"What the hell, Donatella?" I shove my face into my pillow hoping it with suffocate me as my brother screams at me.
He grabs the pillow from under me and throws it against the door.
"What? What could you possibly need that you had to wake me up?" my voice raises.
"Um I don't know, maybe that the guy you were supposed to kill and his brother are sitting in our living room," Vincenzo looks up as if he was thinking.
"Oh yeah. I was going to tell you but then I got tired," I shrug my shoulder and step of my bed.
I go over to my closet where I keep spare clothes for when I stay over. I pull out a black cropped tanktop and black low-waisted cargo pants.
I look over my shoulder and see Vince turned around messing with things on my desk. I turn back around and quickly change into my clothes.
"Are you going to tell me why they are here?" he asks.
"Yeah, one sec."
I walk over beside Vince so I can get a look at myself in the mirror. I sigh when I see the red, yellow, and purple bruise along my neck. I bring my hand up to the bruise lightly touching it and it still is sore but not unbearable.
"Did one of them do that to you?" my brother asks worriedly.
I shake my head, "No," when I see the doubt in his eyes I add, "I promise."
I take a seat on the edge of the bed, Vince follow suit. I go on to tell him everything I had told my parents yet he doesn't see completely on board.
"You shouldn't have brought them here," he runs a hand through his dark hair.
We sit in silence for a minute or two before I ask, "Have you met them yet?"
"No."
I get up, grabbing his hand and pull him up. I guide him downstairs to where Damien and Alek are. Ezra sits across from them with a cup of water in his hand.
Vince stands straight up beside me in his tailored suit. Damien gaze lands on me, a soft smile dancing on his lips.
"Damien, Alek, this is my brother Vincenzo," I introduce him.
They all just awkwardly stare at eachother. I clear my throat and walk around Vince and into the library where my Mamma most likely is.
Just as I assumed, she sits on the cushioned bench with her legs curled up by her side, a book in hand.
She looks up, closing her book with her finger holding her page spot.
"Is Kamila here?" I ask her.
She nods, "I think she is in the basement with Salvatore."
"Alright, thank you," I leave the room and go to the basement stairs.
The basement hall is lit which means they are still down here. The only door that has light shining from underneath is the training room. I knock and open the door.
Inside Kamila is sitting down with her phone while Salvatore, her husband, is lifting weights.
He is a pretty quiet guy, I've only had a few real conversations with him. I remember one time a few years ago we were having a party at home and I could see Salvatore and Kamila on the balcony laughing. It was like a once in a lifetime sight seeing him show that much emotion.
"Kammy!" I shout over to her. She smiles and runs over to me, hugging me.
"How have you been?" she asks, pulling away.
"I've been good, you?"
"Me too. Salvatore and I just got back from Rome a couple days ago. I'll need to show you pictures," she swipes on her phone. Salvatore walks up from behind her, placing a hand on her waist. A light pink grows on her tan cheeks.
She turns her phone around showing me different photos of places they stopped. When she is done she grabs my hand and leads me out of the room, Salvatore following behind.
"You are coming to dinner with us, correct?" she asks as we walk up the stairs.
"Uh I guess."
She squeezes my hand tight, "I'm picking out your outfit and doing your makeup."
Alright then.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
I close my eyes feeling the brush blending the eyeshadow on my eyelid. I hear the lid pop and then Kamila puts the black eyeliner on me.
"Open," she orders.
She applies mascara onto my eyelashes making them look longer. Her hand goes under my chin, lifting my head back. She puts foundation on my neck covering the bruise.
"Okay, there. Go ahead and get in your dress, I'll zip you up," she tells me.
I get up from the chair and pull off my clothes, setting them in the hamper. I step into the black silk dress and pull it up my body, slipping my arm through the small straps.
I pull my hair over my shoulder and Kamila zips the dress up. She grabs my shoulders, turning me around to look at myself in the mirror. She wears a royal blue dress and her hair pulled back into a low bun.
The dress hugs me tight and the slit on the left leg goes high up onto my thigh.
"Bellissima," Kamila says before pressing a kiss to my cheek. [Very beautiful]
"Thank you, Kam," she nods her head and leaves the room.
I slip my feet into my heels and adjust the straps to fit right. I had told Alek and Damien to be ready by seven and it is now just seven. I leave my room and descend down the stairs.
I hear voice in the kitchen area so I make my way in there and sure enough everyone is dressed and ready.
My eyes land on Damien. He is dressed in a black suit with a white collared undershirt, along with a matching black tie. His black hair unstyled as usual with a bit of wave. A few of his fingers have rings on them. My eyes lower to the veins on his hands moving to his wrist and the sliver of arm I can see before it disappears underneath his sleeves.
"You're blushing," my Mamma's voice comes by my side as she elbows my side.
I shake my head, "No, I am not."
"Yes you are."
Mamma goes over to Papá's side. I go to Damien and Alek which are talking with Matteo.
All of their eyes set on me. Damien's lips turn up as he takes me in.
"We need to get going," Quinton shouts from the front door.
Damien and I walk behind the rest. I look up to him, "You look handsome, conejito."
His smile grows, "Thank you, beautiful."
His hand wraps around my waist and we go out to the cars. He opens the door for me, and I step in, him following in behind me. I sit next to Alek with Damien at my other side.
We get to the restruant and the waiter leads us to our table, the song 'Laughing on the Outside' plays. We all take our seats and scan the menus.
After we order our drinks and food bread for our table is sliced.
Alek swallows his slice then speaks to my parents, "How'd you two meet? I've heard different stories before."
Mamma gives a light smile, looking over to Papá as she remembers.
"I went to a ball that was at his home. Lucian helped me something and I ended living with him," she simplifies.
She's never shared the full story but the bits and pieces she's said can be a bit odd.
"How'd you three all meet? Donatella's mission I assume?" Papá asks.
Damien and I side glance eachother and I clear my throat, "Yeah."
I mean we didn't know eachother when we first met so...
The waiter comes with our food setting it infront of us. I just got a salad with grilled chicken. I stab a few pieces of lettuce with my fork, bringing it to my mouth. It doesn't take me long to finish so I sit as everyone else eats.
Damien cuts a slice off his steak and picks it up with his fork. He brings the slice infront of me and I shake my head.
"That salad is all you've had today other than a small bowl of fruit," he tells me.
I open my mouth and he puts the steak in my mouth. My mouth waters from the taste. I give him a thumbs up to tell him it's good.
When everyone is finished and the bill has been payed we all get back into the cars. Once we're back at the house rather than go inside I excuse myself to go on a walk.
As I start to go through the gate Damien is at my side, "You are not walking alone after dark."
"Okay," I say and continue walking.
Damien doesn't leave but we just walk in comfortable silence on the sidewalk along the road, the street lamps being our only source of light.
"I wish I hated you," I confess.
His head turns to face me, "What do you mean?"
I sigh, "I just feel like I should. Like how our families haven't liked eachother. I feel guilty that I don't have hatred for you. But, instead I...," I groan, frustrated, "I don't know."
"Describe it," he says.
I raise a brow, "Describe what?"
"What you do feel," he explains.
I think for a moment, "Safe? I trust that you have my back."
"Yeah?" he says from beside me.
"Mhm, and warm? You know what I mean?" I ask.
"Yeah, I know," he tells me.
We keep walking and I ask, "You don't hate me, right?"
He chuckles, "Now where would you get that from?"
I laugh aswell, "I was just making sure."
Suddenly lightly shoots through the sky causing the street to light up. Within a second rain starts pouring down on us, soaking our hair and clothes.
Damien shrugs out of his suit jacket and holds it over our head, my body is pressed against his side to make sure I'm under the sheild.
He points ahead at a small cafe a block or two up, "Let's go there and wait for the raining to stop, okay?"
"Okay," I agree and we start running but careful not to fall on the wet concrete.
We get to the cafe and the bell dings as the door opens. Damien hangs his jacket on the coat rack. I rub my hands over my arms to try to get my goosebumps to go away.
Damien notices and asks, "I'll get you a drink. Tea or coffee?"
"Black tea, please. I'm going to go freshen up," I excuse myself and follow the sign that points to the restrooms.
A stand infront of the sink and squeeze my hair, letting the water go down the drain.
My dress clings to my body but there isn't much I can do for that. I am not planning on walking around the cafe naked.
I leave the restroom and spot Damien sitting at a booth near a window. I head over to him and take the seat across from him wear a cup of tea sits. His hands wrap around his mug from what I can smell, it is coffee.
I bring the cup to my nose letting the steam heat my face. I look over to Damien to see him already looks at me. I don't know why, but I feel like I could stare at him for hours, maybe even days.
A ringing comes from acrossed the table. Damien's phone screen brightens with the name Torrance at the top of the screen.
Damien sighs before grabbing the phone, "I'll be right back."
I watch as he steps outside the cafe's front door and he stands under thee portico to stay out of the rain. An older woman from behind the counter comes over to me with a kettle. She tops off my tea.
She looks out the glass door to where Damien is, "You guys make a beautiful couple."
"Oh no-we're not- no," I stammer.
The old lady chuckles while walking away, a hunch to her back.
A few minutes pass before Damien comes back in. His mood definetly different than before, he looks tense.
"Is everything alright?" I ask him as he sits back into his seat.
He shrugs his shoulders not giving me a verbal answer. I slump foreward and my eyes land on the mini jukebox on the counter next to the cashregister.
"Do you have a quarter?" I ask Damien.
He reaches into his pant's pocket, pulling out his wallet. He skims through it before setting a quarter on a table. I take it and go over to the jukebox and look through the songs. All the songs downloaded are older, but I can recognize a fair amount.
I push my quarter through the the coin slot and click number eight for 'Dream a Little Dream of Me."
I go over to Damien as the song starts and reach out my hand. He slips his hand into mine, a subtle smile on his face. I get him to slow dance with me while the song comes.
When Louis Armstrong starts to sings Damien spins me, the bottom of my dress lifting with the wind. Damien smiles down to me, his dimples deepening as his smile grows.
By the times the song ends my cheeks hurt from how hard I am smile. I don't think I've ever smile as much.
Looking outside the window, the roads shine from the street lights, but there is no longer rain falling. Damien takes his coat off the rack and covers my shoulders with it. When we step out onto the porch Damien offers me his hand.
Without second thought, I set my hand in his.