Your Future Needs You, Your Past Doesn't
"You have to teach me how you do this."
Three days have past since that night at my brothers game and I couldn't get it out of my head. Mom had controlled the situation without a lifting a finger. She had used the people around her in a way I could never imagine.
"Do what?" Asked mom as she read over something on the paper on her desk. I could see a faint smile on her lips as she spoke. She knew fine rightly what I was talking about.
Putting my hands on her desk at the other side she finally looked up at me. "How you control situations like that."
"I already told you-"
"No you taught me the pieces of the board but you never taught me how to use them to my advantage."
Mom put the piece of paper down and leaned back in her seat. She was studying me like she always does but she must have seen something different because she let out a small grin.
"That's not something I can teach you."
"Why not?" My answer came almost childlike but I couldn't help it. I needed to know, I wanted to think just like her when it came to this world.
"Because it's something that comes with experience. I've learnt from my mistakes and I've learnt from every situation I've been in. Those experiences are what taught me and if you want the same, then you should do the same."
She was right of course but how was I ever going to learn from my own experiences when she was always around to have the situation under control.
Mom must have read my mind because she was silent for a moment before she spoke the next words. Almost like she was making sure what she was saying was the right choice.
"Go to Italy."
"What?" Not once did I ever think this would be her response. Why would she want to send me to Italy?
"Your dad wants to be home for a while and who can blame him, he's been gone for a while. I also need your brother to come back home to deal with something."
Frowning I looked at her wondering what that something was but I knew she wouldn't tell me even if I asked.
Then the rest of her words kicked her. She wanted me to go to Italy and take control of it over there.
She was giving me an opportunity to prove myself in my dads world.
In her world.
"Italy's power has shifted in our world, Luca's men are under our control but it's always a touchy subject when there's a new boss around. There's also other little league players that want to take advantage of the power shift. They'll want to try and gain control of more than we would dare allow them."
"So you want me to get it under control."
Mom nodded as she watched me carefully. "Elijah has been over there this whole time so you'll be working with him and I'll be having Zane and Damon checking up on you. There's also some of our most experienced men are over there, so make sure to take there advice."
"I will I promise." This is what I needed. I needed to get out of my parents shadow, I needed to get out of my brothers shadow.
I needed to find out what it is that I am able to do myself. I want to find out what my own limits are when it comes to this world.
I needed to find out if I belonged in this world.
"I'm not finished." Mom stood up and walked around the table so that she stood in front of me. "Just remember, just because they are more experienced doesn't mean what they will tell you is always the right thing to do. Remember to trust your own mind and never second doubt yourself."
"I won't, I promise." I remarked as I leaned forward to hug her and she returned the hug back.
"I'm not telling your dad though, you can have that honour." I let out a loud sigh at moms comment almost knowing this was coming.
"I think as my mom you should do that."
"I think as my daughter, you should do it." There was a dare in her voice, a dare that tells me this is the first step to the rest of my life.
"Yea, you're right." Standing up straight I looked over my mom with admiration, she really was something I dreamed to become. "When do I leave?"
"As soon as your brother gets home." That wasn't to far away and moms next sentence to leave her lips proved that fact. "So next week."
Her words just hit me, a week.
A week wasn't long at all.
A week to say good bye to my life here.
To say goodbye to my childhood.
Swallowing back my emotions I nodded knowing this is what I wanted. I wanted this but I knew everything was about to change the second I got on that plane.
No.
It changed the second I decided to go.
Mom's eyes softened, she must have noticed the emotions on my face. She was always one of the best for reading me. "You're ready for this."
Those were all the words that I needed to hear for my confidence to come flying back. If mom believed in me then there was no doubt that this wasn't the right thing to do.
She knew better than anyone what someone was capable off. If she didn't think I could handle what was about to come my way she wouldn't let me go in the first place.
"Why is Reagan coming home?"
There was a spark in her eye at the mention of my brothers name and I couldn't decide if it was a good or bad thing.
"I need your brother to deal with something."
"Deal with something? What does he need to deal with that you or dad can't?"
Mom scoffed and went back around her desk to sit once more. "Trust me I wish I could deal with this but it's something he needs to do."
"It's about Daniella isn't it?" My mind had come to the conclusion before I even knew what I was saying.
Mom grinned at me before leaning back in her chair and stretched out her arms in front of her.
"Let's just say I'm sick of his shit."
Letting out a laugh I knew what my mom was doing. It was going to be a completely different question if my older brother was going to appreciate it or not.
"And I'm sure after living in the same house with you for a while again he'll be sick of yours." I commented making mom laugh outright.
"You're probably right about that."
"Right about what?"
Turning around I seen dad leaning against the door frame. He was wearing a simple white top and jeans, his tattoos on full show. He looked at me carefully before turning to mom.
"Im right about a lot of things, you know me." Waved off mom like it was a fact.
It was a fact, no one could deny that.
"What are you up to now?" Sighed dad but his remark was in humour as he gave mom a pointed look.
"Nothing you need to worry about." Smiled mom like she was the most innocent person in the world.
"I'm sure." Remarked dad rolling his eyes as he looked back at me. "Are you going to tell me?"
"Layla actually had something she wants to tell you." Mom remarked dropping me in the deep end making me send a glare her way. She just looked amused as she leaned on the table with her chin on the palm of her hand.
"Oh really?" Dad turned his full attention back to me with a raised eyebrow. "Last time she wanted to talk to me, she cost me a fortune."
"I already said sorry for that." I responded rolling my eyes thinking back at the memory.
"I don't think sorry cuts it for a three million dollar bill." Mom covered a laugh with the back of her hand clearly thinking back to the same memory I had.
"Here, it wasn't my fault that the guy decided to punch Levi." I remarked holding my hands up in defence.
"Yea, but no one told you to burn down his house. A house might I add that belongs to the Mayor."
"Details." This time I waved off my dad with the same attitude that mom had only moments ago making dad roll his eyes at me.
When me and Levi were freshmen, a senior thought he seen his opportunity to try and put us in our place. After all everyone knew who we are and what family we come from. With Reagan dropping out of school the year before Callum seen his opportunity to be number one.
What he didn't expect was me.
Of course I wasn't going to let an asshole get away with hitting one of my siblings. More so one that I knew wouldn't hit him back.
So I took things into my own hands.
"So what is it this time and how much is it going to cost me?" Dad was looking at me expectingly and I looked over my shoulder at mom who nodded for me to tell him.
"I want to go to Italy." I blurted out before I even had a chance to let myself back down. This is what I wanted and I wasn't going to let anything stand in the way.
"Italy?" Dad looked confused at first and he looked behind me at Mom. Silence fell between us all as mom and dad seemed to have some sort of silent conversation.
I couldn't see the tension in dads jaw, I knew what that meant. He so badly wanted to say no. He wanted to tell me that I couldn't go but that wasn't my parents style to stop us like that. After a few moments he turned to look at me again.
There was still that tension in his jaw and the fire in his eyes but they softened a bit when he looked at me. I knew he could see the pleading look in my eyes.
I needed him to understand that this was what I wanted to do.
"Do you know-" but I cut him off not wanting him to think to deeply. If I didn't get my point across now, he was never going to let me go.
"I know what that means." I responded in a rush making him look at me carefully. "I want to do this. I've watched mom and you for the last few months and I've throw myself into what needs done. I want to share this world with you, I want to learn more about your world. I know it's not going to be easy and I know the risks that come with it. I've heard stories how you and mom were seventeen when your world was flipped. I'm seventeen now and you've always tried to make sure that we are allowed to do what we want. Well I want to do this, I want to learn more and be right beside you in this world."
Dad was silent as he fully took me in. A range off emotions were running through his eyes before finally he ran his hand ran through his hair in frustration, turning to mom.
"You know this is your fault, she takes this drive for more after you." Dad joked making me release a breath I didn't know I had been holding.
"What can I say, I gave birth to strong willed kids." Laughed Mom as she watched dad, I knew the two of them would be talking about this more.
"Tell me about it, it's getting annoying."
"So I can go?" I asked wanting to make sure I had my dads support. I know I'd be going either way but I wanted to make sure he was on my side before I left. Me and dad had a close relationship and I didn't want anything to get between us.
"Of course you can." Responded dad with a frown. "I wouldn't stop you from going, doesn't mean I fully support it."
Mom sighed loudly drawing our attention to her. "The only reason you don't fully support it is because she's your little girl."
"Obviously." Responded dad with a scoff. "I know better than anyone she can handle herself I don't have any doubt about that. Just annoying that I've came back from Italy and now the Princess is heading over there."
Letting out a laugh I rushed over to give my dad a hug which he gladly opened his arms for. Wrapping my arms around him I felt like a little girl again who thought that my dad could protect me from the world. I felt him kiss the top of my head before I pulled back.
"At least you get Reagan back and of course Levi and Emilia are here." I grinned which made my dad playfully roll his eyes this time.
"Oh great." Sarcasm was dripping from his voice, we both knew dad was happy to have any of us kids about.
"I better go, I have shit loads to do before next week." I responded looking between my parents, I knew they wanted to talk about this but weren't going to do it with me in the room.
"Go check over your cars." Spoke up mom as I headed towards the door. "I'll be sending them with you."
Nodding I made my way out of the office closing the door behind me. Mom and dad never argued so I wasn't worried about that but I knew they weren't seeing fully eye to eye about this. Though mom always said dad babied me to much from the second I was born.
Heading to my room to change into an old pair of shorts and hoody before I went down to the underground garage. I knew that some my cars and bike needed looked at before they were shipped out. It's been a while from I had last looked over them with everything going on.
The second my feet hit the garage I knew why mom wanted me to come down here and it had nothing to do the with the cars.
River was shirtless as he worked on one of the bikes. He had clearly been here for a while as his his arms were covered in bike oil and grease. I noticed that he had a new tattoo on his back that looked only a few days old.
Frowning I trailed the detail with my eyes as I creeped closer. River always told me about any new tattoos before he got them done but he had never mentioned this one.
His back muscles tensed as I got closer but I paid no attention to it as I reached out and traced the detail.
"I wouldn't do that." His deep voice near enough vibrated through my bones and for a second I forgot who River was.
Something about him was different.
"Shit, sorry forgot it's still fresh." I responded coming around to the other side of the bike.
My breath caught in my throat his emerald green eyes were darker than I had ever seen them before. His jaw was tense as he looked me up at me from my bare legs all the way up to met my gaze. I felt almost hyper aware of everything going on inside me. From the beating of my own heart to the blood rushing through my veins.
Something about him has changed in the last few days.
We were all growing up and the last few days had shown us what it was that we were signing up for.
"That's not why I said that." For the first time in my life I felt myself on the boarder line of turning red.
Never before had I had such a reaction. It wasn't like me and River knew each other that way after all we've slept with each other plenty of times. Now though there seemed to be something different in the air around him, around us.
Coughing to snap my thought away from where they were heading I thought fast about what I could get myself out of this situation.
"I have to tell you something." Telling him about Italy seemed like that sure fire way to turn the tide.
"You're going to Italy." He looked at me with a pointed look before turning his attention back to the bike. It was only then I realised it was one of mine.
He already knew and was getting my shit sorted.
That's why mom really sent me down here, she wanted me and River to have this conversation.
"How did you know? I mean I just found out myself."
River looked up at me for a spilt second before looking back down at the bike. "This is your mom we're talking about. Obviously she'd have thought this all out long before she had told you. Elijah told me."
At the name of River oldest brother I knew what mom had been sorting out.
Elijah had been over in Italy helping dad and then Reagan keep things in control over there. He's only twenty-one but he's been born for this world and as the son of Zane Knight it's no surprise he threw himself into it when he was sixteen. If there was one person that could probably outsmart my brother other than our mom it was Elijah.
As I watched River play around with the bike my mind only fell on one conclusion. It wasn't Elijah I wanted to work alongside.
It was River.
"Come with me." My words shocked even me but it was too late to take them back.
River's eyes snapped up to met mine once more but this time there was a softness in them that I had never seen before. Sighing he stood up straight, wiping his hands on a bit of cloth that was lying about.
"I can't."
"I know don't worry." I said waving him off trying not to act hurt. As much as the thought was a rushed one I will miss not having River about. It's only clicked how much time me and him had spent together as we grew up.
"No, I mean I can't because dad is bringing me to London."
"London?" Surprise was clear on my voice making River let out a low chuckle.
"Yea, dad needs to sort something over there." He gave me a pointed look, we both came to the same conclusion. "Timing right?"
"They did it on purpose." There wasn't any bitterness in my tone as I said it but it was still upsetting.
"Oh I know." Agreed River with a sigh rolling his shoulders trying to release some tension.
"To be fair they probably have a point." I laughed but there was no humour in my voice. Doing this without my parents was one thing but not having River by my side was another. "All we do is cause shit together."
River looked at me carefully for a moment before leaning forward with one hand on the bike and the other grabbing my chin. His look was intense and I tried to turn my head to look away from him but he just tightened his grip. He was forcing me to look at him and for the third time I had forgotten how to breath.
"Trust me we'll cross paths again." His voice was low as he spoke with an unspoken promise in it.
"I know we will." I said swallowing the lump in my throat. "It's just a matter of when."