INFIDELITY | Book I

22. Dominance.

I didn't want him to look at me as if he needed to help me, I didn't need help. My name was to be feared; not liked or to be loved and not looked at like a charity case.

But that was it.. over the years and the spam of the two months dealing with this family, I wanted that for myself. To be liked and to be loved but how can I do that? What was the first step?

Stepping into the room I saw: Sergio, Crixus, Lorenzo, Sage and Alice-and even Kayden- all standing around while the doctors worked on Ethan to make sure he was going to be okay. They conversed amongst themselves, but they stopped once seeing me.

"Hey." Alice came to me first before they all followed behind. "They said he's going to be okay." He better be or Gerardo Beneventi and I were going to have a talk. "Come here." She pulled me into a hug and for once my body relaxed into hers. "It's over."

For today it was, but tomorrow we started a mission that would either make or break us; life or death. "Thank you." I tiredly said before pulling away from her. "This might be a stretch seeing that my father hasn't returned yet, but you can crash here for tonight, it's not safe out."

"You just want us to stay." Sage smugly replied. "It's okay I would miss me too."

"Not likely." I rolled my eyes. "It'll be better for tomorrow's conversation anyway. If you need a change of clothes, we have spares but I don't know your sizes-"

"Large." Sergio said out loud and we all turned to look at him. "What? She asked." We couldn't help but laugh at the youngest one in the group.

"Alright, I'll stay here with him. Go get some rest." I told all of them before they took me up on my offer.

"Hey! Don't you dare take my room." Alice charged out making sure no one claimed her room while they climbed the stairs. Kayden followed behind them after he patted my shoulder, it was his way of telling me everything was going to be alright and I somehow believed him.

"How is he?" I approached Dr Loughty.

"He's stable. Shot twice, broken foot, fractured ribs, he'll be lightheaded for a couple days maybe a week, too much blood has rushed to his head."

"They hung him." I concluded. Gerardo knew when I laid eyes on my brother that it would turn personal. That wasn't business, he did it out of spite and just for the simple fact that he could.

"That would be my only best guess, unless the bruises explain it or if he does... He's lucky to be here Miss Ludavico." Looking to my brother hooked up to the machines didn't make me think he was considered lucky. He was a warrior; that's not luck that was the will to fight left in him.

"Yeah.. lucky." I didn't know how long I stood watching over him, the three doctors had been left the room. I felt my knees grow weak just from standing. Taking a seat by the door, my mind took over me in less than five minutes, I didn't realize I dozed off until I was shook awake. "W-What? What happened?" I sat up in high alert.

"Hush." It was him again. Why was he back? "You talk in your sleep." He grumbly twisted in his chair, his tall frame couldn't exactly fit but he made it work. After all there was a lot of him.

"Nicholai." I sighed. "Go find a room to sleep in, I'll be fine." He didn't have to be here.

He rested his head back. "I'm a grown man, I can handle not having a nights rest princess."

"But-"

"You were right about what you said." He took a deep breath before he tried to get more comfortable. "I am who I am. Nicholai Corsetti: leader, brother, manipulator, cocky, soon to be husband, a murderer and a fucked up person." He hummed to himself, concluding his list. "We'll get the task done then we can go our separate ways yes? It'll be better for the both of us."