her again.

Bet word got around fast.

He let her in and she pulled to a stop outside of the house before she jumped out of the car, the gravel crunching under her flats. She wrung her hands as she walked up to the front door, more anxiety curling her stomach. She was about to just walk in when her hand stilled and she thought better of it. Sighing with regret, she lifted a hand and rapped on the big doors. A moment later they swung open and Nicholas stood on the threshold staring at her with surprise. He schooled his expressions quickly and Natalie wasn't sure that she would have seen it if she hadn't known him.

"Natalie." He said and she managed a small smile as she looked up at him.

"Hi, Nicholas." He nodded at her, but she saw his lips curl with a smile as he gestured her inside without another word. She stepped in and inhaled deeply, her skin tingling with the familiar scent and all the memories that rushed back at her.

"Follow me. He is in his office." He said and Natalie didn't hesitate to follow him.

It seemed to take forever as they walked, and with each step with each inhale and with each thump of her rapid beating heart her anxiety grew. Nicholas must've noticed because he cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders.

"We are glad you are back. He hasn't been the most fun since you left," he thought for a moment, then coughed.

"Okay he has been a total asshole and has been beyond grumpy." He said and Natalie bit back a smile.

"I'm glad you are back." He said gruffly and Natalie smiled up at him as they came to a stop in front of Giovanni's office.

She shuddered in a breath as willed her heart to calm as it tried to beat out of her chest. She wondered if Nicholas could hear it from where he stood because it seemed that was all she was able to hear. The roaring of her heart in her ears and Nicholas pounded on the door. There was a murmured angry response as Nicholas swung the door open.

He gestured her in, bent low to whisper a soft "good luck".

She nodded with appreciation and stepped into the office, hearing it click shut behind her. She wondered how she could barely hear anything over her heart pounding, but that small click seemed deafening. She squared her shoulders. She wasn't going to be a meek little girl.

"What?!" Giovanni growled and she looked to find his head down as he wrote something on a piece of paper. He hadn't looked up, hadn't seen her yet, so she took a moment to study him.

Her belly fluttered with what seemed to be electric butterflies as she gazed at him.

He had a dark shadow along his sharp jaw that always seemed to be clenched, but seemed even more so now, and his hair was still slicked back but looked like her had ran his fingers through it multiple times. The white dress shirt he wore fit his wide chest and broad shoulders snugly and she longed to run her fingers over the material, under it and along warm skin.

She blinked back tears, realizing at that moment just how much she missed him.

"No hello?" she asked and was happy when her voice came out steady and confident. Giovanni's head snapped up and she saw his eyes darken with the sight of her as his gaze ran greedily up and down her. She could see the wheels in his head turning and tilted up her chin and straightened her spine.

His blue eyes danced as he leaned back in his seat.

She swallowed and stepped forward, letting her eyes roam over the office. It was just as beautiful as the last time she was here, the smell familiar and absolutely delightful, all Giovanni.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, and his voice was a thick husky velvet whisper that seemed to dance along her skin. She ran her fingertips over the walls and the big bookshelves as she slowly made her way closer to him.

"I came to say I'm sorry." She said softly and his eyes widened in surprise before his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Why are you sorry?" he rumbled and she sighed, letting her eyes linger on the many books before she let her gaze return to his blue one.

"I'm sorry because I was wrong. I understand now. I was so caught up in the memories of everything that happened to me that I let myself push you away because of something that I shouldn't have pushed you away for. I'm so sorry." She whispered softly, unable to stop her eyes burning and filling with tears. Giovanni watched her intently as she spoke, as she slowly made her way to his desk so she was standing in front of it, looking at him.

He stood slowly and Natalie took in a shaky breath as she watched him slowly make his way towards her until he was standing in front of her, staring down at her, all harsh lines and beautiful cruelty. His jaw was clenching and unclenching and slowly he lifted a finger and trailed it down her cheek, let it follow the path her tear had fallen. Tingles burned a path in his fingers wake and she sighed with quiet delight.

"You don't need to be sorry, mi amour." He rumbled and her knees shook with the sound of his voice. She looked up at him, her need almost unbearably overwhelming in the wave that swamped her. He cupped her cheek, let his thumb circle her high cheekbone as his gaze danced with blue flames.

"I need you." He said in a rough whisper.

She nodded, breathless.

His eyes fell onto her lips and he sucked in a breath and swallowed hard.

"I'm going to kiss you now." He rumbled and she only managed a small nod before his mouth swooped down on hers.

She threw her arms around his neck as his big arms came around her waist and crushed her to him. She sobbed with pleasure into his mouth as his fingers tangled in her hair. She met his kiss with just as much white-hot passion. He started to move her to the door but she shook her head, gasping.

"No, I need you now." She whispered and he only managed a growl as he lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist his hands kneading the flesh of her hips as she nibbled on his lower lip. He went back to his desk and used one arm to hold her while he shot out the other to sweep everything off the desk before laying her on it.

They showed each other how much they missed each other, how much they loved each other until they were gasping and clinging to each other like lifelines. When they were done they fell asleep on the floor covered by only a small throw blanket over them, Natalie curled up on Giovanni's big chest.

Everything seemed fine, but if only they knew of the eyes just outside...watching, waiting, planning...

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Chapter done! Yay! I really hope you enjoyed!! Thank you for reading and I will make sure to update as soon as possible! I really hope you guys are happy and liking this! I love you guys! Vote. Comment. Follow. Share. Keep tuned! XX, Love, Hannah :D