Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 759 : I Don’t Want to Fight

*Cat*

I stared blankly at the TV as it moved through channels, the sound cutting off before it could settle on one thing. I wasn’t paying attention to what flashed across the screen. My hand was sore from holding the channel button on the remote for so long, and I was pretty sure I had cycled through all of the channels at least twice.

But I couldn’t stop.

I was waiting impatiently, anxiously curled up in my blankets with the lights in the house still off where I had been since I had gotten home from my shopping trip with Anna. It was late, the sky outside already dark, and it was two hours past when Elio would usually come home.

The untouched takeout I had ordered still sat on the coffee table, probably cold by now. I sighed as I dropped the remote, leaning back on the couch and taking another anxious glance out the window.

Still nothing.

I opened up my phone, the bright light shining like a beacon, but my last five texts had still gone unanswered. I knew he had seen them, that he had his phone on him, but there was still no answer.

“Baby,” I said quietly as I laid a hand over my stomach, “your daddy’s fucked up real bad this time.”

She was the only thing keeping me sane these past few hours, and I wished more than anything that Elio would say something, anything, even just to tell me he was okay and he’d be coming back home.

I plopped over onto my side, letting the TV run at whatever show it had settled on as I rotated my engagement ring on my finger, trying not to break down into sobs as I wondered in a moment of hysteria if perhaps this meant Elio was never coming back home.

If he didn’t want me anymore.

I wasn’t sure how long I had laid there, just quietly suffering in my anxiety until eventually, I heard the rumble of a car pull into the driveway. I jerked up from where I was sitting, leaning out to see outside, and sure enough, Elio was getting out of his car and walking up to the doorway.

I breathed a sigh of relief, both because he had come back home and that he was safe. But I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy, not this time.

I heard the door open quietly, and his footsteps on the floor as he approached before suddenly stopping just beyond the wall. I heard him give a deep sigh and then come in.

I glanced over at him as he appeared in the doorway and he gently flicked on the light. I winced, hiding my eyes in the blanket for a second until my eyes adjusted, and then looked up at him again expectantly.

There was an awkwardness as we stared at one another, and despite how much I wanted to fling myself into his arms and just go to bed with his arms around me, I knew that wouldn’t solve anything.

Our problems ran deeper than that.

And I just couldn’t let it go.

I shifted anxiously to a sitting position then glanced at the TV as I said, “What did you learn today?”

Elio sighed, exhaustion weighing down his shoulders as he took a seat on one of the chairs. “One of our guys was killed. John. A good man. They... we’re arranging a funeral for him. I had to go tell his wife.”

“Ah,” I said, sympathetically.

We both fell into silence and I glanced up at Elio, who just looked tired as he sat back in the chair, watching me equally.

“These people–MS13–do you think they’ll come after the baby?” I asked bluntly, searching his face for any sign of the truth.

He stiffened, scowling as he faced me with a livid expression. “Did Leo call you? What the fuck did he say to you?” He rose to his feet, and my breath hitched as I saw a new side of him, an extremely ugly one.

“What are you talking about? Why would Leo call me?” I blurted out in shock.

I wasn’t sure what he saw on my face but Elio’s expression withered, his anger draining out of him until he collapsed back into the chair, his hands over his face as he mumbled, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean....”

I put aside my anger at him for the moment as I slid out of the cocoon of blankets I had made and then made my way over to him. I brushed my hands through his curls, and he responded eagerly, resting his head gently on my belly.

“Elio,” I said, trying to be as gentle as possible. “I know you want to protect me and I know you love me. but what you’re doing–it isn’t working. I’m not just your fiance. I’m your partner, remember? You’ve gotta talk to me. What is going on?”

He looked up at me with watery eyes, giving me such a sad pitiful look that I couldn’t help but bend down to kiss his lips ever so softly.

“Talk to me,” I whispered. “I promise no matter how angry I am, I will love you forever and ever. Nothing will change that, okay?”

He heaved a sigh, shoulders fully collapsing as he leaned on me, still careful of the baby but taking the comfort he so desperately needed right now. And then he opened his lips and explained everything.

He told me about the threats and attacks MS13 had done, the pain they had caused upon their men, and how they had purposefully left John’s mutilated body as a message.

I tried to keep calm, only listening as he said what needed to be said until he reached the part about the threats against me and most importantly, against our child.

I stilled, staring blankly at the wall as a storm of emotions raged within me–hurt, anger, disappointment, resentment.

“And through all of this,” I said more calmly than I felt, looking at Elio for answers, “you kept this from me. Did you never once think that I deserved to know? So I could protect myself and our baby better instead of going out shopping with my mother and my best friend?”

Elio swallowed. “I did but... I wanted to protect you and the baby. You’re strong and can protect yourself, but you’re vulnerable right now and the baby... I was afraid telling you might hurt your pregnancy.”

“I see.”

Elio flinched at my cold response.

I understood Elio well. I knew he had done what he did to protect me, to do what he thought was right. But that was the problem.

What he did wasn’t right.

I exhaled deeply, keeping a tight grip over my emotions as Elio watched me intently, wondering what I was going to do now. And as much as I wanted to scream at him and ask him how he could do this to me yet again, I knew that would only damage our already flimsy relationship further.

“I need a minute,” I said instead, pulling away. I glanced aimlessly at the untouched food on the table, his favorite takeout restaurant that had now gone cold and was probably spoiled.

The irony was not lost on me.

Elio didn’t follow me and I was thankful for that as I made my way upstairs to our bedroom, feeling almost in a daze like I was sleepwalking as I grabbed my suitcase and neatly folded my clothes and necessities in there.

‘Just for a couple of days,’ I thought as I packed whatever I could. As soon as I zipped it up, I gripped my phone and pressed it against my ear.

“Hello?”

“Mom, I was wondering if I could come over. For a couple of days, I mean.”

There was a pause and then Mom asked hesitantly, “Is everything all right? Are you okay, Cat?”

“Of course,” I replied automatically feeling much too robotic, “I just miss you and want to spend some time with you. Just us, you know, the pregnancy is making me feel all nostalgic, you know?”

“Oh,” Her voice brightened, understanding and I knew she believed me. There was a little pang of guilt I felt for not telling her about the fight but I would tell her later, not right now when I felt like I was about to shatter into a million pieces. “Of course you can, sweetie. The cottage is pretty big. I’ll have the guest room all made up for you. It’s a bit late, but have you eaten? I have some leftover lasagna if you want some.”

“I haven’t and I’d love some,” I said with a faint smile.

“I’ll warm it up for you. Love you and see you soon.”

“Love you too.”

I wasn’t going far since Mom lived in a cottage on the compound, but this wasn’t about physical distance.

With that settled, I made my way downstairs, dragging my rolling suitcase even as it thumped against each stair loudly. But I wasn’t about to carry it down.

I walked past the living room and spotted Elio leaning up against the mini bar, a drink in his hand. He looked more disheveled than when I had left him. He looked up as I paused in the doorway and though his eyes were a bit glazed over, they focused intently on my suitcase and then me.

“Where are you going?” he asked, setting his glass down.

I could see the panic in his eyes as he rushed over but I stepped back, ignoring the hurt look on his face.

“I’m going to my mom’s,” I said quietly. “I... I love you, Elio but I can’t be around you right now, not without doing something stupid and hurting us both more. I need a night or a few to calm down before I can talk about this anymore.”

“No,” Elio said firmly, rounding to my side and gripping the handle of my suitcase as he tried to tug it away from me.

“Elio,” I said waringly, but he was far past listening, a determination burning and I realized he wasn’t going to let me go willingly.

“It’s just for a night or two,” I protested, keeping a firm hold on my suitcase. “I’ll still be in the compound.”

“No. Look, I can sleep in the guest room or on the couch or where you want, but you can’t leave,” Elio said, anxiously. “I need you to be under my roof, under my care. I’ll–I’ll do anything you want, I swear.”

“But you don’t!” I snapped, and then I swallowed at his wounded look, much too similar to an abandoned puppy in the rain for me to look at directly. I avoided his eyes, staring at the floor as I said, “How many times have we been through this? You think you’re doing what’s best for me, but you never learn. You should’ve told me the truth from the beginning!”

“I know. I’m sorry, I’ll do better next time so please, don’t leave,” Elio begged and my resolve was weakening by the minute.

I shut my mouth, holding firm as I shook my head, pulling away from Elio along with my suitcase. I knew he wouldn’t use his full strength against me or try to wrestle my suitcase away from me, and sure enough, I easily broke his hold.

“I’m sure you believe that,” I said sadly, my heart breaking as I saw tears in his eyes. “But this is my child, too, Elio, and you should’ve known that I would stop any threat against our baby no matter what it took. But time and time again, you hurt me by lying and keeping secrets. I don’t want to fight anymore, Elio. I just need a couple of days away from you, from all of this, so please, let me go.”

I headed for the door, not wanting to fight anymore but Elio followed me, pleading and making promises I knew he wouldn’t keep. He followed me out the doorway and to the driveway by the front gate that led back to my mom’s cottage.

“Cat, please!”

“No,” I turned back to him, tears running down my face as I saw how torn up we both were. “You should’ve trusted me, Elio.”

“Wait–” Elio grabbed my hand, pulling me forward.

I barely caught myself as everything happened all too quickly. A loud gunshot echoed across the street, boomingly loud and both of our eyes widened as I fell into Elio’s chest.

My heart raced as something unbearably hot hit my shoulder and I instinctively wrapped my hands around my stomach as Elio pulled me into his arms, falling back as we hit the ground. I gasped, breathing heavily as I recognized the scorching pain. I glanced at my shoulder where blood was now coating through my shirt.

“Cat!” Elio screamed as sounds of gunfire echoed around us and I saw him over me, and still in shock, all I could murmur was “The baby....”

Then it all went black.