Descent to Corruption

17

Luca sagely nods before heading out without a word, and before I know it Leo and I get through two more movies before I feel the grumblings of my tummy asking for a real meal. Outside of the Goldfish and apple slices I had put together as a snack for Leo and I a little while ago, we had not yet eaten.

The movie was nearing its end, and Leo was napping through it, so I found no issue with gently laying him down on the couch and grabbing a nearby throw blanket to lay atop him. I push back his curls from his face and I smile at the small puffs of air that escape him as he dreams away.

Tiptoeing into the kitchen as to not wake him up, I make quick work of digging in the freezer until I find a frozen pizza I am able to toss into the oven to make a quick dinner for the two of us. I don't know where Luca and Nico are, but as neither of them had peeked in at any point, so I had to assume they were out.

The pizza cooks quick and I pull it out and allow it to cool on the counter before heading into the living room to wake Leo. As I waited for the food to be ready I had set the table and flitted back to the living room to periodically check on him, but he had been peacefully slumbering through it all.

A glance out the large floor to ceiling window allows me to spot the sun as it sets over the city, the view is incredible and I am jealous of those who get to experience this everyday.

Leo is a deep sleeper, so when I push his hair back and call his name softly a third time all I get is a tired whine in response. It makes me laugh and I press a kiss to his soft cheek that peeks out of the blanket he had burritoed himself into.

"Leo if you don't wake up there won't be any pizza left for you." I say, trying another tactic to get him up.

And it appears to work when, at the sound of the word 'pizza', his eyes blink open.

"Man's weakness is his love for all things sauced and cheesed of course." Nico's voice says from behind me and it startles me enough for me to fall out of my crouched position. I hit my tailbone directly, my eyes closing as I hiss at the pain.

Nico rushes over and he effortlessly lifts me, I yelp at the sudden action, but before I know it I am gently sat down on the couch. Before I can scold Nico for grabbing me, I feel small hands on my face. Tugging me to look at him, Leo stands on the couch cushion where he had previously been laying, he had tossed the blanket off of his body- it now laying on the ground. He leans in to give me a wet kiss on my cheek and then he looks over my shoulder to give a dirty look to Nico who had sat down on the other side of me.

Leo's dirty look however, was the cutest face I had ever seen him make and I had to stop myself from audibly 'awing' over the sight.

Nico apparently did not think the same as he grumbled from my side, "Don't give me that look, I didn't scare her on purpose."

I giggle as he sounds like a petulant kid being scolded by their parent and Leo beams up at me.

The pain in my tailbone now long gone allows me to scoop Leo into my arms and stand. The sudden movement has his cherubic giggles fill the living room. I don't look back for Nico before heading to the kitchen with Leo in my hold, but the sound of dress shoes clipping on the tile lets me know he's behind me nonetheless.

The three of us eat in relative silence, Leo busies himself pulling the cheese off his pizza and eating his food by taking one bite of the crust and sauce bit and tossing a hunk of cheese into his mouth. Honestly the whole process was strange, but Nico's obvious dislike for it made me like it. Watching Leo, his mouth would tip down in a frown every time I snuck a glance in his direction and I had to bite my cheek to stop myself from laughing at him.

When we finish, Leo climbs from his seat into my lap and as I begin to wipe his sauce covered face, Nico starts on the dishes.

Once again it is through the sound of dress shoes on the tile that I am alerted to the sound of Luca coming in to the kitchen. His collar is unbuttoned and he looks a bit worse for wear, but his tired facade takes nothing away from how good he always looks.

'You're basically drooling over the big mafia don, pull yourself together!'

My scolding thought has me looking back down to Leo's small hands that have sauce all over them, and I begin cleaning them as well.

Luca sits at the table next to me, his huge frame hard to ignore. "Arabella, I'd like a moment to speak with you."

At these words Nico appears at my side, "I'll put the monster to bed."

I press a soft kiss to Leo's head and Nico is quick to pick him up. They are gone faster than I would like, all too aware that I am now alone with Luca.

He's quiet next to me and glancing up I spot his reflection in the window, his head is pointed down and he's fiddling with his hands.

'He almost looks nervous' I think to myself, but the thought clears quick when I remind myself of who he is.

"I know this has not been easy, and I understand being kept in the dark has been frustrating, but we needed time to sort out what was going on." He finally begins.

I shift to face him and I am immediately caught in his hazel gaze, the hues of green almost look yellow in his eyes and I can't look away.

Taking my silence as a cue to continue he speaks, "You asked about Gabriel Hawke and Sebastian Kelly and I was not able to respond at the time as I too was unsure of their intentions, but I have since been able to clear up what is going on and it's time you were brought in to the fold as well. The Kelly's, the Hawke's and the Rossi's make up the ruling families here in the city, we have worked together for sometime now. Recently, my family has come under attack and as of today it has become apparent it is neither of them responsible, but some new unknown entity trying to send a message."

"What happened today?" I can't help but ask as my mind races a million miles per hour trying to process the major information I was just told.

"Sebastian and Gabriel were ambushed yesterday, and one of Hawke's distribution centers was torn apart today."

Even though I had seen Sebastian earlier, I still have to ask, "Are they okay?"

"They were able to defend themselves, so they are fine, but it is clear we are each being targeted right now."

He shifts so his entire body now faces me and he takes a moment to search my face, his eyes searing into me.

"I know what Gabriel and Sebastian did was not okay, they wrongfully held you and scared you, but they were under the impression that you were somehow connected with the recent attacks made against my family."

"The attacks that I was injured by too?" I can't help but incredulously ask.

Luca's mouth turns down as if he too can't believe their line of thinking.

"I have since sorted it out with them and they are aware you have nothing to do with it, it is just a surprise to us that you have been able to meet us in some capacity without the others knowing."

I snap back at this, frustrated with the insinuation that I had somehow masterminded my meeting them. "It's not like I knew you were each part of some underground organization, trust me I can't believe my luck, or lack of, right now."

Hearing the frustration in my voice he pulls my hand from my lap and holds it between his own two, his hands dwarf mine, but the shocks that I feel from the contact distracts me from any other thoughts I may have at the moment.

Giving my hand a squeeze he starts, "I know this Arabella, and I am truly sorry for all that you have had to go through. But I promise you this, I will never let anything happen to you. You are under my protection from here on out." 

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