Page 105 of Of Oaths and Secrets

One number fills my mind. Rafaele.

I call it as I slowly take the stairs up the basement, unsure of how many people are waiting for me upstairs.

It rings, each second stretching into eternity until his voice cuts through the line. I clutch the phone tightly, my hands slickwith sweat and blood, my breath coming in shallow gasps. The fever makes my vision swim, and I struggle to stay upright.

“Rafaele?”

“Nora?” His voice is sharp, full of disbelief and raw emotion.

I choke on a sob, the sound escaping me before I can stop it. “Rafaele… please… I need you. Come get me.”

There’s a beat of silence on the other end, and for a moment, my heart sinks, but then his voice comes through, low and urgent. “Where are you, amore? Are you safe?”

Safe. The word feels foreign in my current reality. “I killed him,” I say, my voice breaking. The memory of the blood, the gurgling sound, and his lifeless eyes haunt me, but I push it aside. “But I don’t know how long I can stay hidden. I’m in pain… something’s wrong. Please… save our baby.”

The line crackles, and I hear the scrape of a chair being pushed back. His voice changes, growing harder, laced with fury and love in equal measure. “I’m coming. Stay hidden, amore. Keep talking to me. Don’t hang up.”

I nod instinctively, even though he can’t see me. My knees buckle slightly, and I grip the kitchen counter, trying to force my body to obey.

I hear him speaking in the background, the clipped authority in his voice directed at someone else. “Locate her now. I don’t care how you do it—just find her.”

The world feels distant like I’m floating in and out of consciousness, but his voice pulls me back. “Nora,” he murmurs, softer now, his tone threaded with a promise that makes my chest tighten. “I’m on my way. I’ll find you, I swear. Just hold on. Do you know where you are?”

“I don’t know exactly where I am,” I whisper looking out the window to a nondescript suburban street. Houses with dark windows stretch in either direction, their silence oppressive. “Igot out, but I’m hurt… and Rafaele, I think something’s wrong. The baby… she’s not moving much.”

“Nora,” he says, his voice dropping into something dangerously calm. “Are you bleeding?”

I glance down at myself, my shaky hand running over my stomach. The fabric is damp, sticking to me uncomfortably. “Not much,” I whisper, “but… I feel strange. I have this headache—so bad I can’t think straight. I’m so hot.” My voice cracks, and I lean against the wall for support. “My vision keeps going blurry, and my hands are swollen. I… I think I have a fever.”

“Damn it,” he growls, panic lacing his voice. “Listen to me, amore. You need to stay calm. Don’t move. Hide if you can, but don’t move. I’m coming, Nora. I swear, I’ll be right there.”

My knees buckle, and I sink to the floor, clutching the phone as if it’s the only thing keeping me tethered. “Please,” I murmur, my words soft and broken. “Save her. Save our baby.”

“I’ll save both of you,” he vows, his voice low but seething with determination. “You hear me? Both of you. Just hold on, amore. Don’t give up on me.”

Tears spill freely, hot against my flushed skin. “I love you,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “You know that, don’t you? You’ve made me so happy, Rafaele. I regret nothing.”

“No,” he snaps, his voice filled with raw emotion. “No, Nora, don’t you dare say goodbye. You are not leaving me. You made me a promise, remember? Forever.”

A faint smile touches my lips. “Mmm-hmm,” I murmur, but the exhaustion pulls at me, relentless and heavy. “You’ve been the best thing that ever happened to me…”

“Nora!” His voice slices through the haze, sharp and commanding. “Don’t close your eyes. Talk to me. Stay awake. I’m coming for you. Just hold on.”

The phone slips from my hand, resting against my belly. I press my palm there, whispering softly to my daughter. “He’s coming for us… He always comes for us…”

I don’t know how much time passes. My thoughts are hazy, and the pain feels distant like it belongs to someone else.

The next thing I feel is warmth—strong, familiar arms lifting me. His scent surrounds me, grounding me, pulling me back from the void. My head lolls weakly against his chest.

“Nora,” he breathes out, his voice trembling. “Amore, I’m here. I’ve got you.”

I try to respond, but the words won’t come. My lips part, and only a faint sound escapes.

“Shh,” he soothes, his lips brushing against my sweat-drenched forehead. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you. Just hold on.”

The car door opens, and he settles me inside, tucking a blanket around me. His hands are everywhere, gentle but shaking. I feel his fear in the way he moves, in the tremor of his touch.

“Stay with me,” he whispers again, his voice breaking. “Please, amore. Don’t do this. Don’t leave me.”

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