De Luca

Chapter 13

Two weeks later

Nathalie POV

Emily had finally told Lance about their baby. He was over the top. But as soon as he was overjoyed, he was very overprotective. Lance started to plan for everything, down to building a house. It was so romantic! A few days later, Lance called me and asked me to help him pack. He didn't want Emily to stress out about the move or overwork herself. I agreed wholeheartedly with him and got into the taxi right after work. Lance found a beautiful place upstate, a small yet homey cozy house. He showed me a picture of it—a little home with a big style.

I went around supermarkets with him, getting boxes, newspapers, styrofoam, and bubble wrap. I was in their kitchen, wrapping plates in the old newspaper, when my phone pinged. Looking at the screen, I see that it was from Reds. However, it wasn't a message I was looking for. I got irritated and decided to call him. After the fourth ring, he picked up. 

“Hey.” He answered.

“What’s up with you. I feel like you’re avoiding me,” I told him, resting another plate in the box.

“I’m not. I have some business to take care of,” Reds tell me. 

“And that can’t wait for a couple of hours?” Honestly, I get it that he is leading a double life, but it doesn't mean he can ignore me altogether.

“Baby, it really can’t. I gotta handle this myself, but I promise I will call you when I’m done, okay?” I sighed out.

“Not okay, Reds. Tell me what’s wrong, did I do something? Do you not want us to be together anymore? What’s up, ya giving me the cold shoulder over here.” I told him. The past few weeks, it feels like he's distant himself from me. And I don’t why.

“I do. I do want this. I’m sorry if I’m making you feel like that. But I have something going on over here, and I can’t move off of it.” he sighed out. He went quiet for a while, and I called his name, making sure he was still there.

“Princess, I will call you. I promise. Right now, I’m swamped,” I sighed out and just went with it.

“Fine, I’m here helping Lance pack. He's moving. I’ll let you know when I am home.” I informed him.

“Alright.” I hung up and continued filling the boxes with their dishes and putting foam around the plates. About an hour later, we had finish pack all of their things. An entire day packing and able to finished in said day. Not bad if you ask me. We sat around, eating Indian take-out and watching movies on Netflix.

Emily chased Lance out of the house because he kept rubbing her tummy. I told her I was heading out before it got too late, and he jumps her in front of me. Adorable! Also, my queue to definitely leave. I went home, deciding not to let my energy go to waste. I took my dirty clothes and went down to the laundromat. I called my mom, face-timing her to see what she was up to. I’m surprised she was up.

“Hey, Lyla. I’m happy you called!” Lyla is my middle name. It was early in the morning, and she was at a construction site from the looks of it. 

“Hey, mama.”

“I’m coming to see you next month. I already got a chopper coming, and hopefully, nothing comes up to mess up my trip,” My mom tells me with a broad smile, and I returned it. She turns the phone a bit for me to greet everyone, and I did.

“What are you serious!? Ahh, I can’t wait to see you. Oh, and there is someone I want you to meet.” I could feel my face hurting from smiling so hard.

“Ohhh, what’s his name? Where does he work?” I told her about him, of course, the cover-up story.

“Now, I am excited to meet him. I’m proud of you for finding someone so great. I hope you listen to me when I say I disapprove of someone. We don’t want a repeat of the last time.” I needed to fight the urge to roll my eyes. She's talking about Trent. 

“I hear you, mama. I gotta go, my clothes are done, talk to you soon,” We said our goodbyes and hung up.

I am dragging two bags of clean clothes into the building. Amy looked over and asked me to get her mail for her. She dropped her key into my hands, and I retrieved them for her. I checked to see if I had mail as well. I took my mail out, locking both of our boxes. I gave Amy her mail and her keys and went into my apartment, resting the bags near the door. I looked through the bills when I saw that I had a letter from the County Prison. I dropped everything, opening the letter.

Dear Ms. Pryce,

We would like to inform you that Trent Thomason has been released. An unknown party posted his bail. He was released today at 10 am. Please be safe, and most of all, be careful.

Regards,

Warden Billy Simpson

I checked the date to see when it was sent...3 weeks ago. A sob escapes from me, and tears began to well up in my eyes. No way in hell could he be out. My nightmare came through, and he was out. If anything, I was hoping he died in prison. But the bastard was still alive.

I went over to my bag that lay on the kitchen table when his voice rang out behind me.

“Nattie baby, you look as beautiful as I could remember.” How the f**k did he find me! How the f**k did he get in here!?

“How did you find me? What are you doing here?” I asked him, the one time that I didn’t strap my knife to my waist, this fucker shows up.

“Because you belong to me, and I will always find you.” his voice got deeper, and the look in his eyes scared the s**t out of me.

“Do you have a tracker implanted in me or some f**k?” He chuckled real low and started walking towards me. I took wide steps back.

“Is that any way to greet your man? But then again, you forgot about me and moved on. A cop, right? I mean, I get it. I do. I really get it. You were lonely and needed someone to comfort you. It’s fine. I forgive you. Come here.” he stops, his hands open wide as if asking me for a hug.

“Trent, please. Just leave.” I told him, pointing at the door. I cursed myself for sounding so weak. I didn’t spend my time in a defense class to show weakness to this fucker. 

He breathed in and shook his head. “Get out!” I shouted at him.

“Lower your f*****g voice.” He dropped his hands, looking furious than I have ever seen him before.

“Leave before I call the cops! I don’t how you found me or how you got out. Whatever you think we are, we are not! You sick piece of s**t!” I probably shouldn’t have said that, because he launched himself at me. He rammed me up against the wall, with his arms wrapped around my neck, and I let out a breath, from the impact.

I wasted no time digging my thumbs in his eyes. His grip around my neck loosened, and I punched him square in the jaw. I didn’t let up; I continued throwing jabs to his face. My fists began to hurt with each hit I landed.

He grabbed my wrist, head-butted me, punched me in my stomach, and pushed me down on the floor. Then, he straddled me, putting his hands around my neck. I dug my nails into his wrists.

“You wanna move on fine! But you’re going to have to die before I let that cop have you! How dare you disrespect me! I f*****g loved you, and now no one will love you the way I do!” He screamed at me, his grip tightening. 

“f**k you!” I choked out; he slammed my head against the floor. Then he pulled a knife out and rammed it in my left thigh. I let a screeching scream. He covered my mouth, and I took that chance and punched him in the throat.

A loud knock came on my door, and I thank the person mentally. Trent ran out to the fire escape. I crawled to my door and opened it. Amy, thank you for being a nosey ass neighbor. Amy drove me to the hospital, I got stitches, and my forehead was a little swollen and a bruise around my neck. Amy asked me about him, and I told her everything. From beginning to end and current.

“What are you going to do? He found you, and a man like him will come back. Have you told O’Brain about him? Does he know? Are you going to tell him about tonight?” She asked, concern lacing her voice and taking over her features.

“No, he doesn’t know. He can’t find out either; this is bad.” I told her, thinking about what to do. Finally, I sighed out, shaking my head. “I need to find someone name: Santini.” I thought to myself. It seemed like Amy knew the name all too well because the expression on her face said it all.