Lose Myself

Chapter Fifteen: Friends

Dominic

"A man who holds enough will, can achieve the impossible." He acknowledged me his gaze still fixed on the paper he wrote on.

"Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great." I replied taking a seat, "It wasn't that hard."

"Well you did it," he placed the pen on the desk, "Makes me wonder what else you can do if threatened the right way."

"Very funny." I mocked. My father sat watching me for a good minute before he rose, turned to the shelf behind him and selected one of the novels.

"You love her don't you?" he said studying the cover of the book.

"Sorry?"

"Either that or you are falling for her." He looked at me as he sat down.

"It's called a crush father, it's not much."

Denial was a b-tch.

"It is not wise to become oblivious Dominic, no matter how much you want to be – it is dangerous to put yourself in a situation where you don't have a firm grasp on the truth or logic of a situation. Honesty is something easily lost and when lost is hard to find."

"Sì papa, I know." I felt like a teenage boy again, this was stupid.

"Admit it."

"I'm falling for her." I breathed.

"Good to know." He smirked.

Amara

"I think it's a heaps good idea." Abrielle said.

"Yeah see?" Claire bounced, "Please?"

After my encounter with Dominic's mom downstairs she'd taken me up to her room – which was extravagant by the way – and introduced me to Abrielle, Leo's younger sister. The topic of me joining them in the very much public, very much body-oriented career as a Victoria Secret Model had been brought up only a few minutes ago and they just wouldn't drop it.

"I just don't think I'd feel comfortable prancing around a stage half naked with millions of people watching that's all." I shrugged returning my attention to the photo album I'd been handed earlier, it had the cutest pictures of them as kids. I couldn't believe Dominic was this cute as a kid, it was unbelievable. There was this one picture I loved the most, it was Dominic with his baby sister in the hospital – holding her like she was precious cargo. He had the silliest smile on his face and these huge sparkly brown eyes looking up at the camera, Claire was obviously asleep and it sold the whole thing. He must've been around five at the time.

"Ugh." Claire grunted as she fell backwards onto the bed, "Fine, I guess that's okay."

"Hey," Abrielle spoke up, "At least now you won't have to worry about her becoming influenced by the stupid girls at the studio. She'll be like your anchor to reality."

"Are you serious?" she sat up partially I turned to look, "She's a – "

An assassin.

Words I was sure she was about to say hadn't I been in the room, I wasn't normal and that wasn't a secret but she at least could've acted as if it was a semi-normal thing and said it. It's normal to me. But I can see where she's coming from, I couldn't possibly be her 'anchor to reality' because my reality was distorted. It was spent in confinement, I had no idea what 'reality' truly was. I don't blame her, she's probably never set foot somewhere were there wasn't someone to protect her. Everywhere she went she had someone to do things for her, buy things for her and fight for her too. I doubt she'd understand what it's like to have to do those things for yourself, nor has she known someone who has had to do such things. Women in the mafia were not allowed to do certain things – have jobs, leave the house alone, live alone or attend normal schools. Totally understandable.