[Mafia] Who Breaks a Butterfly?

(07) - San Carlo Cicchetti

| Elena De Angelis |

An instantaneous wave of remorse rushed through my body. My heart was now beating a million times faster. The emotional vulnerability I once had was now smouldering away my trepidation and replaced it with the glumness of realism.

"What do you mean?" I whispered, I felt so helpless - like I was drowning in a sea of deception and dishonesty. All the nights I spent crying, weeping in the comforts of my bed, they were all wasted hours of darkness. My heart was unnecessarily trampled on, but I should have expected it after all, with the history our families contained, I could never expect anything more.

"It's not definite, it's a possibility!" Elliot exclaimed, my insides blazing with rage at the denigration, only to be soothed by the wretched water of my tears.

"Well are you going to explain anything to me?" I hissed in a similar craze to a cynical rattle snake; I knew it wasn't his fault entirely... But even then he should have told me the moment he knew, he should never have left it until now. Although I was raised like this my entire life, forever kept in the obscurity of realism, my eyes and sentiments ravishing only what I could handle.

"Now nor here is the time to discuss this, I promise to tell you everything as soon as you are in Italy." He explained, the need to put up an argument had escaped me, I was still trying to process all the possibilities and I distinguished that all he said was for the best. "You will love Italy though; you can see everything I've been working on." The memories of my previous visits flooding my mind, I did want to see what he's been doing except if it's true what my grandmother says then I am in trouble. For all those who take a glimpse at the world they are born into they will inevitably be drawn to the profession.

"I do not want to be involved." I muttered, finally taking the time to brush away that tears that trickled down my cheeks.

"I promise you will never be a part of something you do not belong to." Elliot vowed, he always made promises and not once had he broken one.

"Yet I'm a part of this marriage." I raised an eyebrow defiantly, a small smirk tugging on my lips as he shot me a counterfeit glower, my brothers' eyes twinkling with memorable mischief.

"And it is something you belong to," he chuckled huskily before quickly regaining his strict composure. "You do not repeat a word of this to mum okay? She knows nothing and I wish for it to remain that way." I almost physically shrunk at the seriousness radiating off his gaze.

"But why can't she know? He is her husband," I frowned, even if I was still mad at her she had a right to know.

"She hides far more skeletons in her closet than dad and that is saying something." Elliot growled the anger evident in his bitter tone. "You keep it a secret, or the consequences you face will be out of my control."

"Are you threatening me?" I gasped at his allegations, my bottom lip trembling grudgingly.

"Of course not Elenaphant, nevertheless you have to understand what ever she conspires will occur without my knowledge." Elliot frowned, my heart clenching at the use of my old nickname and all sadness had momentarily escaped me. My brother hadn't called me it in years and the nickname was a significant part of our childhood... But not only that I knew that sentence hid a lot more than he was letting off.

"I'm not fat anymore," I pouted as he wrapped his weighty arm around my shoulders. "I promise, I won't tell her a thing nor will I tell anyone who I do not trust." I grinned, I should feel shame because of the grave secret I hold on my shoulders but instead I felt great for the reason that now I had gained some trusts that my brother hardly ever gave in addition to finally having the chance to open my mother's outsized skeleton closet. This was one of those secrets I'd be taking to my grave.