The Don’s Soulmate

58. Carlotta

Chapter 58

Carlotta

A searing pain rips through my body, and I can't hold back a scream. I knew giving birth was meant to be painful, but my body feels like it’s being ripped apart, my organs shedding to pieces. The car lurches, and I grip the leather seats. My knuckles are white with tension.

"Ettore," I gasp, my voice trembling. "I … I can’t do this,” I cry, my eyes closing shut as tears pour down my eyes.

Without a word, he moves between my legs, his hands gentle yet firm as he assesses the situation.

Another contraction hits, and I cry out, my body convulsing with the force of it. Through tear-blurred vision, I see Ettore’s worried eyes on mine, Sofia's hands tighten on the steering wheel and she looks back at me briefly, her knuckles as white as mine.

"Hold on, Carlotta," Sofia calls back, her voice strained. "We're almost there."

The car swerves violently, and I almost slide off the seat. Ettore's strong arms steady me.

"Breathe, amore mio," he murmurs, his usually commanding voice softened with concern. "Just breathe."

I try to focus on his words, on the rhythm of my breath, but the pain is overwhelming. Another scream escapes me as the car takes a sharp turn. I feel like I’m being torn apart, alive.

"Sofia!" Ettore barks, his patience wearing thin. "Be careful!"

"I'm trying!" Sofia shouts back, fear evident in her voice. "But he’s still on our tail!"

My heart races, not just from the labor but from the danger we're in. I want to look and assess if our baby will be safe by the end of it, but another contraction steals my breath away.

Ettore's hands are on me again, his touch sure and steady. "You're doing great, Carlotta," he says, his eyes never leaving mine. "Our bambino is almost here. You just focus on the baby, okay? Leave the rest to us."

Despite the pain and fear, my heart swells with love for this man, my soulmate. Even in this chaos, he's my anchor, my strength.

The car jerks again, and I hear Sofia curse under her breath. Through the rear window, I catch a glimpse of the other vehicle, sleek and sturdy, gaining on us.

"Ettore," I whimper, gripping his arm. "How far is the hospital?”

It’s not just that I fear delivering in a car. We’ll be safe in a hospital. He can’t shoot us there, not with a hundred people milling around, can he?

Ettore’s jaw clenches as he looks behind me, through the window, at the car chasing us, that familiar anger flashing in his eyes. "Don't worry about that now, amore. Focus on our baby."

But as another contraction wracks my body and Sofia takes another heart-stopping turn, I can't help but wonder what kind of world we're bringing our child into.

Ettore's calm voice cuts through my haze of pain. "Breathe, Carlotta. Just like we practiced." His hands are steady, his blue eyes focused as he guides me. "When the next contraction hits, I need you to push. I see the baby crowning."

I nod, gritting my teeth. The car swerves violently, and I hear Sofia cursing.

"What's happening?" I gasp, fear clawing at my throat.

Before Ettore can answer, a deafening crack pierces the air. Glass shatters, raining down on us.

Gunshots.

My heart pounds furiously. "Ettore!" I cry out, reaching for him.

He's already shielding me with his body, his muscular frame tense. "Stay down, amore," he growls.

Another contraction seizes me, and I can't hold back my scream. Ettore's eyes lock with mine, his gaze intense. "Push now, Carlotta. Push!"

I bear down, the pain and fear and adrenaline all mixing into a chaotic whirlwind. More gunshots ring out, bullets whizzing past us, narrowly missing.

Suddenly, Ettore's eyes flash with determination. He holds my hand but leans forward to the front seat, his voice low and urgent. "Sofia, listen carefully. We need to shake him. At the next intersection, make a hard U-turn. He’s going to follow and you slow down, let him be with us bumper to bumper. Drive into the next big vehicle you see, a large one, a truck preferably. Last minute, swerve."

My eyes widen in terror. "Ettore, are you insane? We can't—"

"Trust me, amore," he says, his hand squeezing mine reassuringly. "It's our best chance."

I want to protest, but another contraction hits, stealing my breath. Ettore shifts his attention back to me, his hands gentle yet firm as they support me. "You're doing beautifully, Carlotta. I can see the head. One more big push."

The car lurches as Sofia executes the U-turn. I cry out, partly from the pain of labor, partly from fear. Ettore's steady presence anchors me.

"Push, cara. Push now!" he commands.

I bear down with all my strength, feeling like death would be a welcome surrender. Ettore's eyes never leave mine as I clench his hand.

"That's it, amore. You're so strong. Our bambino is almost here," he murmurs, his voice a mix of pride and awe.

The car swerves violently, and I grab onto the seat to steady myself. I have no idea what’s happening now, nor do I have the courage to ask.

"Ettore!" I scream as another contraction rips through me. The pressure is unbearable, and I feel like I'm being split in two.

"I'm here, cara," Ettore says, his voice steady despite the chaos around us. His blue eyes lock onto mine, fierce and determined. "The baby's crowning. You're so close."

I bear down, pushing with all my might. The sound of horns blaring and tires screeching fills the air, but Ettore's voice cuts through it all.

"That's it, Carlotta. You're doing beautifully. One more big push."

Tears stream down my face as I gather my remaining strength. "I can't," I sob, overwhelmed by the pain and fear.

Ettore's hand cups my face, his touch gentle yet firm. "You can, amore. You're the strongest woman I know. Our baby needs you now."

His words ignite something within me. With a guttural cry, I push again, feeling the baby slip from my body. The relief is instant, followed by the most beautiful sound I've ever heard – the acknowledgment of new life.

"He's here," Ettore whispers, his voice thick with emotion. "Our son is here, Carlotta."

Suddenly, a piercing cry fills the air, cutting through the chaos of screeching tires and blaring horns. My eyes fly open, meeting Ettore's gaze. His eyes, usually so calculating, now swim with an emotion I've never seen before – pure, unbridled joy.

"He's here," I breathe, my heart swelling with love as Ettore shows him to me. I look down at our son. His tiny face is scrunched up, wailing his arrival to the world. Despite the danger surrounding us, a bubble of laughter escapes my lips.

Ettore bends down, cradling our baby boy in his strong arms. His voice, usually so commanding, is soft as he whispers, "I love you both so much."

I drink in the sight of our child – a perfect miniature of Ettore and me, from his shock of dark hair resembling mine to the determined set of his tiny jaw inspired by his father. Tears blur my vision as overwhelming joy courses through me.

"He's beautiful," I murmur, reaching out to touch his velvet cheek. "Just like his papa."

Ettore's lips brush my forehead, tender despite the calluses on his scarred hands. "You did it, cara. You were so brave." His praise washes over me, soothing the aches of labor and fear.

"We did it," I correct him, my voice thick with emotion. "Together."

As I gaze at Ettore holding our son, I see a new side of this dangerous man – a protector, a father. In this moment, surrounded by chaos yet cocooned in love, I know that no matter what comes next, we'll face it as a family.

The tender moment shatters as a bullet whizzes past, embedding itself in the headrest inches from my face. I instinctively curl around our newborn, shielding him with my body.

"Sofia, hard left!" Ettore barks, his arm bracing against the door to keep us steady. The car lurches violently, tires squealing as we careen around a corner.

My heart pounds, and adrenaline surges. "Ettore, he’s getting closer!"

His eyes meet mine, fierce determination blazing in their depths. "We're not letting him take our son, Carlotta. I swear it."

Another shot rings out. I flinch, clutching our baby tighter as he wails in distress. "Shh, tesoro," I whisper, trying to keep my voice steady. "Mama's here. You're safe."

Sofia's knuckles are white on the steering wheel. "There's a tunnel ahead. If we can lose him there—"

"Do it," Ettore commands. He turns to me, his hand cupping my cheek. "Hold on tight, cara. This might get rough."

As we plunge into darkness, I close my eyes and pray. To whatever gods might be listening, to the universe itself – please, let us escape. Let our family survive this nightmare.

The tunnel seems endless, a blur of flickering lights and loud echoes. I'm hyper-aware of every jolt, every swerve, my arms instinctively tightening around our son.

"We're losing him!" Sofia's voice is breathless with hope.

Ettore leans forward, eyes scanning the road ahead. "There's an exit coming up. Take it, but be ready to double back if we need to."

"Ettore," I whisper, "what if—"

He cuts me off gently. "No 'what ifs,' cara. We're getting out of this. All of us."

The car bursts out of the tunnel, and the street lights momentarily blind me. I blink rapidly, trying to orient myself.

"I don't see him," Sofia reports, her voice taut with tension.

"Keep going," Ettore instructs. "We need to put more distance between us."

Our son whimpers softly, and I press a kiss to his forehead. "It's okay, little one," I murmur. "We're safe now. We're—"

The words die in my throat as a truck suddenly appears in my peripheral vision, gunning straight for us.

"Sofia, watch out!" I scream, my body curling protectively around our baby.