Isabella got stuck with Romeo again.
The reason? Everyone's in need of a check-up. She's already done. As much as she hates monthly check-ups, she definitely prefers being finished much earlier than whining about it and delaying the inevitable.
Romeo probably thought of the same thing because they finished at the same time. Her father didn't want to put just some random guard to protect Isabella so he gave her Romeo.
Which, to be honest, was a bad idea. Romeo wasn't even good with kids. he said so himself. He's bad with directions and he sometimes leaves Isabella all alone even though he's not supposed to do that.
Technically, he's doing the things that he's not supposed to.
If you're going to compare Dmitri and Romeo then Dmitri's someone that you could bet your life on. Romeo would just probably sold your life illegally to someone.
Well, that's to be expected probably now that Isabella would think about it.
There are some good points about the man. Unlike Dmitri, he shows affection and he allows Isabella to address him as part of the family. He's funny and amusing and he tries his best to do what he's told to do.
He does a good job at being Dante's right-hand man. When push comes to shove, he'll definitely be there to have your back and will absolutely slaughter anyone who'll come close to hurting his pack.
He's a good guy but an absolutely bad influence on Isabella.
"Fancy meeting you here, kid." Romeo greeted with a beer and a plate of sliced apples in his hands because cookies were banned in the house. Anthony's words were absolute and the cookies were therefore thrown out of the house. The jars of treats was replaced with healthy things like fruits.
Isabella hates the thought of losing the only treat that she enjoys but if she were to be caught again by Anthony eating a single cookie then she'll definitely have a grave by the end of the day.
Romeo practically shoved the beer towards Isabella while he plopped down next to her, munching on the sliced apple.
"Brought you some beer, kid." He said with a proud grin. Isabella gave him a nonplussed look.
"I'm not legal to drink this." She held the beer out to him. "You know that, Mister Romeo."
He eyed the beer like it was going to kill him before looking at Isabella. "Thought you wanted one. And enough with the mister, kid. You make me feel old here, ya know?"
"Yes, I do know that's why I keep calling you that." Isabella snickered at the man's glare. "Second, I didn't want this. I wanted the apples so gimme the apples."
"Hey, you didn't order apples." Romeo frowned, moving the plate of apples out of her grabby hands. "Wait, did you just say that you're not legally allowed to drink beer?"
Isabella groaned, facepalming. "Mister..."
"Kidding! Was just kidding, kid. Sheesh, got no sense of humor here." He said before grabbing the beer out of her hand and replacing it with the plate of sliced apples.
"Thanks." Isabella grabbed the sliced fruit and munched on it.
"Delish?" Romeo asked and he grinned when Isabella nodded. He chuckled, looking at her in pity. "It's not as good as cookies, ain't it?"
"No, but it will do." Isabella shrugs before munching on another one.
Romeo took a swig of his beer and sighed loudly. "Yeah, that hits the fuckin' spot." He then froze and looks at Isabella. "Oh, whoopsies, I wasn't supposed to cuss in front of you, huh?"
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please stop acting as if you're ashamed. All of you do it all the time just as long as papa and Tony aren't around to scold."
Romeo took a gulp of his drink again before snickering at her words. "Guilty as charged."
"Uh-huh." Isabella took a big bite of her apple slices. She hummed in satisfaction at the sweetness it brought into her mouth. "You ain't guilty of anything."
Romeo smirked at her. "Oh, you know me so well. Should I be afraid of that?"
"Nope." She answered him honestly.
Romeo gave her a lingering gaze before shrugging, taking another gulp of his drink. "Okay then. Well, s' fine to know the little things."
"You're like an open book, Mister Romeo." Isabella exclaimed with a smile on her face.
"Stop with that mister, seriously." He grumbled, rolling his eyes. "I'm your uncle, kid. Sheesh. Know the difference already. We live in the same roof."
She raised a questioning brow. "You're not my uncle." She stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "But you're family."
He gave her a weird look. "Kiddo, I'm your uncle. What the fuck are you talkin' about?"
Isabella then gave him the weird look as well. "I dunno, what are you talking about?"
Romeo gave her one last weird look before shaking his head. It was as if he was deciding something and thought that it was not worth it. "Life's full o' surprises. S' full o' them."
"Am I missing something here? What's going on?" Isabella asks him, getting a little concerned that maybe Romeo and her are blood related.
He gave her a glance before finishing off his beer. He then slammed the bottle down on the table and gave her his full attention.
Which, to be honest, was scary.
"Okay. I'm your uncle."
"No explanation. Just going right for it. Okay." She rolled her eyes but she nodded. "You're scaring me here but continue."
"We're blood related." He said slowly, as if whatever he'll say will scare her off.
It didn't scare her off.
She's more nervous because Romeo looked like he was going to pass out if he continues to speak. The aggravated look on his face was really making it uncomfortable for her. It's not that she's not surprised or shocked, it's just that she doesn't know how to react to be honest. What should she say? He looked like he expected her to know that they're actually blood-related. But she doesn't know that and she doesn't know why he's expecting her to know that.
"You're daddy's brother." Isabella said, nodding slowly but he held out his hand as if he was telling her to stop.
"I'm not his brother." He confessed, looking at her with all seriousness that he could possibly muster and that was honestly more frightening than the truth that she would receive. She then decided that she hates Romeo being like this.
Isabella hates the look on the man's face. It was painted with shame and solemnity that it shook her heart to its core.
Nervousness was now suddenly settling down her bones. She wasn't scared but she was nervous despite knowing of what he was going to say. Romeo was someone connected to the only person that Isabella actually dislikes.
Why is Isabella already hating someone she haven't even seen before?
Because from the looks on everyone's faces when she tried to talk about her mother before was something that she hates seeing. The look that flashes from between burning from pure and utter burning rage to the mellow and cold yearning and fervor.
Why though?
Why would this woman, who birthed her and was said to despise her, haunt everyone who've loved her? Who would probably do their absolute best to protect her. Why did she run away? Why did she hate Isabella?
"You know that I'm fine with that, right?" She glanced at him, worried of how he'll react. It's as if he's nothing but a wild animal and if she's not careful around him, he'll bolt. He's not so good with emotions after all.
Everyone in the house aren't good with emotions. They don't express it that much.
He chuckled cynically. "Are you now, huh? You don't think that I'd be as bad as your good-for-nothing mom?"
He really doesn't like his sister.
She sighed. "I am fine with that." She said more sternly.
He gave her a snort. "I'm that bitch's brother."
"You and her aren't the same. You're two different people with different attitudes! Plus, for me, you're twice as better as she'll ever be at being my family and you should take that as a compliment because I don't just declare someone as my family!"
"Yeah, I know that much, kid." He rubbed his nape awkwardly.
Isabella fidgeted. To be honest, she was curious. She was curious as to why he's here, to why he's working with her dad. Why was he here when his own parents are rich? Why work with the enemy of your sister?
But, she doesn't want to question it. She doesn't want to make him nervous.
Isabella wants to let him to tell her in his own time.
Romeo looks at her before groaning. There was a smile on his face that he couldn't remove. "Ah, fuck. You're gonna make a grown man cry with all that family stuff, y'know?"
"You'll live." Isabella said jokingly before she turned serious again. They can't just sweep this conversation under the rug. They need to talk about this. She needs to talk about this. "But I'm serious, Romeo."
He looks at her, the smile was all gone and was replaced with a solemn look on his face. They stared at each other, having this internal battle about something that she doesn't even know before he looked away with a frown.
"Yeah, kid." He mumbled. "I know yer serious. I know you don't see us as the same person but I'm still connected to her, one way or another. You know, what if she just sent me to be a spy-assassin or some shit like that? What you gonna do, huh? You still gonna call me family, kid?"
She nodded frantically.
He ran his hand through his tousled hair, laughing in disbelief. "Well, shit, kid. Should I be worried that you're not wary of people that could possibly kill ya?"
She scoffed. "I have three bodyguards and three brothers and one scary monster by my side. What should I be wary of things when I'm surrounded by them?"
He guffawed. "You shouldn't call your dad a monster, kid. He might turn into one if ya ain't careful with what you're saying."
She rolled her eyes. People call him all the time. Her dad also calls himself as a monster. "As if he'll hurt me."
"That's true." He said in amusement.
Silence settled between them. It was a weird kind of silence. Something where it's not awkward but it's where they don't know what to say to each other.
"Aren't you curious?" He said, voice above a whisper. He was avoiding her gaze and it was something that she wasn't appreciating but had just decided to let him be for now.
"I don't want to ask." She said, afraid of the volume of her own voice. It was as if the volume of her voice will break the fragile atmosphere that surrounded them.
Romeo was quiet. Isabella didn't look at him and instead looked at the plate of sliced apples instead. She didn't know what to say to him. Was he expecting her to say something? To ask something?
Isabella reached out for Romeo's hand, causing him to flinch. He looks at her in surprise. He must have been uncomfortable trying to spit out something that he absolutely hates saying.
He then chuckled, placing his other hand above hers. "Y'know, you don't have to comfort me, kid."
"Well, you looked like you were about to wet your pants so I had to do what I could to save the couch." She joked, trying to lighten up the suddenly heavy atmosphere.
Romeo snorted, rolling his eyes. "Oh, piss off, would ya? You're hurting me here, kid. Thought we were having a moment, you monster."
"Oh, please. It's not the end of the world so you'll live. Plus, you lived this far after every annoyance that you do to my dad——Which is a damn miracle by the way." She smirked at him and he playfully glared at her in response.
"Oh, do my ears deceive me? The sweetheart of this family said a word that she's not supposed to be saying." Romeo theatrically exclaimed before giving her a shake of his head in mock disappointment. "Don't say damn, kid. Only adults can say it."
She placed out her tongue at him.
"Y'know, you're slowly turning out to be like the boss." Romeo commented, giving her a wistful smile. "Maybe that's why Dmitri's so scared of ya."
"He's not scared of me." She frowned. "Is he?"
He laughed at that and nodded. "He's so totally scared that it's fuckin' adorable, kid. You should see it sometimes. He's like a bunny that's about to get slaughtered."
Isabella likes the idea of a scared Dmitri. The man's always the one doing the scaring so Isabella would very much appreciate it if the roles were reversed.
"I'd like that very much." Isabella remarked with a nod of satisfaction.
"See? I knew I wasn't the only sadist around here."
She couldn't help but laugh at that. "Everyone in the house are one, dummy. I don't know how you don't know that."
Romeo opened his mouth and then he close it again, thinking about what she just said. He then nodded after a little while. "Buen punto."
(Good point.)
Isabella grinned. "Gracias, tío."
(Thank you, uncle.)
The look on Romeo's face caused her to laugh.
He looked like he was about to cry. His eyes lit up and his smile was so big that she was worried that he was going to break his jaw.
"Me llamaste tío." He mumbled in disbelief.
(You called me uncle.)
She nodded. "Well, you are my tío, right?"
He nodded vigorously, looking very happy at her words. "Fuck yeah, I am."
"Shh! Don't cuss! What if someone heard you?" Isabella lightly scolded but she couldn't wipe off the mirrored grin on her face. She probably looked like an idiot too.
"Who would? We're the only ones here. Unless there's a ghost here." Romeo chuckled. "Plus, I don't care, kid. I could die happy right now."
"We can't afford your coffin." Isabella deadpans.
"Ha! Liar!" He flicked her forehead causing her to whine.
"Bad! Bad uncle!" She hissed at him and slapped his hand away when it was about to reach out to her again.
"And you're a lil' shit." He protested with an evident glare plastered on his face.
She rolled her eyes. "Aren't you scared that your behavior will be the death of you someday? Do you even get scared of the judgment of other people?"
He scoffed. "People should be afraid to judge me, kid."
Isabella sighed. She took a sliced apple and munched on it. "It's no use talking to you. You are an obnoxious uncle."
"Oh, kiss my as—— I mean butt, kid. Respectfully."
"Ha! You respectfully don't have one."
He actually looks offended. "Okay, from the bottom of my heart: Ouch, ow, damn, kid, did you have to expose my booty like that? That hurts and I hope that you know that and that you're guilty with what you just said. Second of all, that was below the belt, kid. You should know your limits."
"Belt?" She scoffed. "You can't wear belts, you obnoxious uncle, they don't have anything to hold themselves onto. Plus, I just took those words out of Rafael's mouth when he was rambling on and on about how annoying you were."
"He's just jealous of my booty." Romeo made a disgusted face. "Is he implying that I don't have an ass?"
She rolled her eyes. "No, he's probably implying that you don't have a brain to use for thinking because you can't even decipher if what he's actually implying is what he's implying."
"Okay, rude smarty-pants." He snarked, crossing his arms in annoyance. "You're hurting my feelings here, kid."
"If you're going to talk about who hurt whose feelings first then I think I should be the one who deserves the most sympathy here."
He gave her the finger and she rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, you don't act your age."
"What? Age is just a number, kid. People wants ya to act like how you're supposed to but fuck 'em, amirite? You do you. Do what you want just as long as it's good and that you don't get yourself killed while doing it, 'kay?" He ruffled her hair, causing her to giggle.
"Okay, then." She said, gently swatting his hand away. "No promises though."
He rolled his eyes and flicked her forehead, causing her to protest in response.
"Ow, damn it!"
"Don't say damn, kid."
______
Ah, it's all coming together now. Slowly. (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)
Well, the secret's outta the bag now!
FOR ALL THOSE PEEPS WHO DONT HAVE A BOOTY...
it's okay... ✋😔
Well, hope you liked it.