Okay it's been a few chapters now😂, how's everything going? Do y'all like the book and how things are coming together...ish? How do we feel about what happened to Luca? To be completely honest, it hurt me to write Alessandro beating up Luca, my poor boy doesn't deserve any of this😭. Also, I'm trying to get Evangeline and Domenico to talk more so get ready for that. Anyway, all comments are wanted, I wanted to know what my readers are thinking!
Please comment, like, and vote!!💗.
Sunlight wavered through the curtains before it slipped into the room. Groaning softly, I turned my head to the side, the blue sky outside flooding into my eyes. Rubbing my forehead, a dull, sick feeling slowly washed over me. Looking down at my body, I froze when I saw that I was still wearing the dress from last night. I sighed as I closed my eyes, last night was definitely not a dream. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I suddenly remembered what had happened last night. I was absolutely wasted, and Domenico was there. As soon as I sat up, I was instantly hit with a wave of nauseous. Clenching my jaw, I jumped out of bed, and ran over to the bathroom, instantly throwing up into the toilet. Gripping the sides of the toilet rim, I spat out any residue in my mouth. Slumping down against the wall, I caught my breathe as I closed my eyes. What was I going to do? Domenico had seen a side of me that I never ever brought out. What was he going to think of me, some girl who got absolutely drunk just because she wanted to see how it felt?
Pressing my hand against the wall, I pulled myself up. My stomach was empty, it craved nothing more than food. Quickly washing my mouth out, I left my room before making my way downstairs. The sound of vacuums cleaning up halls and the morning activities rang in my ears. I nearly stumbled down the stairs, thanking the banister as I gripped onto it for support. Stepping off the last step, I inhaled deeply before turning towards the dinning hall doors. " You sure you wanna go in there looking like that?" A voice asked from behind me. As I turned around, I saw Gio walking out from a room. " What?" I asked. I looked down and realized I had forgotten to change my attire from last night. I sighed, " here," Gio said. Walking up to me, he shrugged off his suit jacket before handing it to me.
" Thanks," I said as I slipped my arms through the sleeves, buttoned up the opened buttons. " Who's all in there?" I asked untucking my hair out from the collar of the jacket. " Your brothers," Gio answered. " How long have they been in there?" I asked pulling down the bottom of my dress. " About ten minutes," Gio informed me. I nodded, " you shouldn't go in there," Gio said. " Why not?" Scoffing, Gio said, " You're not sober yet." " I am starving, I haven't eaten anything since yesterday," I groaned softly. Holding back a smile, Gio said, " welcome to getting drunk." Turning towards the dinning ball, I stopped before looking back at Gio. " Domenico picked me up last night," I told Gio. " I know," Gio said as he walked up to me. " He was on a work call when you called." " Great," I sighed. " He's never stopped a work call for anyone in his life," Gio informed me. " Which means he cares about you."
I scoffed softly, " I don't get drunk, or go out to clubs," I assured. " Or wear dresses like that?" Gio asked eyeing my dress. I smiled, " yes, that too." A soft smile took over Gio's face, quickly slipping off his face. Opening the door, Gio allowed me to enter first. The glorious smell of cooked food made my mouth water, but the second I saw all five of my brothers at the table resurfaced the anger that had demolished hours ago. Mya and the others were gone, I assumed either they were asleep or in some other man's bed who knew where. Dante looked at me, eyeing the suit jacket that was covering the dress I wore last night. " Relax, the suits mine," Gio informed Dante. Glancing over at at Gio, Dante averting his attention to his drink.
Gio pulled out my seat for me as a plate full of food was placed down in front of me. I smiled at the butler before sitting down in my seat. " Is Luca okay?" I asked Hio. " Yeah," Gio sighed. " He has a broken nose, but besides that he's perfectly fine." Alessandro scoffed as he leaned back in his chair. I looked at him and said sternly, " what?" Alessandro shook his head, " you almost killed him Alessandro," I reminded him as anger laced my tone. " Almost," Alessandro said, as if what I said was funny. I wanted to say something, I wanted Alessandro to know how mad I was for him hurting Luca. " You're pathetic," I said sitting back in my chair. " You're one to talk," Alessandro scoffed, his annoyed glare averting onto me. Raising my eyebrows, I asked, " really?" " Going out, getting drunk just because everyone else was doing it," Alessandro said.
Dante immediately looked at me, " you did what?" All confidence slipped away as I looked at Dante. " She's alive, isn't she?" Gio asked calmly. Dante scoffed, " your alone for one god damn night, and you waste it get fucking drunk?" " Dante I was fine, nothing happened," I said. " That's not the fucking point, Evangeline," Dante said looking at me. " Don't think for one damn second you were going to get away with this," Dante assured me. " You can't stop me from having fun Diego," I said. " I'm old enough to do whatever I want, without your permission." Dante instantly stood up, seconds after Gio stood up. I sat still behind Gio as he stood between Dante and so. " This doesn't concern you," Dante said sternly. " She has the whole fucking family wrapped around her finger," Alessandro said as his stern eyes locked onto me.
I stood up, " Dante, I'm done having you and everyone in our family push me around." " Move," Dante ordered curtly as he glared at Gio. " For someone whose your sister, you guys sure act like dicks to her," Hio said staring into Dante's eyes. Dante's jaw clenched as anger flooded his eyes, Gio stood his ground as Dante stepped closer to him. " I said, move," Dante said sternly. I stood up, stopping right as Gio put his arm back, keeping me away from Dante. " You're not going to hurt her," Gio said. His eyes darkened, " and I'm not moving." Suddenly, four of my brothers stood up. " It's five against one," Alessandro said glaring at Gio. " I don't mind repeating what I did to Luca with you." " Stop!" I yelled. Everyone looked at me while Dante and Gio continued to glare at each other. " I am done doing this," I said sternly. " Yes Dante, I got drunk last night, I also danced with guys I'd never even met beguile, and I had fun." Dante's eyes slowly made their way over to me as I stared at him. " What else do you guys want to know?" I asked angrily.
The room was silent, but the anger and tension in the room was deafening. Unbuttoning Gio's jacket that he gave me, I dropped it on my seat. Yes I felt naked, yes I felt utterly uncomfortable having everyone in the room stare at me and the dress I was wearing, but I didn't care anymore. " I am done being in the middle of every fight that starts," I said. " Sooner or later we're all going to be family." " No," Alessandro said sternly. I looked at him, " you're the only one here whose going to stay with them, not me," Alessandro said coolly. His eyes cut into mine, hitting a sensitive spot I didn't know I had. " Once you say 'I do', I'm gone," Alessandro said sternly. My shoulders dropped slightly, tears instantly filling my eyes. Shaking my head, I said softly as my voice cracked, " you don't mean that." Alessandro scoffed, " I mean every, fucking, word."
Turning, I watched as Alessandro left the table and exit the room. As Alessandro opened the dinning hall doors, he slammed it shut behind him, making me flinch. As I blinked back the tears filling up my eyes, Dante and everyone else stared at me in silence. " Evangeline, he didn't mean that," Damien murmured. Not being able to be in the room anymore, I clenched my aw as I turned, immediately leaving the hall.
- - -
Whipping tears off my face, I soon found myself walking towards the infirmary doors. Inhaling deeply, I stared back down the hall. I didn't even know where the infirmary was, yet here I was. Maybe my mind needed to be with someone who made me feel safe, made me feel at ease and comfortable. Pushing open the doors, a clean, fresh wave of air fluttered up against my face. Everything was white, organized, and polished. Knowing that Luca was in here, somewhere, comforted me. Folding my arms, I made my way into the infirmary, passing many cleaned beds. I could smell him, he smelled like pure comfort.
Eyeing a room, I saw a trash can full of bloody bandages. I stopped before entering the room and looked around, he was here. " Didn't know they allowed visitors," a voice said from behind me. I turned around to see Luca standing at the doorway. I smiled, Luca looked way better than before. His face was clean, except for a few bruises, clean bandages covered his nose. " Hey," I sighed. " Hey," Luca said smiling as he entered the room. A damp towel hung over his shoulders as water droplets dropped down the side of his face and chest. Walking past me, Luca dropped his towel into a hamper before grabbing a black shirt off the bed. " You okay?" Luca asked me. I looked at Luca right as he put his shirt on, facing me.
" You nearly got killed, and you're asking me if I'm okay?" I asked. Luca grinned, " yeah." " I'm fine," I answered, slight irritation filling my tone. The smile on Lucas' face slowly faded. " What happened?" He asked me. " My brothers," I said as I walked over to the bed and sat down. Luca nodded and sighed as he sat down next to me, " wanna talk about it?" " No matter what I do, I always start a fight," I explained. Luca looked at me, " you and I both know that all this is my fault." I looked at Luca, " no it's not." " Evangeline, you can blame yourself all you want, but it's not going to get you anywhere," Luca said standing up. " We'll I'm not blaming you, so," I assured Luca as I stood up.
Running his hand through his hair, Luca sighed as he faced me. I frowned slightly as a worried look gleamed in Lucas' eyes. " This isn't going to work," Luca said softly. " What's not going to work?" I asked.
Luca shook his head as he stared at me, I could see that it hurt him holding back something that he wanted to say. " The longer we see each other, the worse it's going to get," Luca explained. " Okay, fine, then we'll find another way to talk to each other," I reasoned. " You need to stay away from me," Luca instantly said. A thick knot formed in my throat as Luca stared at me. " What?" I asked softly. " You're marrying my brother, what we're doing is a bad idea." As I stared at Luca, I refused to believe what he was saying. " My brothers hate me, I have no one else but you to talk to," I said as I began to feel tears clog my throat . " I'm sorry," Luca murmured. The longer I stared at Luca, the more I came to understand what was happening, the affliction in my heart thumping in my chest.
" I think you should go," Luca said softly. I clenched my jaw as a hot, burning feeling buried itself into my stomach. With nothing left to say, walked past Luca as tears filled my eyes. Leaving the room, I made my way out of the infirmary.
- - -
A soft wind blew into my face as I sat on a bench over looking the city below. As I inhaled deeply, the dull, stinging feeling that had once captivated my body slowly began to subdue itself. My mom had always told me as a kid to love and treat everyone with kindness, and doing that, now I was left with family who hated me, and someone who I cared so much for, who simply wanted nothing to do with me. Tears soon began streaming down my face, I blinked them away but was instantly greeting by more hot tears filling up my eyes. " Evangeline?" an older voice called out. Sniffing, I looked to my left and saw Vincent slowly making his way over to me. I quickly whipped my eyes before standing up and turning to Vincent right as he approached me.
" Ah, I thought it was you," Vincent said smiling. I smiled, " you the kind of girl that loves nature, huh?" Vincent asked me. I chuckled softly, " it's the fresh air and the flowers." Vincent nodded, " well, I'm baking some cookies for the towns bakery and need assistance." I grinned as Vincent asked, " would you like to help me?" Nodding, I said, " I'd love to." " Good good," Vincent said. Slowly making his way around, I followed Vincent back into the house as he led us down to the kitchen.
Flour dotted the front of my t shirt while Vincent mixed together all the ingredients into a metal bowl. " Nowadays, my arms won't let me do this for long," Vincent chuckled. " Need help?" I asked. Vincent smiled, " thank you, thank you." Scooting to the side, Vincent handed me the bowl as he let out a long sigh. " You weren't outside just for the fresh air now, we're you?" Vincent suddenly asked me. The smile on my face faded, " I've lived a very long ninety eight years, I know when there's family problems," Vincent said.
" It's my brothers, they want to control my life," I explained. " And, do you let them?" Vincent asked me. " I can't do anything about it," I said. " They shut me down whenever I try." " Here's a little tip, from a very wise man," Vincent said, chuckling. " Shut then down, so that they can't do it to you," Vincent said. " Boys such as your brothers need to know that women hold just as much power, maybe even more." Smiling, I said, " you're a very wise man Vincent." Vincent grinned and nodded, " so I've been told."
Sliding two cookie trays into the oven, Vincent set a fifteen minute timer before sitting up at the table. " How long have you lived with the Berlusconi's?" I asked. " For about thirty years," Vincent informed me. " And I enjoy it, I really do." I smiled, " did you have a family?" " Yes I did, two daughters and one son," Vincent answered. " My wife and I raised them here until they got old and moved out. About ten years after our marriage, my wife got very sick and died." The smile on my face faded away as my shoulders dropped. " I'm so sorry," I said softly. " Ah it's okay," Vincent said shrugging off the loving, yet painful memory. " I lived a happy life, with my family and now here with the Berlusconi's," Vincent said.
" About Domenico," I said. Vincent chuckled, " what do you want to know?" " He picked me up last night, at a club," I said. Vincent nodded, " you were drunk, I assume." I scoffed, " I just, I don't want him to think little of me just because of that night." " You are very different than the other women Domenico's been with and brought home," Vincent informed me. " Not to mention more beautiful." I smiled, " if Domenico came and picked you up, putting a stop to his work, then Evangeline you're one very special woman," Vincent said patting my hand.
As the timer went off, Vincent smiled at me before standing up and walking over to the oven. " Take some of these up to Domenico," Vincent Instructed. I looked at Vincent as he slid on an oven mitten, taking out the two steaming cookie trays. " He's working, I shouldn't," I said standing up. " Domenico is in his office all day, which is why you are going to go up and give him these," Vincent practically ordered me. Grabbing a small plate, Vincent placed ten cookies on it before handing it over to me. " Don't forget to smile," Vincent said as he winked at me. I shook my head, taking the plate from Vincent as a smile spread across his face.
Everything was quiet as I walked down the hall leading to Domenico's office. Ever since last night, seeing him would only make everything worse. Domenico saw me absolutely wasted and watched me throw up outside the club. I had nothing to say to him, after all, I had made a complete fool out of myself, so the plan was to keep my mouth closed and to deliver him the plate of cookies.
Seeing a guard stand beside a door, I assumed It was Domenico's office. I forced back the anxious feeling creeping it's way up inside me and smile at the guard as he looked at me. " I have these, for Domenico," I said calmly. " He's not in his office," the guard said sternly. Inhaling deeply, I asked, " well then, can you give them to him, please?" The guard eyed the cookies before saying, " he's not here, leave."
" Can I just put them on his desk?" I asked taking a few steps over to the door. The guard instantly grabbed my arm, making me wince slightly in pain. " I said go," the guard ordered sternly. " Let go of her," Domenico's voice boomed down the hall. Without hesitation, the guard let go of me hand, standing up tall alongside the wall. I took a step back, holding onto the plate as Domenico made his way up to us. I quickly looked at Domenico as he walked up to face to the guard. " Touch her again, and I'll kill you," Domenico said sternly. " Look at her or even speak to her, and I'll kill you, understand?" Domenico asked, his eyes dark as he glared at the guard. " Yes sir," the guard said standing his ground. Domenico clenched his jaw before saying, " leave and don't ever guard this hall again, do you understand?" Domenico asked. " Yes sir," the guard said.
I watched the guard step off the wall before he turned and walked down the hall. Domenic stood still as the guard turned and rounded the corner. As I awkwardly held onto the plate of cookies, the silence cut into my mind. Domenico turned around, his eyes automatically meeting mine. " Are you okay?" Domenico asked me. " Yeah, I'm fine," I said softly. Domenico stared at me for a few seconds before eyeing the plate of cookies. " There, there for you," I said. Domenico looked at me as if I was handing him some ancient object.
Turning, Domenico opened the door to his office and walked in. I stood still for a few seconds before eventually forcing myself to step into the room. Closing the door, I took a step forward before standing in front of the door. Walking over to his desk, Domenic stopped in front of it before he turned around. His eyes locked onto mine, they were so dark yet peaceful. " Your eyes," Domenico said calmly. He folded his arms as he stared at me, saying, " they're swollen again." I swallowed back the thick lump in my throat as Domenico leaned back against the edge of his desk. " Your brothers," Domenico said. I sighed softly, " they didn't mean to hurt me." " And yet, the still do," Domenico said.
" These, these are for you," I said taking a step forward. Domenico motioned me over to him, I breathed in deeply as I made my way up to him. Taking the plate out of my hands, Domenico placed them on his desk. " You're not doing a very good job at blending in," Domenico said calmly. He turned to me, " what?" I asked. Domenico stared at me, as if he was trying to get to know me better without actually putting in the effort. " First your brothers, and now mine," Domenico said, as if he was accusing me as well for everything that was going on. I opened my mouth to defend myself, but Domenico positioned his body so that he was directly in front of me. I tried to take a step back, but the desk behind me refrained me from doing so. I inhaled deeply as Domenico took a step towards me. Placing both his hands on the edge of his desk, inches away from my arms, Domenico stared down at me.
" Let me make one thing very clear," Domenico said calmly. His eyes burning into mine, the air suddenly thickening. " I am nothing like my brothers, I never will be," Domenico assured me. His face mere inches away from mine, forcing my body to hold in air. " Whatever you're doing to them, won't work on me," Domenico said. I didn't say anything, Domenico had me in a position I couldn't budge from. I was stuck in between his arms, with no way out. The phone on Domenico's desk sudden rang, breaking the deadly silence and causing me to flinch slightly. Domenico stared at me for a few seconds, before walking over to the phone and picking it up.
A soft staggered exhale slipped out of my lips, my fingers were tingling and my feet were numb. I didn't want to move, but at the same time I wanted to get as far away from Domenico as possible. The sound of his voice and him talking on the phone sent a wave of shivers down my spine. I felt like the walls were closing in on me and within a matter of seconds, I'd have no way out. I eyed the cookies on the desk, I did what Vincent told me to do, but no matter what I did I couldn't get myself to move.
Soon enough, I found myself standing outside Domenico's office with my back pressed up against the door. I breathed heavily and closed my eyes, beginning to feel the thick knot dissolve in my body. My heart was beating at an exceedingly high rate, causing me to take several deep breathes in and out. I could still feel him close to me, his fingers inches away from grazing my arms. His warm breath brushing up against my neck, shutting down every functioning nerve.
Opening my eyes, I stepped away from the door. The coldness of the hall clung to my heated body. With slightly shaky hands, I tucked a few strands of hair behind both my ears before inhaling deeply and walking down the hall.
- - -
The day was coming to an end, the lights from the town and the sweet, savory smells infiltrating it's way into my room averted my eyes out to the window. It was nearing seven, the sun had began to set portraying a warm hue of colors in the sky. Wanting to get out of the house, I decided that tonight was a perfect night to visit the city. I slipped into a black long sleeve turtleneck shirt, a light green button up shirt, and some blue jeans before putting on some black boots.
Grabbing my phone I made my way down the hall and stairs before walking into the kitchen. Vincent stood at the oven, making some soup. " Hey," I said. Vincent turned around and smiled at me, " Evangeline." His thick Italian accent coming through, making me smile. " I'm going out for tonight," I said. Vincent chuckled, " not another club, I assume?" I smiled, " no, not this time." Vincent nodded and winked, " got it, have fun." I turned and began walking towards the kitchen doors when I stopped and turned around. " Can you keep this just between us?" I asked. Vincent looked at me, " you're not telling your brothers?" I sighed, " I just want one night to myself." Vincent nodded, " then yes, I promise to keep this just between us." A reassured smile spread across my face, " have a good night Evangeline," Vincent said smiling.
The cold night hair brushed softy against my face as I walked out of the house and into a black SUV waiting for me. Buckling in, I looked out the window and stared at the house. I exhaled slowly, I had never done this before. Leaving the house without telling anyone, let alone having my brothers with me. " You ready Ms. Lombardi?" The driver asked. Looking looked at the driver through the rear view mirror, I smiled, " yeah I'm ready." The car began to descend away from the house, the town lights glowing up in the darkness. Looking out the window again, I watched as the Berlusconi's house soon began to fade into the distance.