Return of the Youngest Auclair

Ch. 14

My extended family had gone back to where they were staying for the week so it was only I left roaming the halls. Everyone had eaten dinner already and now for the most part, everyone was either in their offices or the living room. At least that's what I thought until I heard the quiet hum of a piano.

We did have one piano in the house. Mostly because nothing else says, elegant and rich like a whole damn grand piano. It was ridiculous really since only my mother and Alexandre knew how to play it well. My mother really did try to teach us, but after a while I think she was more worried that we were going to break it by slamming our hands down on the keys so she stopped trying. That being said, my brothers and I still found some use for it.

For example, Matheo and I used to play around it and use it as a hiding spot when needed against flying knives. Sadly, that didn't last long either once Mom saw what we were playing around the piano, I swear, I think she almost fainted. That piano has had a good life.

I slowly open the door to our larger gathering room where all the other mafia families and my family gather when they are not talking strictly business. Alexandre, who's fingers were once gracefully pressing the keys, stopped.

"Hello Cameron, is anything wrong?" Alexandre questions, turning slightly on the piano bench to look at me.

"If you mean if anyone is bleeding to death or not, no everyone is fine," I reply, closing the door behind me. I walk across the room and sit down in a nearby leather chair.

"Well, don't stop on my account. Continue playing-" I wave my hand around in the air trying to come up with the name of the song. "Whatever you were playing." I sigh out.

"Whatever I was playing," Alexandre laughs out. "Don't worry, I have a song picked out that I think you may enjoy a little bit more than Mozart."

And he's off again, his fingers sliding into the correct spots along the piano, but this time, the first key he presses leads to a flood of memories that had once slipped my mind.

"One more time Alex," fifteen year-old Lucien shouted at his brother, screaming mostly into my ear as I was being held by him.

"This time I am going to be louder than you," I say, pointing at Matheo.

"Like hell you are. I'm gonna beat you in this competition like I do with all the rest." Matheo shouts from where he was standing next to dad.

"Language Matheo. We talked about this," dad reprimanded, but you couldn't tell how serious it was based on the chuckle he gave out afterward.

I could tell Matheo was thinking of a comeback, but before he could share it Alexandre started playing the melody.

"Goodness gracious, dead bodies everywhere!" I mumble out the chorus to the song we all sang as a family, staring at Alexandre to see what he does.

"You remember," he says out over the melody. His fingers are still rapidly tapping the keys.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"Well take it away, Cam," he laughs.

I get up and walk closer to the grand piano. A small smile unknowingly spreads out on my lips.

"You hold that knife in a steady grip.
You plunge it deep, but, ohh, it doesn't stick.
That broke my will, but oh what a thrill." I sing out like a drunk at a bar. I pointed rapidly at Alexandre who had also been singing along.
"Goodness gracious, dead bodies everywhere!" When I noticed a few more voices were heard in the chorus, I turned to look at the door. That's when I saw, in front of the entrance, Lucien, Matheo, and Mylan, who had turned his head slightly when I looked at him.

"It's a party in here," Lucien says, turning my gaze back to him. A light smiles plays out on his lips.

"It's not a party without booze, and Cameron is older than 18 so now he can drink it legally." Matheo smirks, knowing exactly how he just admitted to me illegally drinking. "Let me go find a bottle," Matheo says trying to run away from my newly formed glare.

"We're not drinking tonight Matheo." Lucien says, then turns to me. From the looks of it Lucien also caught on to what Matheo said. "Seriously Cameron."

I give him a little shrug, "Calm down, it's not like you didn't drink illegally."

"He actually didn't. That's how he got alcohol poisoning on his 18th birthday," Alexandre snickers.

"Just, never mind forget I said anything. It doesn't matter anymore." Lucien shakes his head. He had a strong poker face, but you could slightly see his ears turn a light pink.

"Moving on," Lucien says, turning mostly to me. "The mafia ball is tomorrow at 6. As you probably already know, that's a good time to scope out any suspects. You can hide up at the top bar and have that be your home base for the night. What do you say?"

It's a difficult decision. On one hand, it would be great for tracking down clues, but on the other hand, I have a larger chance at my identity being expose, so it does make me feel better knowing that my brothers seem to have my back in keeping my identity hidden which I'm thankful for.

With a quiet sigh I nod my head to Lucien and say, "I will go."

He gives me a steady nod, while his green eyes scan my body posture for any sign of nervousness or emotion.

"I am going to head to bed for the night, good night." I wave to my brothers and quickly turn on my heel to go upstairs to my room.

As I go to turn the handle to my room, I feel two arms wrap around my waist. I immediately tense up, till I hear the sultry voice of the man I don't dislike.

"I want to ask you to join me in getting ice cream tomorrow and watching the sunrise."

I rest my head on his shoulder so I can look up at him backwards.

"Ice cream in the morning?" I question.

"Are you subtly telling me you don't have a sweet tooth anymore?" Aiden chuckles.

Of course I do, that's want I wanted to work at some sort of café.

"It seems that I can't get rid of that character trait."

"Good, so are you on for the sunrise."

"Sure," I say, but it sounds so quiet I worry he didn't hear me.

Aiden must have seen something in my eyes because he gives me a wide smile and leans down to connect our lips.

It wasn't a long kiss but just enough that we could share our warmth.

"Good night Cam," he smiles, turning to leave.

"Good night," my love, I wanted to add, but I couldn't get the small phase out of my lips before he had completely vanished from the hallway.

.............................

AN: The original song I used is called "Great Balls of Fire" from Top Gun: Maverick if anyone wishes to look it up.