Sienna Amoretto (SAMPLE)

Chapter 4

SIENNA

I don't actually have to work today, but I don't want to spar with Roman even if it would be a really good learning experience.

The only reason dad taught me how to fight was to be able to defend myself. I thought it was fun, so I continued. I know that I'm good, but it doesn't matter. I can't defend myself anyway if it's the wrong person who attacks me. Even if I would train with Roman, I still could never take someone like him...someone like Josh.

I go to my room to shower and change. I always make sure to lock the door to both my room and bathroom. I even check them twice. I've become paranoid even when we don't have guests.

When I'm done, I walk down to the kitchen to make a smoothie. It's still early, so no one else has eaten breakfast yet. I'm always up before everyone else.

I mix the ingredients and pour it up in a big glass, and just then, dad, Zayden and Mikhail come down the stairs and into the kitchen. They say good morning and dad kisses my head. Zayden takes the glass from my hands and takes a gulp from the smoothie.

"Hey! Make your own," I scold him and grab the glass back.

"You could make some for me too."

"I didn't know that you were awake. It's better when it's freshly made."

"Your smoothie would be good even after an hour," he says just as Roman walks in all sweaty in just a pair of shorts. The tattoo on his right arm goes up over his shoulder and over his right pec. It looks really good, but I don't want to stare too much and give him a reason to think that I'm interested.

Walls up.

I turn to Zayden again. "Did you just give me a compliment?"

"I gave your smoothie a compliment. It's the best," he says, smirking, and I roll my eyes.

Dad and Mikhail chuckles.

"There's some left in the blender. Help yourself."

He pours the rest up in two glasses and gives one to Roman. "Taste this. You will never want another smoothie again."

"What's in it?" he asks me.

"It's my secret recipe, but don't worry, it's all healthy," I say, giving him a small smile, then walk up to my office.

I don't drink coffee and have never been able to eat a lot in the mornings, so I invented the perfect healthy smoothie. It took me some time and a lot of testing to get it perfect, so I'm not going to share it. If they want one, I will make it so they don't mess it up, and I only keep the recipe in my head.

"This is really good," I hear Roman say, and Zayden agrees.

I smile while walking up the stairs.

It's Sunday today, which means that we're having family dinner with all of our family and closest men. Grandpa and grandma always held it at their house when I was younger, but they are old now, so we're holding it at our house now so they don't have to bother with it.

Grandpa has retired from the family business. He was the one who started it when he lived in Italy and then moved here. He had a hard time giving it up completely even if he knew that dad and his men would run it just like he did without problems, but he realized that he needed to start taking it easy. Being Raffaele Amoretto will always make him have the same respect from people even when he's retired.

He and grandma are still as much in love, just like mom and dad are. They are so sweet toward each other, and I envy them. I was always positive that I could find that too, but now, not so much. Now, I only feel sad and nauseous thinking about it⸺being with someone⸺but it's only been 2 months, so I hope that will change. That I can heal.