Chapter 11
Bella
Today is the day we finally get to see our best friend after months without him. Jules and I can’t wait to see him. God, it’s been way too long since I’ve had him in my arms, I miss my Ces. I’m so grateful to Gio’s friends for rescuing him and bringing him here to us. I will forever feel indebted to them. I will be meeting three of the men from the Club that saved him from the monster's clutches. I even got them a gift, I wish I could have gotten them for all the men that were involved, but I wasn’t sure how many there were.
When Gio left on his Club business, I did some online shopping and ordered him and the guys’ new guardian bells for their Bikes. When Gio told me what his friends did for us, I ordered a few more. I have them all wrapped and waiting, in the bar.
Jules and I even got a special gift for Cesare. His favorite TV show is Glee, so we ordered him the whole series on DVD. It will keep him occupied at night and give all of us some entertainment.
It’s been a week since Gio came home and told me that Cesare would be here soon. I’ve been so excited since he told me, and it’s been hard to contain my excitement.
I’m so antsy right now, pacing the bar, waiting for them to arrive. They should be here any minute. Gio told me his friend Skully – the Club President - is using his friend’s private jet for them to travel here. Gio sent Torch in our SUV to collect them at the Sanford Airport. Jules, Gigi and I wanted to go, but Gio and the guys said it wasn’t safe for us girls’ to leave the compound.
So, here we are - Gigi, Jules and I - waiting for him. I would say patiently, but that’s not true. Ace, Gio, Blaze, Throttle, Ryder, Shadow, Snake, Cowboy, and Gator are with us drinking beers at the back table and waiting.
I hear the motor of our SUV coming up the driveway, and I can’t hold back any longer. I dart to the doors and burst through them. Jules, Gigi, and all the guys are hot on my trail. I swear Jules and I are holding our breaths waiting for the SUV to come to a complete stop. The back driver’s side passenger door flies open, and I let go of Jules’s hand and make a beeline straight to him. Cesare is leaning sideways against the seat waiting for us. I attack him in a great big hug and grab ahold of him so tight and cry in his arms as Jules joins us.
Now, there is only one important part of my heart missing, my brothers and Lorenzo are still not with us. Lorenzo may not be our blood brother, but he is our brother, family is not always blood, and we are bonded together by loyalty too. In my heart, he is and always will be. I believe Gio and his brothers will find them soon, our family will be whole and all will be good in my world again.
“Oh, Ces, I missed you so much. I’m so glad you’re here. I’m sorry you were hurt because of me. I’m so sorry, I love you, Ces,” I babble through my sniffles with my face buried in his chest. Ces kisses the top of my head and shifts me over to get a better hold on Jules and me together.
“I missed you too, my Loveys, and you have nothing to be sorry for, Bells. None of this was your fault, I’m fine. I’m sorry you had to go through all this shit without me. I love you, my Loveys,” Ces says, crying with us and continuing to go back and forth kissing the top of our heads.
“Let’s get him inside and comfortable, ladies. Then you can all catch up,” the man in the front passenger seat says. Gio and Ace come over and pry us off Cesare. Then Gator and Ryder come along, to help him out of the SUV. He has crutches to help him walk with his broken leg; his right leg is the broken one. The guys lead us back into the bar, and Ces hobbles along behind us. We all settle on the couches, making Ces as comfortable as possible. Gio introduces us girls to the three men that saved our best friend. I finally, get to introduce my man to the only man I’ve had in my life since he left me all those years ago.
“Amore mio, I’m so happy to finally introduce you to my guy,” I say to Gio taking his hand pulling him to Ces. “Babe, this is Gio, my husband.” Then I turn to Gio. “Amore mio, this is Ces, my bestie.” Gio sticks out his hand, and Ces takes it, and they shake with smiles on their faces.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Cesare,” Gio says with a genuine smile I his face.
“Pleasure's all mine, sweetcakes, and please feel free to call me sweets,” Ces says with a wink and Jules, and I bust out laughing. Ces is play flirting with my man, and Gio is taking it all in fun.
“Your guy over here as kept us very entertained. It’s going to be boring at our Clubhouse when we get home,” Skully says laughing with his men. Jules and I agree with him that Ces is a comedian and always keeps us in stitches.
Jules introduces Ces to Ace, and he’s not taking to Ces very well. I know Cesare can be an acquired taste, but he is all love and fun. He doesn’t have a malicious bone in his body.
Once all the introductions and hugs are finished, we all get comfortable with a drink. The men all have a beer or whiskey, and the girls, Ces and I are drinking water.
After sitting and talking for a while, getting to know these wonderful men better, and the men catching up, I remember something. I leap off Gio’s lap and run behind the bar. I hid all their gifts behind the alcohol bottles this morning; I didn’t want to forget them in the apartment. When I walk back around, Gio is standing at the corner of the bar looking at me funny.
“What have you got there, baby?” he asks me curiously.
“I have gifts for your friends, amore mio,” I answer him with a smile. Then kiss him on the cheek, before walking back over to the men.
I head right over to Skully first, being that he is the President, it is only right. It’s a small rectangular box, in black matte paper with shiny skulls printed on it.
“Mr. Skully, Sir, this is for you. Thank you so much for rescuing my best friend and bringing him here for us,” I say with tears pooling in my eyes. I’m trying not to let them fall, as I hand him the box.
“You surely are a sweet little thing, just like Beast and Gator said when I spoke with them. And you don’t need to call me Mister or Sir, Skully is just fine, Doll,” Skully says, taking the box from me with a smile on his handsome face.
Skully is older than Gator, looks to be in his early forties. His hair is a mix of brown and gray, and his eyes are a dark piercing brown. He has a weathered face, but he is definitely still a handsome man. He’s tall, and his body is in great shape, tattooed, and muscular. The two men with him are younger, closer to Gator’s age, earlier thirties and just as ruggedly handsome. Rage has dark hair, and brown eyes and Black Cat has blond hair and blue eyes. Both men are tall, full of ink and muscles. Black Cat’s thighs are as thick as a tree trunk.
“Thank you, Rage and Black Cat,” I say, handing them their gifts. They all start to open them. I receive a big gleaming smile from my man in appreciation as he sits me back on his lap.
Ces is sitting right next to us, so I turn to him and take his hand in mine.
“This is from Jules, Gigi and me, Ces,” I say, my tears fall down my face uncontrollably now, as I hand him the gift. “I’m so sorry that bastard hurt you because of me,” I whisper the last part as he gives me a quick, one-armed hug before he rips it open.
Gio pulls my back, flat to his chest, wrapping his arms around my waist, and burying his face in my hair. His hot breath skims across the sensitive part of my neck under my ear. “Ti amo, la mia bella Principessa. Grazie.” (I love you, my beautiful Princess. Thank you)
“Thank you, Doll, but you didn’t need to do this for us. Gator and I are square, and it gave me an excuse to come visit,” Skully says with a smile.
“Oh, but I did. This is just a small token of my thanks for what you and your men did. You have all gone above and beyond for me without knowing me. You also got involved in something that had nothing to do with you or your Club.
“Gator and the whole Dragon family have done so much already for my sister, best friends and me. I’ll never be able to repay any of you for all that you have done.
“I created this whole awful mess, and I feel like I threw it on all of your laps to clean up. I’m so sorry for all of it, but I’m grateful to have you on my side to help keep us safe.”
“Baby, none of this is your fault, how many times do I have to tell you that?!” Gio growls at me as he turns me around on his lap to face him. I speak before anyone can get a word out. Cupping my hands on the sides of his face and gazing into his bright emerald green eyes. He's mad about my words and me thinking this way.
“Amore mio, can’t you see, this was all my fault!” I plead with him, begging him to see the truth. “If I had just done what he wanted in the beginning, then none of the people I love would have been killed or hurt. Daddy, mom and our brothers would be here for Gigi. Ces wouldn’t have gotten beaten. It’s all because of me. All of this could have been avoided if I had just given myself to him like he wanted all along. He did all this because I refused to be with him. Maybe he wouldn’t have hurt me if I just gave in to his request.” I fall against his chest and burying my face under his kutte, heaving, and sobbing.
“Maybe I wouldn’t have been hurt,” I say again into his hard chest, unable to hold back anymore.
Yeah, I have guilt, a whole world of fucking guilt on my shoulders. Can you really blame me? All the people I love have gotten hurt, in one way or another, and my parents got killed all because of me. How could I not feel guilty? Wouldn’t you feel guilty, if the tables were turned?
There are two sides to every coin. I get that completely.
On the one side of the coin: if I had just given myself over to his demands like he wanted, I would be miserable, yes, but my parents would be alive, and my brothers, my little sister and best friends would all be back home, and their lives wouldn’t have been interrupted.
On the other side of the coin: I wouldn’t have Gio back in my life and be the strong woman that I am today. I love Gio with all my heart, and I would never give him up again, I can’t.
However, guilt is a major fucking bitch, I’ll tell you that, and it hurts to feel like I caused all this shit, and turned so many people’s lives upside down.
“Lovey, look at me, right now!” Ces shouts from behind me, commanding me to look at him. Placing his hand on my upper back, lovingly, the way he has always done when I’m upset. He waits for me to turn so he can continue. I do as I’m told, turning to the side to face him, but shielding my face from all the men.
“You need to stop this, now! I’m only going to say this once, and you had better listen up, girlie!
“None of what happened is your fault, nor was it your place to do what he wanted of you.
“You didn’t know he was going to do what he did. He’s a sadistic bastard, and he made his own choices, not you.
“I know you feel guilty. I can see it written all over your lovely face. What happened to your family, to all of us, it’s not your fault. No one blames you, Lovey, no one. So please stop blaming yourself, now!
“I love you, and I can see you are where you’re supposed to be. You’re in your love’s arms, the man you have loved forever. I can see how much you two love each other in just the short time I’ve been here.
“We may not like it, and God knows I hate it, but it was His will, Lovey! Love is strong and true love won over the monster!” Ces tells me firmly, putting me in my place.
That’s my guy, always straight with me, never holding back, and I love him for it.
True love did win this round. I am with the love of my life, and I wouldn’t trade this for anything. I guess God’s plan did work, even if it hurts to accept.
“He’s right, Bells, stop! It’s not healthy for you to feel this way. Guilt will eat you up alive, and it’s not worth it. You have Gio, Gigi and all of us, we love you, no matter what and I’m happy we’re here. We are where we were always meant to be,” Jules says.
Then Gigi walks over to me leaving Blaze’s side. She moves my face away from Gio’s chest and makes me look her in the eyes.
“Sissy, I don’t blame you for mommy and daddy, please don’t blame yourself anymore. I love you, and I’m happy we’re here and have Gio and the guys. I can see how happy you are now with him. I know you loved Gio forever, and you deserve to be loved, sissy. Please don’t hurt yourself over things you can’t change or control and just be happy,” Gigi whispers to me with tears in her eyes. I take her in my arms and pull her on my lap.
Gio grabs hold of both of us in his arms and kisses us on the forehead. I tell my sister I love her and I’m sorry for the way I’m acting.
Then I turn to the guys, wiping my tears away and apologize to them too for my outburst.
“Okay, I’m taking my wife to our room. She needs to rest before dinner. It’s been a long, stressful morning for her,” Gio says standing up with me still in his arms.
“Thank you, Skully, Rage, and Black Cat for all you have done for my wife and me. Ces, it was great to finally get to meet you, and I look forward to getting to know you better. We’ll see you all for dinner.” Gio turns to my sister.
“Mini Princess, do you want to come up with us or do you want to stay with the guys?”
“I’ll stay with the guys. You take care of my sister, she needs a break, today has obviously been very emotional for her,” Gigi says sounding older and wiser than her thirteen years. I kiss my sister on the forehead before Gio takes me to our place.
It’s kinda embarrassing that my baby sister had to endure my meltdown, yet again. Why are my emotions always all over the place, worse than ever? I need to get myself under control and fast.
I’m a mess, and my body feels all out of whack these days. What is going on with me? Maybe now that Ces is back, I’ll be better.
I’ve just been on a roller coaster of emotions for months. Starting with the mess back home, having Gio back in my life, our quick marriage, honeymoon getaway, almost being kidnapped, the monsters goons finding us, Gio leaving me for almost a whole week, and now Ces is finally here with us. How could I not be good? These are way too many emotions to handle in such a short time. I need a break, a real break from reality for a little while.
I wish we could just shut out the world for a few days, take a long bike ride up to Saint Augustine beach again like we did for my birthday. That day was so wonderful and peaceful.
Oh well, this is life, and like I’ve said to myself before it’s time to toughen up buttercup. I’m a strong woman, and I can deal with all this. Right!
I’ll start with a nap with my love that should be a good start to refresh me.
After my nap and shower, we meet up with everyone and have a wonderful evening together.
Like the men of Dragons Fury I’ve come to love, the men from Dragons Breath are no exception. They are all great, honorable, respectful and easy to get along with kind of men.
I look forward to getting to know them a lot better over the next few days.