Liah POV:
So I've been living in this house for 3 days now, ever since that party the first day, but I haven't really met or talked to any of the people here other than Rome. Who can blame me, I've been asleep most of the time and stayed in Rome's room with him. He hadn't left my side since the broken nose thing and I really appreciated it. I got a feeling that he knew that I didn't want to be alone.
Occasionally the family members came into the room and checked up on me or asked me how I was feeling, how my pain was or if I needed anything. I appreciated the care and thought they had for me but on the second day I mostly pretended to be asleep if anyone came in. Rome figured it out pretty quickly and I guess he told the other's that I was awkward in that situation since they showed up less.
"Did anyone come and asked about me?"
"Do you mean anyone other than the family?" Rome questioned me skeptically.
"Yeah, but it seemed nobody did." I shrugged.
I was surprised and yet suspicious that I hadn't heard or seen anything from my mother. I mean I felt safe in this house and had the hope that she couldn't enter here so easily but I wouldn't bet my life on that. My mother always had a plan I was scared that she might be able to get even this far.
I sat up and just when I was about to stand up Rome moved in front of me.
"Where you wanne go?" He almost kneeled to reach my sitting height.
"Just the bathroom. I can- Argh!" Before I could even finish Rome had already picked me up into his arms and carried me to his bathroom. "Thanks." I mumbled silently but knew he heard it as he chuckled deeply.
"Just call me as soon as you're done." He ruffled my hair and sat me on the toilet seat.
He left the door to the bathroom open and walked outside his bedroom door.
I let out a deep sigh and stood up. I mean I could move just fine, the headaches had been gone for a day now and only my nose was hurting. I walked to the sink and looked in the mirror.
"It looks worse than yesterday." I mumbled to myself as I took in my appearance. I had dark bruises under my eyes and my nose was still a bit swollen. I had showered two days ago but now my hair was looking greasy again.
I walked towards my suitcase on my tiptoes as not to alarm anyone, especially Rome, that I was walking around. I got some fresh clothes and went back to the bathroom. I turned the showerhead on and drew myself a bath. I double checked that the bedroom door was closed and stepped into the hot water. I immediately sank into the hotwater.
After thirty minutes Rome called out to me to check if everything was fine and I told him I was still in the bath. This was a heavenly feeling, we didn't have a bathtub in our last house so I couldn't take a bath in a while. This was so relaxing.
After another twenty minutes I got out of the tub and dried myself with a fresh towel. I put on a new outfit which consisted of a white crop top and a black dungaree. I loved this outfit, it was so me. Then I put my grey contacts in to cover my one blue and one brown eye.
At last I put my wet hair in a bun since I was too lazy to dry it and then called for Rome. He immediately walked through the door and searched the room for me until he spotted me in the bathroom. A wave of relief washed over his face and I couldn't but smile at him. I loved to have him around. Even though I felt bad at times that he was doing everything for me I loved to have him around me and see him care so much for me.
"Won't you dry your hair? I don't want you to catch a cold." He walked towards me.
"Nah it's fine. I will just let it dry like this."
"You're just too lazy aren't you?" He teased with a playful smirk on his face.
"No, I'm not." I pouted and turned away from him. "I just usually don't get so much time to myself. I always do it like this."
"Well, you have the time now." He walked over to one of the cabinets and took out a pink hairdryer.
I chuckled at seeing the color of it. "Where did you get that?"
He looked at the hairdryer as if it was the most common thing in the world. "Lijah's last girlfriend left it here. She was a real psycho. Lijah burned all her things after the break up and since my hair dryer was broken and I needed a new one I took it."
"He really burned all her things?" I asked amused.
"Everything. We even made a huge bonfire in the garden and some of the guards joined in."
"I wish I could have seen that." I laughed again.
Rome smiled brightly at me then gesture towards the chair. "Come on sit." He didn't ask but ordered me.
I complied; I really didn't mind getting my hair dried by him. As he started I realized he was surprisingly good at it. It was really calming, and I enjoyed myself to the fullest. God I'm getting spoiled.
A good twenty minutes passed and my hair was dried and braided. Yap, Rome braided my hair. How awesome is that. He's a natural talent if you asked me. He asked me what kind of hairstyle I wanted, I picked double dutch fishtail braids, and it only took him a YouTube video and five minutes to get the technique down and another 10 minutes until he was finished. I mean yes, there were a few strands loose but the whole hair style looked awesome.
This was actually the first time someone else had done my hair for me. I quickly took my phone out of my pocket and clicked a picture of the two of us. This is awesome. It had been so long since I had someone to take pictures with. Rome and I both made a few faces and grimaces until we were satisfied with the amount of pictures we took.
"Now come on." Rome crouched down in front of me as he patted his back.
I rolled my eyes but knew he wouldn't argue about this. I secretly loved it anyway. I hid my grin and jumped on his back.
"Now go my faithful steed." I said with determination and cheered.
Rome stopped and looked perplexed at me. "'My faithful steed', seriously?" He scoffed then laughed before running out his room.
I held on to him tighter at the sudden motion and laughed at the top of my lungs as he started to gallop like a horse.
"Now off to Caleb." I commanded again.
Cailyn was so nice and took care of Caleb this morning, she had helped me a lot with him while I had the concussion. Caleb had complained a lot at the beginning so he mostly played in the room with Rome but I think he slowly warmed up to Cailyn now.
As we got closer to, what I guessed was the kitchen, I really had no idea where what was in this house, Rome started to slow down.
"Sooo-" Rome started.
"Yeeees?" I copied him.
"You know I actually wanted to get you earlier to officially meet the others."
My eyes widened at the news. "What?" I shrieked which obviously startled Rome. "I mean what?" I repeated in a quieter voice. "I mean I want to meet them, yes, but you should have told me sooner, I could have prepared myself mentally."
"That's why I'm telling you now." He grinned and before I could say another word Rome had already opened the door to the kitchen. He walked inside with me on his back.
Everyone was there and waiting. Jonathan was standing at the counter, talking to his oldest son, Lijah was sleeping on the counter, Cailyn was helping Caleb to eat, Darien and Ian were sitting at the table with their phones in hand and there was another unknown man standing by the fridge.
As I saw everyone sitting and standing in the kitchen, mostly with bored expressions, Lijah even asleep, it dawned on me that they had been waiting for us, for me, this whole time. And here I had been sleeping long, taking a bath in peace and getting my hair dried and braided without a care in the world.
Everyone in the room snapped their heads towards us at the sound of us entering.
I took a deep breath as the people were staring at Rome and me, well mostly at me. Some had a pained expression others were looking at me with care. God this is so strange, I didn't even know these people or had really talked to them but yet I stayed in their house.
Rome walked up to the counter and I sat down on a barstool.
"Oh bambina. It's good to see you." Jonathan said as he rounded the counter and walked towards me.
But my attention was quickly drawn to someone else as I heard the most adorable voice.
"Mommy!" I saw Caleb running up to me but Rome caught him before he could climb onto my lap.
"Not yet little buddy, Liah still needs to rest."
"I know you avoid it but you can just call me his mom." I said amused as I took Caleb from his arms. Thankfully Caleb understood to be careful with my face, since my nose was broken, and wasn't to rough in his play.
The room was drop dead silent after my sentence and I looked into everyone's embarrassed and awkward expressions. Thankfully Cailyn was quick to react, I started to like her even more.
"Well, why don't we eat together and talk a little. Get to know each other." She said which was followed by nods and approving smiles from everyone.
"It's nice to see you here bambina." Jonathan said again as he leaned in to kiss my forehead.
I avoided his touch and saw the hurt on his face but I wasn't going to be all trusting just because he is my biological father. I cuddled Caleb closer to me as I realized that all of the people in this room were my family and related to me. Besides Rome I apparently have four more brothers who are waiting here wanting to talk to me. I internally screamed at the fact. I hadn't thought about this in the past days and now it came crashing down on me.
Cough. Rome coughed while kicking a sleeping Ian in his side. Everyone turned their attention to them.
"Yes?" Ian screamed as he shot up from the counter then his gaze fell on me. He looked at me guilty before his eyes softened and he smiled at me.
"Since Ian is awake now why don't we start to get to know each other?" Lijah suggested as he stood up from the table and walked towards us.
Darien did the same and came to the kitchen counter. Everyone was now sitting or standing around the counter.
"Sorellina, as you know I'm Elijah. I'm 28 years old and your third oldest brother." (little sister) Lijah said as he pushed himself in front of Rome then he held his hand out to me.
I chuckled lightly and shook his hand.
"It's nice to meet you." I smiled at him. "I know, most of your names I think." I looked around the room and pointed at everyone. "Jon, my father." I stated a bit hesitantly at the unfamiliar word. "Lijah, Rome, Darien, Ian, who are my brothers and –" I pointed at the last brother but I didn't know his name.
"It's Isaac, or Zac, I am your oldest brother."
"Right." I said dazed, again being hit with the realization that I have brothers. Not just a twin but 5 older brothers.
"He's 31 years old." Lijah added and continued. "Except for Rome and you we are all close in age. Isaac is the oldest, then Ian who turned 30 a few days ago as you know. Then me with 28 years and Darien who is 27."
"You're all so old." A round of chuckles erupted around me as I said that. I blushed embarrassed as I didn't mean to say that out loud.
I quickly scanned the room to find a distraction and spotted the last unknown person in the room. He was around Jonathan's age and looked at me fondly.
"And who are you?" I asked. "I saw you a few days ago in the driveway and at the party." I remembered him as the man who had stormed into the kitchen on my first night here.
"I am your uncle Alessandro but you can just call me Sandro, bambina." Uncle Sandro said, the smile on his face grew bigger as I smiled back at him.
Rome pushed Lijah aside and took the seat beside me, I laughed at the two as they fought over the seat beside me.
"So, Liah, how did you find us?" And that's when the questions started.