Chapter 16 - Leo's P.O.V.
2131 Words
Leo’s P.O.V.
I have never felt as powerless as I feel now. Seeing Mallory in such agony is unbearable.
No. That’s a lie. Only one other time have I felt time at a loss for words or felt as if there was nothing I could do or say to make things right.
“The shipment's ready boss,”
I nod, not really caring.
Our exporting has been going great, but I can’t be bothered by any of my business deals at the moment.
Not when my most pride possession is crumbling. Not that she’s actually my possession per se, but she is the thing I hold most dear. More than my own life itself.
I slouch here in my leather chair, hand on my chin, one foot resting up on my other knee, wracking my brain to find a solution to make everything right again.
So many people are blushing and hustling around me, but they are all a blur.
“Did you hear any of what I just told you, Leo?” Lorenzo asks, turning my chair around to face him.
“Hmm,”
He sight, lowering his head for a moment before sitting on the edge of my desk.
“Everyone, get out,” He growls.
It only takes all of our men thirty seconds to clear my office.
“What happened?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t do that. I’m not one of your subordinates you can boss around and pretend nothing is going on. I know you, and I’ve seen how Mallory’s been acting lately. I know something’s not right. What happened?”
I sigh, knowing he’s right.
“About two months ago, she had another miscarriage,” I say, closing my eyes.
Doctors' appointments have started being a nightmare. In the past three years, the stress of each appointment had grown exponentially.
“Ah, s**t! I’m so sorry. How’s Mall handling it?” Lorenzo says, sitting on the couch near my desk.
“She’s dealing with it as best as anyone could, given how many times it’s happened. I can see her lose herself a little more each time, and I don’t know what to do. I promised her the world, and I can’t even give her the only things she’s ever asked me for.” I sigh, my throat tightening as I gulp.
“It's not your fault. You tried your best to keep each of those five babies alive and safe, but things just didn’t work out. I don’t think there’s anything anyone could have done to prevent it.”
I rub my face with both hand, my exasperation surfacing.
“I want to give her the world, she deserves it and so much more. She wants to be a mother more than anything, and I can’t even make that happen. We both got tested and nothing abnormal came back in the results. We don’t understand how she keeps losing our child.”
My chest tightens as the image of my distraught queen crosses my mind.
“Should I give you full control of our business? Is the stress of being the Boss’s wife taking a toll on her health? Am I the reason we keep losing our children? Is god punishing me for all of my misdeeds?”
I intertwined my hand behind my head, elbow on my knees, trying to hide the pain showing on my face from my brother.
“I don’t know what to tell you, but one thing’s for sure, I don’t think you nor Mallory are to blame for any of your losses. Things happen, and sometimes there are just no explanations.” He sighs. “Have you considered adoption?”
“We have, but I think Mallory feels the loss of our children differently. I heard her mumbling the other day, that if she can’t even bare our own children, that she doesn’t deserve to have any at all.”
“She’s too hard on herself. She would make an extraordinary mother. Biologically or not.” Lorenzo sighs.
“I know that. She is the most wonderful human being ever created.” I smile melancholically.
“Just give her time to process all of it. She might come around and change her mind about adoption.”
“Maybe.” I exhale deeply, getting up and buttoning my jacket.
“Can you take care of the shipment?”
“Sure. Going somewhere?”
“Yes. I’m going to where I am most needed at the moment,”
He smiles and stands as well.
“Tell her I say hi,” He says, patience my shoulder before leaving my office and giving out orders to everyone waiting outside.
I step out, ignoring everyone, and make my way up the stair and onto mine and Mallory’s room.
Walking in, a brisk cool breeze greets me.
“Mallory?” I call out, looking around, but not seeing her.
“On the balcony,” She answers softly.
Walking towards the double door I hadn’t notice were open, I see her leaning against the railing.
She looks out into the distance, her eyes closed. Her flowing brown curls softly flowed along her white loose fitted lacy dress. She is the vision of perfection.
I love her as I’ve never loved anyone or anything in this world.
I lace my arms around her waist and lean my chin into the crook of her neck, gently kissing it.
She places a hand on top of my arm, squeezing it lightly.
“What’s on your mind?” I ask, holding her just a little tighter, trying to give her some of my warmth.
“Nothing,” She murmurs with sadness.
“Don’t lie. I don’t like it. I know you are sad and upset. You don’t have to lie or hide it from me. Not now, not ever. If you are happy, I want to hear you laugh, if you are angry, shout at the top of your lung. And if you are sad, cry it out for as long or as short of time as you need to. I will be here to hold you through it all.”
She says nothing for a while but then lets out a strangled sob.
“I lost another one of our children!” She cries out, breaking my heart.
“I know,”
“It’s my fault! I did something wrong! I must have! It wouldn’t keep happening if I were doing everything right!” She sobs.
I turn her around and take her face in my hands.
“You did nothing wrong! Don’t ever blame yourself for it! You’ve done everything you should have. Even the doctors don’t know why this keeps happening.”
I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight against my chest, letting her cry every tear she needs to.
“I don’t want to try anymore. It’s too painful,”
“Ok,”
“Are you mad at me?”
“Mad at you for what?” I ask, perplexed.
“That I don’t want to give you an ere anymore?”
“Oh, Mallory,” I laugh. “ I could never be mad at your for this. You have been so strong over the past three years. I’m the one who almost asked you so many times if we should stop trying. I could see it take away your happiness each time we lost our child, and I could do nothing to stop it from happening. I love you beyond anything. And you tell me you have reached your breaking point and don’t want to try anymore, who would I be to tell you other wise, or be mad at you? I’ve had the thought too, Bellisima,”
“Are you sure? You won’t come to regret not having kids?”
“No, my queen. I never thought I wanted kids before I met you. But I will never resent you for this. Not now, not ever. And I’ll repeat it until you believe it yourself,” I kiss her lips tenderly.
She mirrors it.
In no time, our kiss gets heated. I slowly make my way down her neck.
“I need to stop,” I mumble against her delicate skin.
“Why?” She pants.
“You still need time to heal,”
“The doctor said I was fine,”
I straighten up abruptly.
“When did you see a doctor?” I ask with a deep frown.
“Earlier today. I knew you had some business to take care of.”
“If I would have known, I would have gone with you. Who did you go with?”
“I went alone,” She meekly says, looking away from me,
“Alone!? Seriously Mall!? Why would you go to the doctor alone?! You should have told me!” I yell, making her jump.
I close my eyes, trying to cool down.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, but you should have told me you had a doctor's appointment., I would have dropped everything and have gone with you,”
“I know. That’s precisely why I didn't tell you. You needed to work and I wanted to do this by myself. I can rely on you for every little thing.”
“But that wasn’t just any little thing. That was your health after…” I sigh, placing my forehead against hers.
“I don’t want to fight with you. I know. I know you want to keep your independence, and that I’ve..limited it a little,”
“A little?!” She scoffs, raising her eyebrows.
“Ok, by a lot. I just want to protect you and keep you safe. That’s all.
“I know. And I love you for it. I just need you to let me loose a little more. I won’t break, and I’ll be careful.” She says, giving me a chaste kiss.
“And I promise I won’t hide any appointments in the future,”
“Thank you.”
I kiss her, deepening it in no time again.
“How about we go take a shower?” She offers, looking me up and down.
“Now that, sounds like a great idea!”
Loosening my ty, She walks backward, pulling her dress over her head.
“You are definitely a sight to behold.”
“Why thank you, kind sir,”
“Hum, I am a sir, but a kind one, no, I am not,” I answer my eyes darkening with lust.
“I remember…” Mallory wipers, gaging yet again before throwing up for what feels like the millionth time.
“You remember what, darling?” I ask softly, wiping the sweat off her forehead.
“I remember the night I gave up having children,” She meekly smiles, her voice trembling.
“I remember too,”
“It’s the night I got pregnant with Claire,” She says, her face lighting up with the purest of joy.
“It most likely was.” I smile again.
“I remember… being the happiest and the most scared when I tested positive that time.”
“I know,”
“I also remember you being that crazier worry-worth ever known to mankind!” She laugh, before it turns into a coughing fit.
“I’m sorry,”
“I’m not,” She whispers, a hand over her chest.
A soft knock on the door echoes in the room.
“Leo, can I have a word? Outside,”
“Go ahead,” Mallory says softly, I’m not going anywhere.”
“I won’t be long,”
I kiss her forehead and join Sam in the hall.
“Did you find a way to cure her?” I ask after closing the door.
“That’s why I’m here. I have a…request,”
“What is it?”
“This is an off-the-records kind of requisition,” She whispers, looking around nervously.
“What do you need?”
“Do you think you or your men could find the doctor she’d been seeing?”
“Why?”
“Because I… I don’t know how to create a cure for her symptoms. It’s nothing I’ve ever seen before. If we could have access to someone, anyone who was involved with the process, we could figure out where to go from there. I’ve tried and tried so many formulas, and nothing worked so far. I’m at a loss, and I don't want to fail you. I don’t want to fail her,” She says, one hand on the side of her head, and the other on her hip.
“Ok. I’ll get right on that,”
I think it’s time I pay Alexender a proper ‘visit’
- Writer
