Angela's pov
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I groaned, fluttering my eyes open. When my vision cleared I was met with those familiar beautiful grey eyes.
"You're finally awake." Elijah said softly. I looked at him confused and looked around the unfamiliar room I was in. "We're in a hotel. We will be going back to Italy tomorrow morning."
"What-"I tried to speak but I ended up coughing. My throat felt like sandpaper.
Elijah gave me a glass of water and I smiled at him thankfully.
Taking a sip of water, I cleared my throat. "What happened?" I asked.
Elijah's eyes turned a shade darker and he frowned. "Nikolai kidnapped you." He grunted.
Suddenly everything that happened, forced it's way back through my head. I shuddered at the thought of Nikolai. He seemed to have a calm exterior but I know there's a certain darkness lurking inside of him, that he only seems to show when something sets him off.The last thing I could remember was the man who injected me with something.
Unconsciously, I placed my hand on my neck. Elijah's eyes snapped to where I was holding and he sighed deeply, leaning back in the chair he was sitting on.
"The injection he gave you, was pretty strong. I don't know what it was, but you were completely out for hours." he said while running his hands over his face.
"Thank you for coming after me." I said softly.
He looked towards me and shook his head. "It wasn't all me. I had help."He said hesitantly.
"From who?"
Before he could reply, there was a knock on the door. Elijah stood up and gave me a small smile. It was faint, but it was still there.
He opened the door but I couldn't see who it was.
"You've been with her long enough, give us at least some time with her." I heard and I froze.
I know that voice.
Elijah cleared his throat before fully opening the door. "Lucky for you, she just woke up."
My eyes locked with my brothers. All three of them standing in the doorway, looking like a mess.
My eyes blurred with tears.
They finally snap out of their shocked state and literally ran towards me. I let out a yelp when they all gave me a bone crushing hug.
"We missed you." Mason whispered.
"I missed you guys too."
They pulled away and Theo was the only one with tears in his eyes. He was always so sensitive. I smile at him.
"How did you guys find me?" I ask them.
"Theo found out who kidnapped you in the first place," Angelo says and glares at Elijah, who is still standing by the door, looking unbothered by Angelo's remark. "Then when we get to his mansion, we find out that you were kidnapped by Nikolai."
"So we joined and worked together in finding you, and that's when we came to Russia and saved you." Theo finished.
"Thank you." I said and they smiled waving it off as if it was no big deal.
"And I'm sorry." I softly say and they look at me confused, so I continue. "I'm sorry for sneaking out that night." I say and look down.
I didn't want to face them, knowing that I was the reason for all this. It's my fault.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up, seeing Theo looking at me with small smile. "It's okay sweet pea. We understand."he said with tears in his eyes, but refuses to let them fall. "It's actually all our fault, because if we weren't so secretive about the past, we wouldn't have pushed you to end up wanting to leave."
A tear falls down my cheek and Theo wipes it away with his thumb. "I was going to come back, I promise." I whispered. "I just needed space."
"It's okay." Angelo shushed while rubbing my back.
"I also didn't mean it when I said that I hated you guys." I choked out. "I was upset and-"
"It's okay Angela."Theo says and throws his arms around me. I hug him back and silently cry onto his shoulder.
"Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry." Theo whispered to himself,making me let out a small chuckle.
Theo has always been the most understanding and caring. He's also sweet and super sensitive but when it comes to his family, he's a completely different person.
After our little reunion, We just talked and spend those few minutes laughing and smiling with each other.
Elijah left a while ago, leaving me to spend some time with my brothers, which I appreciated.
"So how has Elijah been treating you?" Angelo asked me.
I looked down, avoiding his gaze.
I wasn't sure how to respond to that, especially since I'm talking to my brothers about this. They can be very overprotective and unreasonable sometimes.
"He treats me okay." I shrug.
Angelo raises his brow at me. "How do you feel about him, after he kidnapped you?"
"Uhm, I don't know, I kind of forgave him." I sheepishly said.
"You forgave him?" Mason scoffed with a deep frown plastered on his face.
"Yeah, he wanted us to start over. And he said that he wouldn't hurt me." I said quietly.
Angelo scoffed this time, rolling his eyes."And you just blindly believe him." he says. "Do you like him or something?"
"yeah." I said and their eyes went wide. I looked at them confused before I caught on to what they meant. "Oh no, no not in that way. I meant as a person."
They slightly relaxed and nodded.
"Well, at least you won't be seeing him again after we go to Italy because after we get some work done there, we're leaving." Mason said with finality.
I frowned at that. I was actually starting to like being there. Not because of Elijah but because it wasn't like back home, where I would feel even more trapped than anywhere else.
"You're not taking her." I heard Elijah's voice boom throughout the room.
I looked towards the door and see him standing there with a glare on his face, aimed at my brother.
Mason stood up from the bed and walked towards Elijah, trying to size up to him, but Elijah was about a head taller than him.
"She's going back home with us."Mason gritted out, as he got all in Elijah's face.
"And I said, you're not taking her. "Elijah said slowly, his voice filled with calmness.
"I'm not letting my sister stay with her kidnapper."
Elijah slightly frowned at that and turned his face towards me. I looked between them wide eyed.
"What do you want Angel?" Elijah asked me.
Heat rush to my cheeks as he used that nickname in front of my brothers. Elijah smirked when he saw the effect he had on me.
I don't know what I want.
On the one hand, I want to go back home and be with my family but on the other hand, I don't want to be caged up in that mansion again.
I want to be free, and being with Elijah gave me that kind of freedom.
I don't want to upset my brothers either, and my father is probably waiting for me to come back.
"Can I stay with Elijah?" I asked nervously, fumbling with my fingers.
"What?!" Angelo and Theo shouted.
Mason just looked at me with frowned brows.
"No, you're coming home with us and that's final." Mason glared at me.
"Why don't you want to come back? We'll protect you. You know that." Theo said.
"I know, but Elijah can keep me safe as well." I said and looked at Elijah. He had a soft expression on his face,which he barely shows.
"We're you're family Angela! " Angelo practically yelled. "You sneak out once and look what happened to you. You got kidnapped! Not only once but twice!."
"I know but-" I was cut of by Mason pulling me out of bed and walking towards the door. "Come on, we're leaving tonight. I'm not waiting any longer." Mason said.
Elijah glared at Mason and pulled me away from him. Elijah stood in front of me,blocking me from my brothers.
"She's old enough to make her own decisions."Elijah said while facing them." If she wants to stay with me, then let her be."
"I don't want my sister around you, Eli." Mason sneered at him.
I frowned. Eli?
"I think I've proven that I wouldn't hurt her." Elijah gritted out. "You know I wouldn't hurt her."
My brothers exchanged looks, silently communicating with each other. I decided to move out from behind Elijah and look at my brothers.
"Can't we work something out?" I ask them.
"Like what?" Angelo asked with clear irritation in his voice.
"You guys can let me stay with him in Italy for a few months and I'll come back home."I say. "Oh and you have to convince father as well."
"Why do you want to stay with him?" Mason asks with an accusing stare. What is he thinking?
"It's the first time I'm not locked up in the house. Do you have any idea how that feels? I know that some unfortunate things have happened but as crazy as it sounds, it was exhilarating." I said with a bit more confidence.
"You guys have been deciding for me my whole life. I'm twenty years old. twenty!" I'm starting to feel that same kind of anger I felt that night I had that argument with them. "Do you know how I felt when Nikolai had me kidnapped?" I asked looking at each of them.
"I felt weak and helpless." I said with a shaky voice.
"Angela-" I cut Mason off while raising my hand.
"I'm not finished." I said. "I know you guys never wanted me to be apart of the mafia and involved with all your businesses but.... I want to be."
Mason's face turns hard and he clenches his jaw, while Angelo and Theo stay silent.
So I continue. "I want to be strong and I want to be able to defend myself. I want to make my own decisions."
Mason shakes his head. "No Angela." he says and my frown deepens. "How are we suppose to protect you? We don't want to lose you, like we lost-" he sighed and ran his hand over his face.
"I just can't." he says.
"Okay fine, but can you at least grant me this one wish and let me be free for a few months? Then I'll come back to my prison."
"Stop saying that your home is a prison Angela." Angelo says irritated and glares at me.
I just shurg. A new kind of boldness taking over me.
"Two months then you'll be back home."Mason says, which surprises me because I thought he'd refuse. Angelo turns to him with disbelief on his face." What are you doing?!" He shouts.
"Four months." I push,ignoring Angelo.
"Two months." He says and raises his brow when I try to ask again. "Or should I make it one?"
I huff and give up. That's the best I can do and I'll take it.
"I can't believe you're letting this happen." Angelo shakes his head and storms out of the room.
When he slams the door, Mason walks towards me and pulls me into a hug. "We're leaving tonight, I'll make sure to talk to father." He says.
"Thanks." I says and hug him back.
When he releases me from the hug, I turn to Theo. He has an unreadable expression.
"Theo please understand."I say quietly." It's two months, then I'll be back home and I'm sure Elijah would keep me safe." I say and glance toward Elijah.
He gives me a firm nod but keeps quiet.
Theo sighs and hugs me. "You know that I'll miss you, right?" he says softly and I nod into his shoulder. He tightens his hold around me. "Who am I going to talk to cause I most certainly can't talk with those two idiots." He says and I chuckle.
"You can always call me Theo."
"Oh yeah." he says and pulls away. "It's just that I've never had to actually say goodbye to you. You've always just been there whenever I needed you. When we all needed you."
I sadly smile up at him. "It's just two months, you'll survive." I mumble with a few tears forming in the corners of my eyes.
He gives me a smile in return while walking towards the door with Mason. "Bye sweet pea." Theo says before they both leave.
I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding and turned toward Elijah.
"So you're fine with me staying with you?" I ask him.
He walks closer to me and peers down at me.
"You knew I was going to be fine with it the moment you asked your brothers."He replies while staring at me.
I look away from him, not being able to hold his stare. I clear my throat and move towards the bed and sitting down.
He takes a seat next to me.
"Uhm...can I ask you a question?" I ask him.
He nods, his face still expressionless.
"Why did my brother call you Eli?" I ask because it seemed like he knew him more than just as the Italian mafia boss.
Elijah tensed and avoided my stare. "We knew each other in the past." he says vaguely and doesn't continue. It just sparks my curiosity more but I'm not going to push him.
"We're leaving early tomorrow morning, so get some sleep." he says and gets up walking towards the door.
Before he could close the door I spoke up.
"Aren't you going to say goodnight?" I ask and he raises a brow at me.
"Why should I?" he asks instead.
I shurg. "Why not?"
"It's unnecessary." He says and closes the door.
I sighed and got under the covers. Closing my eyes. I might have been knocked out for hours but my body still feels exhausted. And the argument with my brothers just tired me out even more.
I'll try and make this two months worth it. I'll take full advantage of it and the only reason why I chose to stay with Elijah specifically, is because I don't know anyone else who I could stay with and be safe. I don't have friends, thanks to my brothers but I'm hoping to make some.
I'm still not sure why Elijah even still wants me there. I'm not doing anything that benefits him in any way. So why is he allowing me to stay?
I don't know how long I've been laying there thinking but as sleep slowly started to consumed me I heard the door softly click open and I kept my eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. Light footsteps made their way towards the bed. The familiar masculine scent invaded my senses as his hand softly stroked my hair.
"Goodnight Angel." he whispered before he softly left the room again.
After a few minutes, I fell asleep that night with a small smile gracing my lips.
*****
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