Chapter 20

20

SCARLET

" E verything will be okay, kitten."

Those words rang in my mind as I blurted out my truth, and his eyes widened, emotions dancing through them as he leaned over me, shielding me with his body as gunfire rained down.

I clung to the front of him and Kenny's carrier like they were the only thing holding me to this life, and then Cristian's face had contorted into pain.

Oh god, please no.

He slumped forward against me, his body dragging me to the floor and covering me.

I lay frozen beneath Cristian's weight, my heart pounding in my chest. The gunfire continued to echo around us, but all I could focus on was how still he'd become. His body, usually so full of manic energy, was eerily motionless.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

Not now.

"Cristian," I whispered, my voice breaking as he didn't respond or move.

Was he even breathing? I tried to focus on his chest, but my own trembling form made it difficult.

"Don't you die on me, you prick," I hissed as tears stung my eyes.

Kenny's carrier sat on the ground beside me, and I caught sight of his eyes peering out. He remained silent, watching me intently. I was grateful for his calm presence right now, and I focused on him as I tried to steady my breathing.

The gunfire was dispersing now, shots no longer raining down as heavily. I held onto Cristian's shirt, trying to feel any sign of life.

Was this how it would end for us? Him dying trying to save me?

The Russos would be upon us any second now, and I'd be a goner. Either that or taken prisoner again to use against them.

"Please…" I whimpered pitifully.

Footsteps thundered nearby, and I held my breath, looking to Kenny for any comfort I could possibly gather right now. Men burst into the room, their weapons raised as they pointed their guns down at Cristian. I refused to look at them, focusing on Kenny, not wanting to see it if they pulled their trigger.

My baby would never be born.

Before I could react, shots rang out, and they crumpled to the floor, bumping Cristian's arms and knocking Kenny's carrier to the side, taking away my own comfort and focal point. I flinched, squeezing my eyes shut as more men entered, my heart catching.

Suddenly, hands grasped Cristian, pulling him off me. I gasped, my eyes flying open to see familiar faces – bodyguards I recognized from the Silvestri men. They lifted Cristian's limp form, his chest barely rising and falling, but it was there now that I could see him properly.

"Is he okay?" I croaked, struggling to sit up as I sucked in deep breaths. "Please, tell me he's okay!"

They didn't answer, carrying him swiftly from the room amongst shouts and orders. I scrambled to my feet, ready to follow, when a pair of strong arms wrapped around me.

"Scarlet, it's me," Julian's voice was low and steady in my ear.

I turned in his embrace, burying my face against his chest. "Julian, Cristian... he's..."

"Shh, everything's going to be okay," he murmured, stroking my hair. "We've got him. He's tough, you know that."

A sob tore from my throat, and I clung to Julian as the tears began to fall. All the fear, adrenaline, and worry crashed over me in a tidal wave of emotion. Julian held me tight, his presence solid and reassuring.

"He knew, at least," I whispered between sobs. "I just told him..."

Julian's arms tightened around me. "Told him what?"

I sobbed softly as I shook my head. "I took a test. I'm pregnant."

He tensed against me, his arms tightening.

"You're positive?"

"Yes." I mumbled weakly.

"He'll be okay, and he'll want us to take care of you and your baby. We'll protect you both, I promise. Let's get you out of here, okay?" he said gently, although there was a slight tinge to his voice, and I knew he was still processing what I'd told him.

I nodded weakly against his chest, allowing him to guide me. As we moved, I instantly thought of Kenny and reached for his carrier. Julian understood immediately, scooping it up without a word.

We made our way through the destruction, furniture blown to bits, men from both sides gunned down. Julian shielded me from the worst of it, keeping me close to him. My mind raced with thoughts of Cristian, the baby, and the uncertain future ahead. But for now, all I could do was trust Julian and hope that somehow, everything really would be okay.

That this was over.

And Cristian would be okay.

I sat in the backseat of the vehicle, barely registering Julian's voice as he spoke on the phone to Tyrone. My hands rested on my belly, my mind consumed with thoughts of Cristian. He couldn't die on me now. We had some twisted, fucked-up connection, and the thought of him dying was agonizing.

The world outside blurred as we sped through the streets. I caught fragments of Julian's conversation - "critical condition," "lost a lot of blood," "surgery" - but couldn't bring myself to focus on the details. My chest felt tight, each breath a struggle as I fought back tears.

Julian's hand came to rest on my leg, warm and steady. "How are you holding up?"

I turned to him, tears welling in my eyes despite my efforts to keep them at bay. Without a word, he pulled me against his chest, his fingers threading through my hair in a soothing rhythm.

"Cristian's on his way to the hospital," Julian murmured, his voice a low rumble against my ear. "He's still breathing, they're fighting to keep him alive."

My heart clenched painfully in my chest, a wave of nausea washing over me. I struggled to form words, my throat tight with unshed tears. "Will he live?" I finally choked out, my voice barely above a whisper. The question hung in the air between us, heavy with fear and uncertainty.

Julian's chest rose and fell with a deep sigh, his arms tightening around me. I could feel the tension in his body, the worry radiating off him in waves. "I don't know," he admitted after a long moment, his voice low and heavy with the weight of the unknown. "The doctors will do everything they can, but..." He trailed off, leaving the grim possibilities unspoken.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the horrifying images that flashed through my mind. Cristian, bleeding and broken. Cristian, slipping away from us. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him, not when we'd already been through so much.

We sat in silence for a while, the only sounds were my muffled sobs against Julian's shirt. The adrenaline that had kept me going earlier had long since faded, leaving me drained and spent. My emotions were a tangled mess, grief and fear battling with a desperate hope that Cristian would pull through.

As Julian held me, I found myself thinking of the baby growing inside me. A child that might never know its father if it wound up being Cristian's. The thought sent a fresh wave of tears cascading down my cheeks, soaking into Julian's already damp shirt.

"I can't lose him," I whispered, more to myself than to Julian. "Not now. Not like this."

I'd only just started trying to trust him properly again, and we still had a long way to go. But he'd proven himself willing, shown his efforts.

He'd protected me, come for me, and been there for me when death was nipping at my heels.

Julian's arms tightened around me, but he remained silent. There were no words of comfort he could offer, no promises he could make. We both knew the gravity of Cristian's condition.

Julian reached down to the carrier at his feet, opening up the door as I watched quietly. Kenny stepped out, peering up at us before Julian scooped him up and set him in my lap.

As soon as we'd gotten in the car, Julian had checked him over for injury, and somehow, he'd been unscathed.

My fingers absently stroked Kenny's soft fur as fresh tears spilled down my cheeks.

Julian's voice cut through the haze of my thoughts. "I haven't told Tyrone about the pregnancy," he said softly. "I think that should come from you."

I nodded, barely registering his words. My mind was a whirlwind of fear and anxiety. "All this shit... it could make me lose it," I muttered, my voice thick with emotion.

"Don't talk like that," Julian said firmly, his hand squeezing my shoulder.

I shook my head, more tears falling. "I don't want to lose it," I whispered. "I want this baby more than anything."

My voice caught in my throat as I thought about Cristian. If it was his baby... The possibility was too much to bear. I couldn't finish the thought, choking on a sob instead.

Julian's arm wrapped around me, pulling me close. "No matter what happens, Scarlet, you'll always have me and Tyrone," he assured me. After a pause, he added with a hint of humor, "And Kenny, of course."

Despite everything, I felt the corners of my mouth twitch upward. I looked down at the cat in my lap, continuing to stroke his fur. Kenny purred contentedly, his presence grounding, a small piece of normalcy right now.

"Thank you," I murmured to Julian, leaning into his embrace. The warmth of his body and Kenny's weight on my lap provided a welcome sense of security amidst everything.

The car continued its journey through the now darkened evening, carrying us towards an uncertain future. I clung to Julian and tried to focus on the steady rhythm of Kenny's purrs. It was all I could do to keep from falling apart completely.

At least I wasn't alone.