THE WOMEN'S SHELTER

Mateo’s pov~

I could be dead in a few hours, so I had to kiss her, to shut her up at least.

Her face was blank, white as snow.

“Ariana I need you to stay out of this one” I said, pushing a lock of her hair out of the way.

“No Mateo, I'm not leaving you to face them alone, and that kiss doesn't mean shit to me,” she replied.

Ahhhh the nerve of this girl! She pushes me to imagine crazy things!

It was too late to convince her, the dock was already in sight.

“I pulled her toward the front to receive the officers.

As we came to a halt at the dock the officers came on board.

He looked around before settling in front of Mateo and me.

“Who are you?” he inquired

“Enrique, Patricio sent me” I replied, looking down.

“Who is the girl?” He turned to look at me before scanning me.

“A stray Patricio picked up, she’s helps clean the boat” I replied after much thought.

She glanced at me before turning away in fright.

“Patricio should have called ahead,” he said. “Go back”

I stood there not knowing what to do next, 

“We can't do that” I replied, gesturing for Ariana to stay back.

The second officer looked at Mateo sternly before responding.

“ I think I've seen him at the restaurant before,” he said.

I was shocked. 

Maybe it was my murderous intent making itself clear but the officer stood on his word.

“Have Patricio call us as soon as you can?”  the other said before turning to go back up to the docks.

I handed him Patricio's papers and he nodded.

I didn't want to leave anything to chance so I quickly docked the boat under their watchful gaze.

Then it happened, one of them got too curious.

He came aboard the boat and started going through everything.

“Something is not right Enrique” he started.

Ariana and I both glanced at each other before I stealthily walked up behind the first one.

I slit his throat.

Before I could get to the curious one, Ariana had stabbed him in the back.

“Oh wow, right in his back?” I mocked,  throwing the guards into the ocean.

“I'm not in the mood Mateo, let's just get Serena and go” she retorted.

I don't know why she's so irritated!

Is it related to pregnancy?

She'd rather see me dead than speak to Me.

Soon everyone was safely off the boat and we had gathered behind a big tree.

“We have only got less than twenty-four before the guards come for a shift change, that's all the time we had” I started.

“Maria, you are going to take the girls to the convent and figure out where Serena is,” I instructed, she nodded and so did Luna.

“What are you going to do?” my wife asked, looking at me with worry.

“Im going to find a way to stall and wait for you to come back with the info we need to get Serena out” I quickly responded.

Ariana’s pov~

I hate the idea of separating from this man and his cute hair but it had to be done.

We had to get Serena out, Don Rinaldi had left her to her fate.

“Be careful Mateo?” I said touching his chin lightly before my stepmother hurried me toward the convent.

As we approached deeper into the island.

We could see that Massimo owned everything on the island.

From the restaurant down to the school.

It is Massimo’s island.

As we opened the door to the convent a sister approached us.

“Hello, I'm sister Renata, how can I help you?” she inquired.

“Hi im Maria, these are my daughters, im a widow and it's a tragedy what’s happened to me” she started, tears welling up in her eyes.

I wondered how twisted my stepmother could be.

“That's what's so sad Maria, my condolences,” sister Renata said touching her outstretched hand for pity.

Luna was quiet, when I tried to maintain eye contact she looked away.

“I had nowhere else to take them, this one got knocked up, I can't feed this one anymore, no one will marry them, they have both brought disgrace to my husband's family name” she continued.

I could tell sister Renata felt so much pity for her.

“Im sure the sisters at Saint Collete’s Shelter for Women can help” she smiled.

She turned and gestured for us to follow her.

We walked for a while before stopping at an office where mother superior waited for us.

“Mother, these three are new, you have to listen to their story so touching” sister Renata started.

“Sister Renata I've warned you to stop bringing in strays! We have a proper channel for this!” she thundered.

Sister Renata went quiet, her hands clasped in front of her thighs.

“Have a seat, sorry about that” Mother Superior smiled gesturing for Maria to sit.

After explaining the same bullshit to mother superior, we watched a grown woman shed a tear.

My stepmother was one hell of an actress

“I'll take them in, Luna you go with sister Renata, she will show you where we can use your volunteer services” she announced.

Wow, she bought my stepmother’s bullshit.

“Ariana you come with me, I'll show you where you will stay until your child is born” she mentioned before getting up.

Soon we were out, sister Renata took Luna and Maria, while Mother Superior escorted me.

As we went, she read me the morality clause.

Eventually, we got to a room full of women, they looked tired and worn out.

I wondered about the untold horror that goes on here.

“Gather round” she called out before hitting the iron bed with her cane.

The women gathered, and I scanned the room looking for Serena.

“This is Ariana, she got herself knocked up and her mother has come to dump her at our doorstep” mother superior started in a scary tone.

“What are we going to do to Ariana?” she asked, facing me.

“Teach her to close her legs” there were multiple replies.

“Hear that Ariana, by the time we are done with you, sex will be a distant thought for you, I can't wait to turn you into a proper woman” she smiled.

“moulding us to Submit to these ruthless and vile men is not teaching us to be a proper woman, it's no worse than slavery”

Some women nodded, others scoffed.

And mother superior didn't like it.

I could tell I had bitten off more than I could chew.