The Twelve Zenati Pt. 03

"Fuck!" Vivienne swore and went to pour another glass of wine. He had been right again. While she had left and gone about her business with the Vitali this afternoon, and dinner this evening, Genesis had continued to help Serena. He had ensured that she was clean and comfortable and well-fed. The necessities of life that she would need to be able to heal, including feeling safe with the people who were looking after her. When she'd last seen the girl early this afternoon, she had looked terrified and was barely interacting with even the hospital staff who, every patient should know, were there to look after them. Yet Genesis had accomplished this transformation in less than a day.

"God, as if I don't feel shitty enough," she thought and collapsed into a chair, staring at her phone. It was only then that she noticed the words typed below the picture. "Genesis has some information he wants to discuss tomorrow if you are willing. He believes your initial prognosis might be flawed," she read. "Fuck! Could this get any worse?" she asked the emptiness of her room and drank deeply from her glass.

She needed to go home. She was in control at home. No one questioned her credentials or authority at home. She didn't meet passionate and forthright people like Genesis and Gideon at home. Life was boring at home. She didn't want to go home even though she could see now that she needed to, if only to save face from having to admit to Gideon that he was right, once again.

*****

Genesis wheeled Serena into the room where the body of Remington Royce lay. The doctor had explained the man's injuries and that his brain had been starved of oxygen and blood for too long as he was rushed to the hospital for life-saving surgery. She sat unmoving throughout the explanation, her engagement ring clasped in her left hand. Genesis said nothing but remained beside her with a hand on her shoulder as she listened. He could feel the tell-tale shudders as Remy's injuries were described that told him that despite her blank stare, she was taking in what was being said.

Beatrice Schwann, who Serena had known as Aunty Bea, had signed the paperwork required to cease the life-saving measures, but had declined to attend the hospital to see either Remington or Serena, while under guard. She had relented and signed the paper after a similar conversation to the one Serena had just endured. He wouldn't tell Serena that the woman she knew and trusted had refused to see her. It was enough that she knew that Bea had signed the paperwork to turn off the machines. Genesis wheeled her closer to the bed.

"I'm going to leave you to say goodbye," Genesis said, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "I will be close by. All you need to do is say my name and I will return to you. You are safe here, sweet girl. I will protect you and keep you safe, little one." He withdrew his hand and stepped backwards, watching her intently.

Serena said nothing but felt the almost painful loss of Genesis' touch again. She needed that connection, she realised. His touch grounded her and soothed her anxiety. She had nowhere to go, no one else who loved her now. No one else wanted her except the man Remy had chosen to look after her. Even in death, Remy was still taking care of her. She looked at the man whom she had loved completely lying so still on the bed and attached to several machines that worked noisily to sustain his life. It was cruel to keep him here with his strength and powerful persona gone. She reached out and touched his hand. It was warm but lifeless. The fingers hung down as she lifted his hand, and she felt real grief and fear twist in her gut. He was gone, and now she had to make another man happy so that he would look after her and keep her safe. A man she had seemed to constantly disappoint so far.

The alternatives didn't bear thinking about for Serena, but she sat quietly holding Remy's hand as tears ran down her cheeks. Without him, she was nothing. She was that weak, stupid little girl, living day to day on a run-down little boat and working in the worst of places for a lecherous boss. She was the discarded and irredeemable daughter and sister from a great and powerful family that she had turned her back on and betrayed. She couldn't, and she wouldn't, face them again. The shame and guilt would be far too much to bear No, Olivia Gambaro was dead, and now she would be whoever Genesis needed her to be to survive. She sighed heavily and pulled her hand away from the dying man who had failed, not only to protect her, but to protect himself.

"When will they do it?" Serena asked out loud, knowing Genesis was close enough to hear her.

"As soon as you have said goodbye," Genesis answered, stepping forward to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Can I stay while they do it?" she asked. in a choked voice.

"Are you sure that is what you want, sweet girl?" Genesis asked.

"I need to know that there is not even the smallest chance that he will recover before I accept anything else from you. I need to know he won't come back to punish me for breaking all his rules by leaving me for a truly perfect woman, one who wouldn't betray him the way I have today," she let out a sob and blinked another fat tear onto her cheek.

"If that is what you need, then I will provide it," Genesis said, his concern for her over-riding his initial belief that she wouldn't be able to handle seeing Remy's death first hand. "I will be the one to ensure that you get what you need and want now." He nodded over his shoulder at Gideon, and his brother went in search of the doctor to carry out the cessation of the life-saving measures that had been undertaken for Remington Royce.

The whole process took less than half an hour, and as the doctor called the time of death Serena let out a shuddering breath and gripped Genesis' hand hard, as if to draw strength from him rather than fall apart. He watched her from his position beside her and saw the tension and relief war within her posture.

"He's gone now, little one. My brothers and I will make the funeral arrangements for him, if you like," he offered. To his knowledge, all of Remington's friends and family had been arrested, and there would be no one to mourn him, but if it gave Serena closure then he would do it gladly.

"No," she said softly. She couldn't face Kairos, Aunty Bea or anyone from her life with Remy now. Not without his love and protection. Not with this new man who would take the love she held for Remy as his own now. Those people were never her friends or family anyway; they were his and she had been told to treat them as if they were invisible. She was all alone now, just as she had been when she had run into Remy's arms that fateful night. She turned to look at Genesis. She was his now, and she had to trust him. Remy would have wanted her to trust him, and she didn't want to be all alone again and struggling to live each day.

"You don't want a funeral for him?" Genesis asked, taken aback by the single softly-uttered word.

"Others will do that. He was respected and loved by many, not just me. I don't belong to him anymore," she said as if this made perfect sense. "When can we leave the hospital?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I haven't decided yet. I will need to speak to your doctors again tomorrow, and there are still a few tasks that I need you to perform for me," he said, covering his shock at her words with an authoritative tone. "I will take you back to your room so that you can sleep. It is late, and you have had an emotional day."

"You said that if I was good that you would ease the ache again," she practically whispered.

"Yes, I did," he agreed and began to wheel her back to her room without committing to whether he would follow through on his offer to let her climax again before she slept. Once again, he marvelled at how needy she was, that she would ask for this after watching the man she loved die. He wondered at what sort of drugs Remy had used on her that had left this sort of side-effect in their wake. "Give me half an hour to get her ready for bed," Genesis told Gideon as he passed through the doorway. "Then we can talk about what just happened. Can you leave a message for Noah to come to meet us in the morning and possibly bring something decent for breakfast with him?"

"I have something that I need to do first up, but I'll let Noah know," Gideon responded, falling into step beside Genesis. "Just buzz me when you have got the little Pixie all tucked into bed with visions of sugar plums dancing in her head."

"Will do. Thanks, Gideon," Genesis said seriously and gave his brother a wan smile.

"You'll do it for me when I find my curse breaker," Gideon chuckled and moved on toward the waiting room on that floor while Genesis took Serena back to her room.

"Do you need to go to the bathroom while you are out of bed?" Genesis asked Serena as they entered her room.

"Yes, please," she agreed easily. Knowing that this was a possibility all the time was more than a relief for her, now that she was eating and drinking what Genesis asked of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and curled against his chest, feeling his muscles bunch as he lifted her from the chair and carried her into the bathroom. He didn't leave her alone, rather sitting her on the toilet, returning to lock the door and then standing at the sink until she told him she was finished.

Genesis picked her up once she was done and helped her to stand at the wash basin as she washed her hands and face, then brushed her teeth, after his gentle command to go through the regular bedtime routine. Then he sat her up on the bench again and stepped between her legs. His left hand stroked over her cheek and neck before wrapping around her nape, gathering her hair between his fingers to tug, not so gently, tilting her face up to his to kiss her.

"You do not need to remind me of my duty to meet your needs, little slut. That is another transgression you will pay for once you are healed," Genesis growled softly. The fingers of his right hand tickled over Serena's neck to her right breast, noting the hardening nipple poking at the silky fabric covering it. "You will learn very quickly that I can be just as harsh as Remy obviously was when you deserve it," he continued to growl and pinched the nipple, disliking that the other one was still covered by a bandage. "Your body, however, needs time to heal. I won't damage it further to teach you a lesson just yet, but do not think me weak or unwilling to do so." He punctuated his words by twisting the nipple and swallowing her whimper of pain with his kiss. "I know and understand what you need. You must trust me to do what is right for you, not what you believe I should do."

"Yes, Genesis," she whined as his fingers finally released her nipple to trail down over her rib cage and undamaged hip.

"You were a very good girl up until that point, however, so I will give you the respite from the ache that plagues your body and thoughts." He pushed the hem of the chemise up her legs, baring the flimsy lace panties. "You cannot twist or flex too much. If you do, there is the risk of further damage to the wound on your side, so I will need to support you. Keep your eyes on mine at all times," he instructed, removing his hand from her neck and hair and lowering it to curl around her waist and hold her in place. The fingers of his other hand pushed aside the lace covering her pussy and stroked into her slit, finding her already wet and warm as he had expected. His fingers glided easily over her clit, making her breath quicken and her body stiffen in his arms. His finger slipped into her easily, and keeping his thumb on her clit, he fucked her with first one, then two fingers, feeling each tremble run through her body as he held her in place.

"Oh God, I need..." she gasped. "I want..." Her eyes closed momentarily, making him growl at her until they popped open again. "Oh God, please, please, can I cum?" she gasped. "Please, Genesis!"

"Yes, my needy little slut. Cum for me and only for me from now on." he ordered and continued to fuck her with his fingers as the first spasm rocked her body, leaving her gasping and whining in pleasure, tinged with the pain from her wounds, as he held her. "You're mine," he growled. "You will only cum for me now. You are still forbidden from touching yourself, and if you need help to follow that rule, you will ask me," he growled softly bending to kiss her again. Withdrawing his fingers as she calmed down from the small high, he offered them to her to clean and watched avidly as she licked and sucked on them.

He cleaned her gently before picking her up and taking her back to her bed. The nurse he had approved of earlier that evening had returned and waited patiently with the medication to help Serena sleep as well as the muscle relaxant. She reattached the drip and left the room without saying more than the few words she had used to explain the medication that Serena was being given and to settle the girl before she touched her arm.

"Sleep now, my sweet girl. You have made me very happy today, despite the occasional misdemeanour," he said as he leaned over to kiss her softly.

"Thank you, Genesis. Good night my lo... ve..." She drew out the word, testing its sound and value. It was too early, perhaps, to say such things, but Remy was dead now. The love of her life was gone, and she needed to trust that Remy would only have given her to someone that he respected enough to let her love him in his place.

"It will become easier," Genesis soothed, stroking her hair and smiling down on her. "You make me very happy. Sleep now."

He continued to stroke her hair as the medication took effect. Content that she would sleep through almost anything now, he buzzed his brother and wasn't surprised when Dominic walked in with him to discuss his own plans about what was happening in the family now.

"I wasn't able to speak to Nathanael, but he is recovering well from the wounds he received protecting the new Mother of the Gambaro. So I spoke with his father briefly. Olivia's family are second cousins to the Table one or two generations removed, I believe. Her father is a hard-ass for the old laws and traditions, so he wiped his hands of her when she left. Those that kept an eye on her believed her dead. The man she left home with filed a missing person report just over a year ago, claiming that she and the little boat sailed out into a storm and hadn't been seen since. They buried her or at least an empty casket with her name on it." Dominic explained all the extra information that he had gathered about the family of Olivia Gambaro.

"I see, and the sister who is arriving tomorrow?" Genesis asked.

"She asked permission to be the one to come. The men of the Table never really knew Olivia well and this sister, Marcella Gambaro, was apparently close to Olivia before she left. She's a lawyer, a good one apparently. Her father refused to pay for her to go through university, claiming it was a waste of time and money when she was pretty enough to marry into a Table," Dominic chuckled. "So, she put herself through university on student loans and part-time jobs."

"Other siblings?" Genesis asked even though he knew this information from the small amount of snooping that he'd been able to do in the last two days.

"Two brothers, both professional and succeeding in their chosen fields, and a sister who married into the Farnese Table. Both Marcella and Olivia bucked the traditional roles set out for them, it seems," Dominic nodded. "I don't think Marcella will be a problem with letting you care for her sister. Somehow, I don't think her father will welcome her back with open arms."

"We'll see, but forewarned is forearmed," he gave a half smile. "What is wrong with you?" he asked Gideon irritably, noting his grimace and continual rubbing of his tummy.

"Bellyache," Gideon grimaced, putting his phone away and taking his hand from his stomach. "Musta been something I ate at lunch. It's been twisting and turning since then."

"What's her name?" Dominic asked. "The woman you had lunch with?"

"I didn't. I ate on the run and brought food here for the little Pixie," he indicated the woman in the bed in front of them.

"Yeah, well, who did you get the food from or meet here when the belly ache started?" Dominic chuckled and winked at Genesis.

"Oh no. You aren't pulling the curse breaker stuff on me, Dom. Besides, I haven't had any heart attacks today and don't plan to start now. He's the one with the curse breaker, not me," Gideon said adamantly.

"Maybe you went out in sympathy for him. You are oddly close for brothers," he chuckled.

"Her name's Vivienne, and he was in lust at first sight. She agreed to a pity date with him, and he didn't even have to beg," Genesis chuckled. "How was the dinner tonight, Gideon?"

"It's not like that. I doubt Vivienne will even talk to me tomorrow, after I gave her a few home truths," he grimaced. "Like I said, my heart is safe. I just feel a bit queasy, that's all. No pain, no knife twisting in my gut. You two are way off base."

"I don't think so, but you believe what you want," Dominic shrugged. "You can't fight fate when she has you in her sights."

"I believe that I said similar words yesterday to you and Papa," Genesis said teasingly. "Yet I'm supposed to accept there is a curse, and you get to brush it off as nothing?"

"You went and saw Helena because you thought you had a heart attack. Geez, Gen. You had us all worried that you were going to die just because you found your curse breaker," Gideon grumbled. "You have no idea how much I want to find mine, but she's just not out there."

"Your belly begs to differ. Maybe you should listen to it, if you won't listen to me. You do remember I am the next Oracle, right?" Dominic chuckled. He liked the title and liked it even better when people trusted his instincts.

"I plan to see her in the morning and apologise for being so harsh with her tonight. If she forgives me, I will consider what you are saying might be true. She's pretty hot, so I wouldn't be upset if she is the one meant for me," Gideon grinned widely.

"I get the feeling that Noah is about to find his curse breaker too. Do you three ever do anything alone, anymore?" Dominic shook his head. "You should have been born triplets, then you could have had all the childhood milestones together as well."

*****