Chapter 68

“Johnny!” I yelled out and flew into his arms. My gut feeling was telling me that everyone visiting me in a row probably meant that things would change in a while.

The girls would only stay here for two more weeks, and after that, I would be on my own—except for Ramiro, his daughter, two maids, and security.

“Serena, you’re still pregnant.” Johnny smiled and kissed me on my cheek. “Did you come for me or Luna?” I teased him and looked around, while he held his hand in front of my mouth.

“I-I came for you!” He said and pulled me to the back. “Come on, just let me live for once.” His eyes begged me as I laughed at him. Johnny was never nervous. “Okay, fine whatever.”

“Come on, they’re upstairs so we can still run.” I walked him to a separate room and locked the door.

“So how are you doing?” Johnny asked me and pushed a shopping bag in my hands. “I’m doing fine, but what is this?” I chuckled and pulled out the baby clothing.“A present for my niece.”

I pulled out the clothes and held them up in the air. “This is so cute.” I cooed and tried to remain positive, but only one thing was going through my mind. “W-why did you bring it to a safe house?” I nervously asked, thinking there was more behind it but Johnny who had caught on immediately shook his head.

“No—no, don’t worry!” He laughed. “I just picked it up on my way here.”

“Good.” I sighed relieved. The last thing I wanted was to raise my baby in this shoebox. “So how are things with your family?”

“Good, they’ve been calling me multiple times a day...all of them except my sister...very annoying.” I buried my head in my hands. At first, I liked the attention, but having parents who wanted to see your face every second got a bit too much and was something I still had to get used to.

“Have you spoken to Christian? He missed a meeting yesterday—“

“Because he was out partying, yeah I know.” I finished his sentence and laughed at Christian who had always worshipped time, screwing up for once.

“That’s not like him,” Johnny commented. He was right, it was not—but it was understandable. “I mean, he’s not a robot—he’s human so.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“Look at you, trying to be the cool and laid back fiancée.” Johnny smiled and ruffled his hand through my hair. That was exactly what I was doing, I did not want him to get annoyed by me and we had other things to worry about.

“Have you always been like that?” Johnny leaned against the table and looked at me. “No, my exes used to get annoyed by me—so I’m trying something different this time.” I chuckled. Christian was someone who loved his freedom, and I was not going to take it away from him.

“How about Chris?” I asked Johnny. “What about him?”

“You know...give me some information on his exes, just give me something please—I’m really curious,” I almost begged Johnny. It was information I wouldn’t get out of Christian, so I might as well try it this way. “Hmm, let’s see.”

“Christian is Christian, a gentleman—loves to spoil women, loves to protect them even when sometimes they don’t deserve it, but I have nothing particular to say about his exes because none of them compared to you.” Johnny complimented me. “Right.” I blushed and looked down. “I don’t know if it’s a combination of you and the baby, but he really cares about you.” He wasn’t wrong, I had already discovered that by myself.

“So what’s the deal with Fabio?” I tried to get some information out of Johnny. Everyone, including my own family—were all being so secretive and expected me to listen to them, without telling me what was exactly going on.

“He gave us a deadline for your head, the deadline is in two months—but we will attack him a month from now.” Johnny casually spoke and stretched his arms. “Everyone is keeping it a secret from you because you’re pregnant, but because of that very reason I thought you should know.”

“Thanks, despite the deadline for my head—it feels nice to hear,” I told him and looked at him to ask him more questions. “What are you going to do to him? Ask him to stop?” I asked and saw how the smile from his face had slowly disappeared.

“Men like that...you can’t negotiate with them Serena—there’s only one thing left to do. It’s either him or you, so don’t feel sorry.” Johnny told me the truth.

“And Vincenzo and Luis?” I asked, thinking about Beau. They were still the only two he had—and I wasn’t too sure about what would happen if he would not come clean about his identity. I knew that Christian would spare him and I knew for a fact that the Alfonzo’s would welcome him with open arms—but for them to do that, he had to tell them who he was. “Serena, are you asking me about the sons of our enemy. What do you think will happen to them?”

“Luis is an innocent child and Vincenzo...he’s just confused.” I tried my hardest to protect them. I did not care what they thought about me, but I was determined to not let anyone touch them.

“So was your twin brother, when Fabio took him and killed him,” Johnny spoke, referring to Beau. I clenched my fist and took a deep breath. So much could change if Beau would speak up and tell the truth.

I knew that Fabio was not aware of Beau’s discovery and that he would want both of our heads if he did, but knowing that Beau would also get protected would at least let me breathe. “They don’t know any better than what their dad has taught them, and even then I can still see the good in them.”

“Don’t worry, Christian feels the same way you do—and has been convincing everyone to show the two mercy.” Johnny chuckled. Of course, he had, Christian had a good heart. It seemed like the kindhearted Johnny who had always agreed with Christian, for once didn’t and that made me worry. What if I was wrong?

“You should watch your words around others like your family. You sticking up for the same Garcia’s we’re trying to protect you from can get us all in trouble.” Johnny told me as I thought about his words. He was right, but I did not care.

“Johnny, do you know how I spend my twenty-second birthday?” I asked to freshen up his memories. I was going to get through to him, one way or another.

“Yes, we went all out for dinner and we had a great time.” He smiled. It was a few weeks ago, and it was probably the best birthday I had ever spend. In all the years I was on earth, that was the very first time I had actually felt alive that day.

“Don’t you think Luis deserves to experience the same?” I tried to get in his head. I watched as Johnny’s mouth opened before he closed it again with a startled look on his face.

“Trust me or not, even Fabio does—and all of you are no different from him. Who are you all to decide who gets to live and who doesn’t?” I asked him.

I was aware that I was sounding extremely ungrateful because everything they did was to protect me and the baby—and I honestly did not care about what would happen to Fabio, but Vince and Luis were still precious to me. I did not care whether Vince hated me or not, but I cared about his life and I wanted him to live.

“Are you god?” I looked at Johnny, waiting for an answer. “N-no I never said that.” He stuttered, trying to defend himself. “God, you sound like Christian.”

“Christian told me how you and Luca lost your father and here you are telling me you are all planning to execute an entire family?” I continued.

“With Fabio, you can do whatever you want—I don’t know that man and he seems like he’s not in the mood to negotiate so I honestly don’t care, but please give Vince and Luis a second thought,” I spoke, hoping he would work along.

“There’s no other way,” Johnny said, avoiding my eyes. That was a lie.

“Is there really no other way or are you all too lazy to find another way?” I tried to push an answer out of him. “We still have a month.”

Johnny’s eyes finally met mine, but he did not say a word. Instead, he was just watching me to see if I would say anything else.

“I am so grateful for everything you have been doing for me, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to move on and live with myself if anyone hurts Vincenzo or Luis—I don’t want to resent any of you,” I told him. I was being completely honest and it was the truth. I did not know how I would be able to live with myself.

“You are...a pain in the ass.” Johnny sighed. “But I’m right.” I immediately spoke right after.

“Why are you telling this to me instead of Christian?” Johnny asked with a troubled look on his face. I felt sorry that he had to be my victim, but that was just the way it was.

“Because you told me he feels the same way, so there’s no need to convince him,” I told him. I felt proud and happy that my Christian had shared the same opinion as me. I had never doubted him in the first place because I knew what kind of person he was. “The next time when you all discuss this, I want you to back him up.”

“You’re a hand full.” Johnny ruffled his hand through my hair as I giggled at him. “You’re not the first one to tell me that.”

“Here you are, I’ve been looking for y—“ Luna opened the door and stopped mid-sentenced after her eyes had met Johnny’s.

“Oh...you’re busy? I’ll—“

“No, I’m not.” I interrupted her and grinned from Luna to Johnny. It was beyond me how the two who always had a lot to say, were more awkward than Christian and I had ever been.

“Talk comfortably, pretend like I’m not even here.” I awkwardly placed my hand behind my back as they both stared at me. “Or I’ll just...go,” I whispered and walked out of the room.

I leaned against the wall and grabbed my phone to send Beau my usual text to tell him that I missed him before I moved to Christian and send him multiple hearts.

‘What for?’ He texted back, making me laugh out loud. All he had to do was send it back. ‘Just because. When are you coming to visit me?’ I replied.

I got startled by the sound of the door which was followed by a loud slam. “Luna, wait!” I heard Johnny call out as he ran after her, while I stared at the two. Should I? No, none of my business.

“Why can’t my life be like yours.” I sighed to myself. While Luna who had also worked at the club, had Johnny on one hand and my brother on the other—I had to struggle to even get a heart from my fiancé.

‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’ I read Christian’s text and smiled at my screen.