Page 29 of Capone
This moment was surreal. From the moment I laid eyes on Gabi’s photo, all I thought about was bringing her back to her mother unharmed, and I was. Despite Asha clearly being off her rocker, she didn’t want to bring any harm to Gabi. Hopefully, now, she could get the help she needed.
I knew things were far from over, but at least Gabi would be back with her mother, where she belonged. As we loaded up in the van, all I could think about was watching the weight lift off Giovanna’s shoulder. I would give her time to relish having Gabi back, and then I would be making my move.
I told Giovanna she was mine and now it was time to show her I meant business.
Chapter Twelve
GIOVANNA
“Ican’t believe him!”my mother shouted over the phone.
I had just explained everything that happened to her. I could barely get through a sentence without her interrupting me. To say she was pissed was a true understatement. I knew, like me, she didn’t believe that Derek’s betrayal had gone so far.
“I know, Ma. I mean, I knew we were having problems, but to not only do his dirt, but he also involved our daughter. I can never look at him the same after something like that.”
“Why is this the first time I’m hearing that you two were having problems, Giovanna?”
I took a deep breath, knowing that it was finally time to face the truth about my marriage. This is something I had been avoiding for a while. It was easier to ignore the truth at times rather than face it head-on.
The silence stretched on for a moment before my mother’s voice came through again.“Well?”
“I guess I didn’t want you mentioning anything to Dad.”
“And why not?”she squawked.
I sighed, knowing that what I was about to say was going to make me seem so childish and immature.
“Because… I didn’t want to prove him right.”
I heard my mother sigh before the line went silent yet again. I knew my mother was probably disappointed that I would keep this away from her solely to prove my father wrong. At the time, all I could do was remember all his harsh words when he kicked me out that night.
You’ll be back.
You can’t survive without me.
Then all the things he said about Derek when I told my parents I was marrying him, and I was pregnant.
He doesn’t love you, Giovanna.
You’re going to ruin your life by marrying him.
The most unforgiving thing he said was him referring to Gabi as me muddying my bloodline. That was the last and final straw. He never even tried to come to me and apologize. It was one thing for him to throw all his hateful words toward me and Derek, but to aim his hatred toward my daughter was unforgiving.
“Giovanna, I know you and your father have been at odds ever since that night. Honestly, I have had my issues with him since that. He should have never tried to force you into that arranged marriage. I knew he was going to come to you with the arrangement, but he was supposed to leave the decision in your hands. I hate what my family has come to.”
I could hear my mother’s soft whimpers. It pulled at my heartstrings. I never wanted to guilt my mother into leaving my father. Regardless of how I felt about everything, I understood that my father was her first and only and it wasn’t necessarily easy for her to just up and leave him.
It was one of the reasons I never told my mother what my father said about Gabi. That would have been the final nail in his coffin. My mother loved her granddaughter as if she had birthed Gabi herself.
“I know, Mom. I wish there was some—” I was interrupted by a knock sounding on my hotel door. I got up and went to check the peephole. When I saw Mercury, my heart dropped. “Mom, let me call you back.” I hung up the phone before she could respond.
I slung the door open with urgency. “Is everything okay?”
He gave me a small smile before entering my room. “I believe so. Cara called and said she was on her way here to give me an update about the case. If it was something bad, I know she would have warned me.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully they had a location on Gabi. I just needed to lay eyes on her, hear her voice and laugh. I’d never been away from my baby this long. Each day felt like I lost a little more of myself.
Just as I was about to ask more questions, there was another knock on the door. Mercury beat me to the punch and checked the peephole. I watched his body go rigid. His reaction to whatever he saw made my stomach rumble with nerves.
