Chapter 06


    Sixteen years of age...


    Seven months pregnant...


    "Hello?" My Celeste answers in a hushed tone.


    I know it is risky to call her but I need to tell her the truth.


    "Mio caro." The wordse out in a pained manner. "I''m sorry," "


    What is wrong Gio?" She asks concerned.


    There is nothing but silence between us as she waits for me to answer.


    "We are leaving the country," I mumble filled with shame.


    "No. Are you serious?"


    "Si, Papa said it is the only way to keep me out of jail."


    "But. But.. What about our daughter? I thought you promised to take care of everything." Turmoilced


    her precious voice.


    "I failed. I am sorry." I growl over the phone.


    "I will return for you both," I pledged.


    "When Gio? In a month, a year?"


    "I don''t know." Anger surrounds me and I punch a hole in my bedroom wall.


    Pain radiates around my knuckles causing me to spit lines of Italian curse words.


    "My mother is bing unbearable. Shees in to check on me every ten minutes. If she could, she


    would chain me to my bed like a prisoner. I don''t know how long I can live like this." She breaks down


    crying over the phone.


    "Merda! Celeste, you have to be strong. We NEED you to be strong." I start to pace the room trying to


    calm my nerves down.


    Fuck it. I think to myself. I end our call and walk out of my room, out the front door and straight towards


    Celeste. I knock on the front door pounding away impatiently waiting for someone to open it.


    When the door jerks open I walk into the house, straight towards Celestes room with Mrs Maddison hot


    on my heels pulling at my top, tearing it as I force myself to carry on walking to where my princessys


    in her dungeon of a room.


    "Celeste!" I roar.


    "Vanessa call the police. 111 now!" Mrs Madsison demands.


    "Stop! You good for nothing loser." She continues to pull on my clothes.


    Celeste runs down the stairs with her hand on her belly and her eyes filled with tears. The sight of her


    knocks the wind out of me. She is more beautiful then I could ever imagine. My eyes have starved for


    weeks without being able to feast on her.  She''s been locked away from big bad ol'' me.


    As she gets closer I take her by the hand and carefully lead her out of the house as fast as I can. We


    quickly walk towards my house, crashing through the front door. I double lock it knowing Mrs Maddison


    will send her husband over to retrieve my precious Celeste once he returns home.


    "Gio." Mama calls out as shees racing out of the kitchen to see what themotion is.


    Her eyesnd on Celeste, travelling down to her swelling belly. "Oh, Tesoro mio." Mama gasps with


    love. She rushes towards us and hugs Celeste, embracing her with love.


    "Gio.." She scowls at me.


    "Mama...."  I ce my hand over my child.


    Mama sighs. "Go." She motions towards my room. "You don''t have long." She looks through the


    peephole of the door and shakes her head.


    I lead my precious Celeste to my room and lock the door. She walks over to the window and looks out


    towards the street, shivering with fear. I pick up my leather jacket that''s been thrown over my desk


    chair and wrap it around her.  She turns to face me, she sps my hand with hers and ces it over


    her swelling belly that houses our baby.


    She sps my hand in hers and ces it over her swelling belly.


    "Ti amore figlia mia," I say with pride.


    "I love you, my daughter." I trante, gazing into Celeste''s eyes.


    " I want you to name our daughter." She ces a hand on the side of my face, stroking her thumb


    along my heated skin.


    "The honour should be yours."


    "I want her to know that her papa named her and it had great meaning to him." A faint smile graces her


    face.


    I lean in and cover her mouth with mine, wrapping my arms around her, pouring all my untold emotions


    into our kiss. Her arms snake around my neck, pulling me in closer. A husky growl vibrates off my


    chest.


    There is a loud rapture of knocks at the front door.


    "Open up! Celeste, it''s time to go NOW!" Her father bellows.


    We break our kiss and a light sob erupts from my Sweet Celeste.


    "Shhhhh.." I sayforting her.


    "Gio. I, I don''t want to go back there." Unshed tears threaten to fall down the side of her beautiful face.


    "I don''t want you to go either Tesoro." I rest my head against hers. "I wish I was more of a man. I don''t


    deserve you." I mumble feeling like my heart is being torn to shreds.


    "Gio." My papa calls out from the other side of the door. "Gio, son. It''s time for Celeste to return home."


    I hear him sigh.


    I take my beloved by the hand and lead her back towards her creator. A father would never allow the


    heinous actions her mother protrudes upon her to happen to his beloved daughter. I feel sick, disgusted


    with anger as I slowly watch her step forward. Unexpectedly her mother appears wrapping her hand


    violently around her arm and yanks her out the door.


    "Get your FILTHY HANDs OFF HER!" I roar as I stalk towards her.


    "Gio!" My father calls out.


    Ie to a halt, my chest vigorously rising and falling, my hands clenched into fists, and I''m prepared


    to take on the damn world. I growl like a wolf desperately wanting to rip her head off.


    "She belongs to me." I sneer.


    "Gio, son." My papa ces his hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.


    "MINE!" I roar. "MY BELOVED... MY BABY!"


    "Ha!" Mrs Maddison snickers.


    "She is legally mine till she is eighteen. You''re three years too early boy!" She scowls at me.


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    Celeste cries out as she tries to break free from her mother, struggling against her vice-like grip.


    "Gio.." She sobs. "Gio, I love you."


    A loud p fills the room as her mother''s handnds across her face. "Foolish child! What do you know


    about love?" She titters?


    My  Celeste cradles her stinging face in the palm of her hand with her eyes heavy on mine.


    "She will NEVER belong to you," I say without breaking eye contact.


    "Dr, don''t you think you should get your child under control before he hurts himself." Mr Maddison


    grumbles. "This has gone on long enough." He says impatiently.


    "Don''t tell me how to handle my son," Papa says calmly. "I think it''s best you should put all your time


    and energy into your wife. Give her a few lessons on how NOT to handle your pregnant daughter." He


    taunts.


    Mr Maddison abruptly turns and walks out of the house. I stand there seething as I watch their figures


    vanish into the darkness.


    I turn to face my papa and mama.


    Words ached to leave my mouth and when I opened it to talk. The only thing that came out was a soul-


    crushing howl that filled the entire house.