STOLEN || 18+ (Monsters #3)

.66. Wear it well

"You do have power."

"I don't."

He chuckled. "Ask Gio and Fabi to kill a man for you, Leyla. They'd kill hundred."

I stayed quiet.

I felt his eyes on me. I didn't look at him. "We, mafia men, seem a little too much, I know. But we protect those who we call ours. My brothers and I protect Olivia. And Giovanni and Fabiano protect you."

"Who protects me from them?"

"You don't need protection from them."

"That's where you are wrong," I said, I looked up at him.

He frowned stands of his black blowing in the air. "You say you need protection from them...but it seems you want protection from what you feel from them." He titled his head, a finger brushing on his jaw. "You can hold on to your need to think this is all wrong - or you can let yourself go. It's up to you."

He paused. "I have to say, it is refreshing to see them happy."

. . .

Happy. They were happy.

I sat down on the ground of the garden - the feeling of being useless again settling into my heart.

I always set goals in my mind since I was younger. Now, I had no goal. Which sucked because I did not have anything to work for. I wasn't working on my college application or writing poetry obsessively, hoping it'd be published once a day.

My phone buzzed. Gabriella's name flashed on the screen, accompanied by a grinning picture of her.

"Hello, Gabby."

She was quiet for a moment. "I want to see you so bad, Leyla."

I rubbed my temples. "It's not safe." If a dangerous man after me, I didn't need Gabby anywhere near me. I again pushed the thought of Ryder's - Cassian's - lies out my mind. If I started thinking about him, I'd lose my mind.

I have to keep my family safe.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

I love you, Leyla.

Liar.

I love you too, Ryder.

I sighed, hanging up the phone. I laid down on the ground, looking up at the stars. Ryder and I had been the talk of the town when we got back together. Dad had not cared at first and then when one day he felt like it, he broke us up.

I had been so angry at him back then but now I was grateful he had torn us apart.

My fingers brushed on my neck. He had kissed me there once and then I had freaked out so bad he hasn't even tried to repeat what he did - keeping his good guy act up.

Stupid. So fucking stupid, Leyla.

I felt him before he sat down behind me, tucking me to his warm chest, a knife glinting in one of his hands.

"What is my baby thinking about?"

I closed my eyes, letting my body sink into him. "A liar."

He hummed. "Who?"

"Ryder."

He froze for a moment. "He is not Ryder."

"I know," I whispered.

He stayed quiet for a while, his knife twirling around his fingers. "Can you tell me more about him?"

"There is nothing much. We were together for a while. Father broke us up. I was brokenhearted."

"Brokenhearted, hm?"

I gulped at the edge in his words. At the possessiveness in his words. "I..."

"You loved him?"

"Yes."

"But he was never Ryder."

"That does not mean my feelings don't exist," I whispered. "I did love him. It shattered the day I found out who he was."

"And if he was not Cassian? If he was just Ryder - would you still be in love with him?"

I gulped. He sounded so dangerous. So threatening. "He loved me. At least, he showed he did. I craved that."

He pulled me deeper into his warm chest. "Love - is that what you want?"

I gulped. "I've always wanted that, Giovanni."

"I can give it to you."

I stilled. "You can love me?"

"Yes, Leyla. We can love you."

"You just can't magically wake up and fall in love with me."

He chuckled. "Falling in love with you must be effortless, Leyla."

I turned around, looking at him. "You can keep me miserable. Then why keep me happy?"

He cupped my face. "Why keep you miserable when I can see those pretty lips smile, hm? I am a little crazy, as you keep mentioning, but I cannot resist the high I get when you are happy." He settled his forehead against mine. "If love is what you want, you'll have it."

"You say it like it's a jewel."

"And you'll wear it well."

. . .

How are my pretty people today?