I'm fucking starving.
But there's nothing good in the condo that I want to eat right now, so I've opted to lie face down on my bed in a depressive nap.
"LEVI!" Milan calls up the stairs, and I groan into my pillow, "There's someone here to see you!" He shouts and I sit up groggily.
Someone was here to see me? Maybe it was Car, I couldn't imagine it being anyone else.
"Coming!" I yell back irritably, still pissy from the disappointing contents of the fridge.
I take my time slumping down the stairs and to the front of the condo, where low and behold someone was waiting for me. And it wasn't Car.
"Hi." Romeo says meekly, shifting uncomfortably as he looks up at me.
I take the last step down the stairs and stare at him warily. He was holding two frozen yoghurt and my stomach growled loudly at the sight of the chocolate one.
I'd say someone from above listened to my prayers and sent me food- but it may be a cruel joke considering Romeo is the one bearing them.
"Are you gonna demand I leave again?" I ask Romeo saltily, and he looks at me, narrowing his eyes.
"Are you going to punch someone again?" He retorts right back at me and I smile at him lazily.
"Touche." I shrug, slouching against the wall and putting my hands in my pockets.
This seems to loosen Romeo up a little, who chuckles and holds up the chocolate frozen yoghurt for me, "Peace offering." He says, and I nod at him in thanks, accepting the cup of deliciousness, "Can we talk?"
I take a spoonful of my froyo and stuff it in my mouth, thinking over his request, "I guess we can't put it off forever." I smile and he smiles awkwardly back. I nod my head upstairs so we can talk without prying ears from around the house and Romeo smiles gratefully as he follows me up.
We get into my room and I shut the door behind us, falling into my desk chair so Romeo can sit on the bed without feeling uncomfortable.
I only lean back and eat my froyo, Romeo not touching his just yet, but I wait for him to make the first move.
"So," Romeo begins, just as I scoop more froyo into my mouth, "You kissed me." He states.
I choke a little on my froyo before covering it up, and sitting up a little straighter in my seat.
Sheesh, he really went straight for the jugular.
"And you didn't kiss me back." I continue his sentence and Romeo looks down at his fingers bashfully.
"About that Levi..." He starts, looking awfully uncomfortable and I take sympathy on him. He was hard to stay mad at.
"Rome, you don't have to." I shake my head, getting up from my seat to approach him. He looks up at me surprised, so I continue, "I get it. I read our relationship wrong and I'm sorry I kissed you so suddenly. I'm also sorry I took out my rejection on Silver, that wasn't fair." I admit, even though I was jealous over the situation.
Romeo looked at me with so much relief, it almost made up for the ache in my chest, "Thank you. You're so understanding." Romeo tells me softly, genuine gratitude on his face.
I smile tightly, happy he is happy, despite my own feelings.
"But Levi," He continues and I look at him in anticipation, "I do like you. I really do. You're amazing, kind, funny." He lists and I hold back a sad smile, "But it's too complicated. Our families- everything, if we had met as complete strangers, then maybe..." He trails off.
I understand completely where he's coming from, though I also decide I want to move on as quickly as possible, and make this situation more light hearted.
I grin at him teasingly, "And the King of England isn't complicated?" I joke and Romeo finally cracks a genuine laugh, rolling his eyes at me.
"Fuck off, of course it is." He smiles, shaking his head, "I don't even know if that'll work out. It's a learning curve but," Romeo shrugs, "Whatever happens, happens I guess." He says.
"I wish I had that attitude." I tell him and he looks at me curiously, "I keep forgetting how young I am. Our positions in the Underworld make me feel like my childhood ended years ago. I almost feel like I'm running out of time when it comes to dating and shit- which sounds ridiculous when I say it aloud." I rant, and Romeo sits and listens to me.
"I understand." Romeo tells me, "Everyone is starting their own lives separate from the Underworld and our families. But don't feel pressured to do the same. Don't feel like you need to go out and date if you aren't ready."
I nod at his words, finding them comforting to hear out loud, "Thank you." I tell him genuinely, "And the same goes for you. I want you to be happy Romeo, we both deserve that. Even if it isn't with one another." I add on.
Romeo smiles at me sadly, but nods nonetheless.
We sit and joke like old times as we eat our frozen yoghurt. I'm glad we had this conversation- it's eased my conscience slightly and hopefully Romeo's as well.
We were halfway through our typical argument of the best froyo flavour- which sure as Hell isn't mint- when Andrei bursts through my door, a pissed Milan and Maxim in tow.
"What the fuck? Can you knock?" I scoff at him and he glances between Romeo and I.
"Romeo, call Enzo and Massimo to come over." Andrei tells him casually and Romeo frowns, confused.
"Uh, sure." He responds, pulling out his phone.
"What for?" I ask, glancing between my three angry brothers.
Andrei smirks at me, the expression laced with bad intent, "Feel like being overprotective asshole brothers?"
"Oh my god." I laugh as I see Gigi sitting on the sofa, clad in a grey hoodie as 5 one week old kittens sleep all over him.
Two were tucked away in the hood of his hoodie, and the other three all cuddled in his arms as he sat there with a shit eating grin on his face.
I swear my ovaries are going to explode-
"I think Arabella hates me- but they're so fucking cute." Gigi says, looking down at the fluffballs.
I smile widely and walk over to him, plopping down at the sofa next to him as he wraps his free arm around me.
"There, now all my babies are here." He says cheesily and I chuckle, burying my face into his hoodie as he holds me closer to him.
"If your whole mafia saw how you act at home, you'd lose so much respect." I tell him teasingly and he rolls his eyes.
"I'm not that bad of a guy am I?" He asks me playfully with a raised brow.
I purse my lips exaggeratedly in thought, "Hm, well you are a murderer... Just a murderer whose a dad to several kittens." I grin and he smacks his lips at me.
"Says you." He looks at me pointedly, "Didn't you kill your ex-boyfriend?" He narrows his eyes at me, but if the grin on his lips told me anything, it was that he was more than happy about it.
"I did." I say back chipperly, "So don't fuck anything up." I smile at him sweetly and he shakes his head at me.
"Wouldn't dream of it, baby." He coos and I laugh at him, snuggling back up to his side.
"How's your tattoo?" Gigi asks me, rubbing circles on the inside of my thigh.
"Good, it's healing well." I inform him, and he hums his approval.
"Can I see?" He asks me, and I sit up and nod.
I reach the hem of my shirt to slip it off, but catch a glance at his sly smile. I pause and his eyes connect with mine.
"You sneaky fuck." I say, whipping him with the end of my hoodie sleeve.
Gigi bursts out laughing, disturbing the kittens who stretch and yawn, "You have to admit that's genius." He laughs and I faux glare at him.
"You're a perverted fuck, you just wanna see me topless, not the fucking tattoo." I shake my head at him in astonishment.
The levels this guy will go to-
Gigi shrugs and pulls me into him to shower me in hugs and kisses, "I love you." He tells me and I grunt.
A knock on the front door has us whipping our heads around, the loud sound startling the kittens as they disperse from Gigi and back to Arabella.
I frown as Gigi gets up. I try to follow his lead but he pushes me back down protectively, "Let me see who it is." He tells me, and I nod at him.
He walks over to the door and opens it, his shoulders relaxing at whoever is on the other side.
I hear Andrei's voice before all, and I mean all, my brothers walk into the house.
Except Angelo and Giovanni- of course.
"Uh, hey guys." I tell them, dipping my brows in confusion at their sudden appearance.
"What? You not happy to see us?" Massimo teases, grinning at me stupidly and I smile at him.
I get up off the sofa and walk into his open arms, hugging him tightly, "Of course I'm happy." I tell him and pull back, Massimo smiling at me softly.
It's not long before I'm pulled into another set of arms- Lorenzo- and this sets off a chain. Now everyone wants a hug.
"Do you wanna see the babies?" I ask them after hugging them all, and they all nod as I show them into the lounge.
The kittens all perk up interestedly at the new people, and come over boldly to sniff and investigate.
The majority of my brothers were welcoming to them, crouching down and petting them. Save for Massimo and Maxim, who were too macho to croon over kittens.
Losers-
Gigi comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, setting his chin on top of my head as usual.
"So why are you guys over?" I ask the boys once they've settled around the living room, and they all collectively look to Andrei.
I take it this is serious, so grab Gigi's hand and go over to sit on the love seat in the lounge, facing the two sofas my brothers were occupying.
Andrei leans forward, resting his arms on his thighs, hands dangling between his legs as he settles me a look, "Do you have something to tell us?" He asks me seriously.
I blink, "Something to tell you?" I repeat back to him, sensing Gigi's own curiosity from beside me.
Andrei nods, and looks pretty angry about something, "Something that happened at our shop a week ago?" He explains further.
I freeze and share a look with Gigi- he couldn't possibly know about the tattoo? Right?
Milan catches the look that passed between Gigi and I, "Does Gigi know? And he's okay with it?" He asks, his anger growing tenfold.
All my other brothers immediately frown at Gigi and he looks to me confused.
They fucking know about the tattoo.
I sigh in defeat, "Look guys, it's not a big deal." I say and Lorenzo snaps.
"Not a big fucking deal?! Car, are you serious?" He says, getting pissed at nothing.
I frown, "I didn't have to tell you about it." I tell them all, my own anger rising at how dickish they were being.
Andrei softens a little, "Car, we want you to feel comfortable telling us anything. You never have to be scared of how we react."
I internally scoff at that, but I see the point he's getting at.
I run a hand through my hair, and Gigi puts his hand on my thigh.
"Fine, yes I got a tattoo. But it's small and tasteful and somewhere no one will see it." I admit to them, and they all freeze.
"What?" Levi asks.
"You got a tattoo?" Maxim asks, raising a brow at me in shock.
I frown right back at them, "Yeah, isn't that why you're all so pissed?"
Andrei frowns deeply, "No," he grunts, and my heart skips a beat. I just outed myself- "But we'll get back to that later." He says threateningly, obviously not too happy with the tattoo news.
Gigi shifts beside me, equally confused as the rest of us, "Wait, so what else was she supposed to tell you?" He asks, and I look to my brothers for the answer.
Milan and Andrei share a look before Andrei pulls out his phone and opens something up.
He projects it to our TV, and my mouth goes dry.
Security footage of the tattoo shop's reception shows me passing by the creepy customer to get back to Gigi on the couch, his hand on my ass discreetly as I walked past.
Gigi practically vibrates with concern beside me, "What the fuck?" He all but snarls.
___________________________________________________________
yes ik it was another cliffhanger... i love you... :)
hope you enjoyed reading!!!
ily all so so much and see you next time <3