• forget •
"Remind me why we can't leave already?" Dom questioned while braiding Morana's hair, Morana who is asleep looking like she's passed out on Dom's lap— she didn't fall asleep on his lap but he put her on his because he wanted to.
"You're entangling her hair." Kieran told Dom.
"None of your fucking business what I do with my sister's hair."
"She's my sister as well."
"Elio, we really need to go." Milo murmured to me as we're standing in front of the plane's door waiting for the person who's definitely gonna be my death.
"She will be here any min—" I see her running towards the plane. "Finally." I muttered. She slows down when she reaches the stairs then gets on. Her walk is off, she's always walking like a fucking supermodel but not right now. When she reaches me, I ask her; "Are you alright—?"and she throws up all over me. I got my answer.
She freezes. Before she looks up at me. Her eyes are red as fuck. She was crying? Valentina doesn't cry, doesn't laugh, doesn't smile, doesn't express any emotion really. So why the hell was she crying?
I'm stupid. She wasn't crying, she's high.
"I apologise." She says so elegantly like she just spilled a little champagne on me.
I turned around to see if my brothers were watching and they pretty much saw the whole thing.
"I assume I had too much to drink and the running I did to get here, did not help." She explained herself straightening her back.
"You're drunk? Since when do you drink?" I asked her confused.
"I have never drunk before tonight." She responded before looking down at my ruined shirt, her full beautiful kissable lips curling. "I will buy you a new one."
"Go sit." I told her. She nodded and that was when I was sure she was drunk, she'd never let anyone order her to do anything. The minute she sat, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
I shrugged my shirt off and sat next to her. I took her head and laid it on my lap before I lifted her legs on the seat. This is more comfortable.
I turned around to look at my brothers. "I swear to fuck, one word and I'm killing you." I warned them and they actually kept their mouths shut during all of the flight. We all slept through most of it anyway.
M O R A N A
"Welcome home assholes." Adriano opened the door to our mansion greeting me who's holding Valentina the bridal style, Dom who has Morana thrown over his shoulder, Kieran and Milo. "What the fuck?" He exclaimed looking at the woman in my arms. "Shit! Did you kidnap her?!"
I rolled my eyes before I pushed past him and entered our home. Then I saw Gio coming down the stairs and heading towards me and I knew after this, I'm gonna have to kill someone to let my anger out. I can see Dom sneaking around before he reached the elevator—that no one uses— good for him for escaping Gio.
"Out of all the women in the world, you choose the one woman you can't go for..." Gio said giving me that sick smile of his before he stopped in front of me and looked down at Valentina, I love my brother more than anything but at that moment I wanted to pull his eyes out. "What is she doing here? Why do I fucking have to lie to Dante, Elio?"
"She needed my help. Her father—"
"Her father cares for her. I know, it's hard to believe that Dante cares for a living breathing human being but he does for her, you haven't seen him all freaked out when he found out she ran earlier."
"I don't fucking care if he cares or not. If she needs me, I'm gonna be there."
"This girl..." He sighed taking a strand of her long shiny hair between his fingers and I had to look away because I was ready to break every finger of his two hands for touching what's mine.
He brought her hair to his face and took a deep breath. I gulped clinging to the last amount of control in my body. He's provoking me and I can't produce a reaction or he will continue on provoking me and needless to say that won't end well.
"Her father cares for her, Elio." Gio repeated finally letting go of her hair but still looking at her. "She's safe with him."
I kept quiet. Being silent is better when dealing with Gio.
"Bringing her here... is a great mistake on your part." He said, his eyes sliding over her body and I'm so close to losing control. "You know, men are weak faced to great beauty. I hope I can control myself. She's too beautiful to resist."
I know he's just provoking me. Gio is everything but a pedophile. And more importantly he knows she's mine. He won't dare. I know that. But still, this is very fucking hard.
When he was silent for a couple of moments, I turned around and headed towards the stairs. "Elio." Milo called out my name. I stopped but didn't turn around. "You're gonna keep it in your pants, you hear me? That girl needs to stay a virgin, assuming she is a virgin, and you don't need to find out."
I continued my way to my room after Kieran wished me good luck. After putting Valentina in my bed, I got out of my room and locked the door, I trust my brothers but with this girl I can't take any risks, I don't trust anyone with her including myself and that's why I'm sleeping in Adriano's room.
I barged into his room, knocking isn't part of our culture, unless it's Gio's space. He was standing in his balcony talking on the phone while smoking a cigarette, naked. When he saw me, he ended the call and turned around.
"Wear something, I don't need to see your dick." I told him stealing one of his cigarettes, I don't smoke very often but when I feel like it, I allow myself.
"Oh stop it, I have seen your dick countless of times changing your diaper and I never complained." He said annoyingly sounding like a mother and I guarantee you he's lying, he's not that much older than me. "Did you know that Gio, Milo and I fuck in front of each other's, like in the same room?"
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I questioned feeling disgusted.
"We're brothers, it's not weird. We hang out together a lot and we often invite female company so we don't bother—"
"I don't want to hear about it, Adriano."
"He doesn't want to hear about what?" Dom barged into the room before slamming the door and stealing my cigarette. "My younger brother can't smoke, I want what's best for you." He whispered and I elbowed him. Why are all of my brothers annoying?
"Where were you when Gio got Elio fighting for the last bit of self-control?" Adriano asked Dom.
"I had to put Morana to bed." He responded. "What were you talking about?"
"I told him that Milo and Gio and I fuck in front of each other." Adriano responded.
"Oh, Kieran and I do too." Dom said like it was a usual thing.
"Am I the only remaining sane person in this family?" I questioned. "You guys are fucking disgusting."
"Don't be jealous, next time we will invite you. You just weren't old enough." Dom said. I laughed. Isn't he one year older than me?
"No thanks. You know I don't fuck whores." I responded.
"Right, he fucks princesses." Adriano said and Dom chuckled. I didn't find any of this funny.
M O R A N A
"Morning." Valentina muttered coming into the kitchen in my shirt and shorts. Her usually tamed shiny hair is all messed up which is quite the rare sight. It however doesn't make her less beautiful.
"Good morning, Valentina." Gio said to her glaring daggers as she narrowed her eyes at him. Wrong move, Val.
"I'm having a headache." Val whispered to me and I noticed how she got closer to me than normally, I realised that she was seeking protection since all of my brothers are present in the kitchen.
"You're hungover." I told her.
"I feel like shit." She said running her fingers through her hair before her attention went to the tv. She grabbed the remote from the counter and turned up the volume.
"Valentina De Luca is the most beautiful woman to ever roam the earth, as we can see, her face is perfectly created which is very pleasing and satisfying to the human eye—"
"For fuck's sake." She muttered before turning down the volume to zero. They didn't lie about her face being satisfying. Looking at her fills me with satisfaction. As if I'm ready to stop living, as if I'm fulfilled.
"Since when do you drink?" I asked her grabbing her arm and moving her body closer to mine as I needed its closeness.
"I do not drink." She whispered determined. "That was the first and the last time. I was so angry towards my father and I thought alcohol would be of help."
"Was it of help?" I muttered.
"For a couple of minutes. Not worth it. Never again." She whispered narrowing her eyes. I couldn't help but smile. She's adorable. "Are you making fun of me?"
"No, why would you think that?" I asked quietly. We're talking very quietly which feels very intimate. She lifted her hand and touched my lips with her index finger.
"You are smirking which can be perceived as a sign of mockery." She said always elegantly. I grabbed her wrist and kissed her finger before pushing her back gently. Control is very fucking hard to maintain in her presence.
"Get ready, I'm dropping you off at your father's." I told her.
"I do not want that." She said straightening her back. She's a tall woman which makes her a successful model but her height holds no power over me as I look down on her. It's however very attractive.
"I think your father got the message, now it's time you have a talk with him."
"I want to kill him." She said then looked at Gio and realised he was listening.
"Careful with your words, we have an audience." I whispered to her.
"I do not care, my father is aware of my desire to end his life." She said looking directly at Gio who looks as annoyed as a man can be.
"Come on, Val, your cousin will kill me if he knows you're here." And my brother will kill me if you stay here longer than necessary.
"Are you implying that you're scared of my cousin?" She said thinking she could provoke me by wounding my ego—which she didn't do. I'm a confident man.
"That's not going to work on me. You know I am not scared of anyone." I said then smiled at her when she rolled her eyes at me.
"Good morning!" Morana exclaimed as happily as ever coming into the kitchen. I love having this kid around. Her happiness however disappeared when her eyes met Valentina's. "What is she doing here?" She asked and couldn't sound more annoyed.
"I was leaving anyway. I am starting to like the idea of having a chat with my father." Valentina said and having a chat with her father is like telling Marissa Riva to go to school on a Sunday morning— we all know how much Marissa hates school and waking up in the morning...
Morana sat down next to Dom and started eating his omelette while looking at Val who's glaring back. "Still angry at me?" Morana asked her. Val didn't answer and left the kitchen. "Bitch—"
"Morana." I glared at her. "From what I know, you're the one who backstabbed her." I said. Valentina told me about what happened between them before we found out Morana is our sister.
"I had to. You don't know my side of the story!" She exclaimed narrowing her red eyes at me and their colour brightened which means she's considering me a potential threat. It amazes me how easily you can read her by just looking at her eyes, even if hers resemble Gio's, his eyes don't show emotions at all unlike hers. "And this is none of your business, Valentina and I go way back even before you guys have met, got it?"
I raised my hands in surrender but then I had to ask. "What do you mean you go way back?"
"When I was young and Gabriel's father still in power, Gabriel comes to the US and brings me with him and when he has some business to attend to, he drops me off at the whorehouse where Valentina's mother used to work and she would take care of me." She responded. Well that's interesting. I didn't know that. "They used to call us fire and ice, needless to say which is which."
"I think they still call you that." Adriano said. "I heard it somewhere."
Valentina came back to the kitchen dressed in her clothes that she left in my room at her previous sleepovers at my house since I don't get rid of her clothes. Her hair is up in a bun and now her face attracts all the attention. Especially those deep blue ocean eyes... I caught myself lost in them more times than I am willing to admit.
"Val." Morana came to stand up in front of Valentina. "Come on, it's been nearly a year!" Valentina still didn't speak but was looking at her. "Can we talk? Please?" Morana asked her. And Val nodded. Then they both left the room.
We stepped into my room and the moment I closed the door behind us, she spoke. "You betrayed my trust Morana, two innocent women died because of you. I can not forgive that." She said in that way of hers as if she's never wrong, only speaks facts, as if she's superior to everyone. I used to love that about her but I don't like that she speaks to me that way.
"Two innocent women my ass, Val, they were whores!" I exclaimed. She glared at me harsher. Oh, she didn't like what I said as her lip twitched but she managed to control herself.
"You speak like a man." She insulted me. From her, this is the worst insult you can get knowing how much she hates men.
"I don't fucking speak like a man! Just because I'm not a weak person that doesn't mean I am not a woman!" I got closer to her, to intimidate her but she got even closer and even lowered herself to my height.
"You behave like a man and you think like a man." She said. God, she infuriates me, I clenched my hands trying to control myself and she noticed the action and raised her eyebrows at me as if I just proved her arguments right. "Those women, those whores, were the ones who took care of you when you came to the whorehouse, they were the people who fed you and made sure you slept comfortably."
"They did it because they were scared of Gabriel—"
"No, Morana, because we, women, protect each other." She cut me off.
"Well, no women protected me. I always protect them." I said. Val owes me a lot for protecting her and the whores her mother knew.
To fill you in, what happened was I had a mission to kill a man and that man was supposed to help Val save two women, the whores, I pretended that I was gonna help them just to get to the man and when I killed him, Val had no one who can get her to the women and they died and since then she has never spoke to me til now.
"It's because you do not need protection. The whores are victims, Morana, they are forced to pleasure men and unlike what men like to think, they are not nymphomaniacs who became whores just to get more dick."
Nym-what? Girl, english is not my first language.
"Well at least they get paid for it. I don't." The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. I don't understand what whores actually do but if they're forced to pleasure men then we have something in common since every time I fail, Gabriel pleasures himself using me.
Valentina paused for a second. She straightened back to her normal height before she took a step back. "I didn't know, how didn't I know?" She muttered to herself but I heard her. She was unsure of what to do which is so much unlike her.
"Not everyone is as brave as you and Marissa Blade, we don't all sacrifice ourselves to save innocents. I would let the world burn as long as I, and the people I love, are safe." I said truthfully.
"I'm not as brave as Marissa. No one is. Morana, I, too, put myself first, as I should. I didn't know that you had to kill that man to protect yourself."
"And now that you know?"
"Fuck those two whores as long as you're safe." She said before walking towards me and wrapping her arms around me.
I breathed in her sweet scent then realised Elio's scent is present as well, she must have slept in his room. I wrapped my arms around her as well. She feels... motherly.
"I'm sorry." I said.
"No. You don't have to apologise for putting yourself first." She said and I backed away from the hug as I felt more emotional and I'm so tired of crying. She ran her hand down my hair softly before she kissed my cheek. "I'm here if you want to talk."
"I know." I nodded. "Let's go, you need to go home before your father finds out you're here."
We left my room and went back to the kitchen. I looked up at the tv and noticed Val's picture. "They are talking about you."
"Still?" She whispered suspiciously taking the remote and turning up the volume.
"Alright you fucking go back to your father." Gio said to Valentina glaring but she ignored him keeping her gaze on the tv and listening to whatever they're saying about her. "Milo, Adriano, you come with me because we have work to do if you haven't forgotten. Elio, you come right after you drop that whore's daughter off."
Elio had to literally put his hand over Valentina's mouth for her not to say something back. She doesn't like being called 'whore's daughter', even though her mother was an actual whore so I don't understand why she gets offended.
"And us?" Kieran asked pointing at me and Dom then himself.
"Don't piss me off." Gio said. God, that's the hardest thing someone has ever told me to do.
"Wanna go to the beach?" Kieran asked Dom and I. I immediately got excited. I nodded grinning at him. "Go wear your swimsuit then."
M O R A N A
"Hold on, Morana." Kieran called out when I ran towards the water. I can't wait to dive in! I stopped in front of the waves waiting for Dom and Kieran as they are laying out a beach mat.
"Come on guys!" I exclaimed feeling impatient. "I'm going in without you!—"
"Morana, can't you just wait for two seconds?" Dom said walking towards me and Kieran was just behind him. "Is it cold?" He asked me.
"A little." I responded walking forward until the water reached my claves. I'm wearing an Arena swimsuit in red-white, and it's very comfortable and I'm excited to feel the water wearing something that won't drag me under the water like the last time when I swam in my dress.
"It's freezing." Dom said reaching me.
"It's warm." Kieran said. Of course, he was going to contradict Dom.
We continued going in and I stopped when the water reached my waist, okay it is freezing.
"What's wrong?" Dom asked as he stopped and Kieran stopped as well. The water still hasn't reached their waists because they are giants.
"Cold." I said. You know what, there's only one way to stop this torment, I just got to cross my fingers and dive in. One, two, three. I sank into the freezing cold water and it was so refreshing, my heart beats sped up satisfyingly, it's like my whole soul is being washed. I stayed under water until I could not breathe anymore, I got back to the surface and outside now feels warm since the water is so cold and I welcomed the feeling of warmth with pleasure.
I found my two brothers looking at me. I giggled. They stared at me for a second longer before they chuckled. I don't know why though but I joined them anyway. Then I decided to splash Dom and he got mad at me before he dove in. Kieran dove in a second later before I had the chance to splash him.
"Fuck, we forgot to bring a ball." Dom said styling his hair back and away from his face.
"We have got one right here." Kieran said before he started walking towards me, he reached me and stared down at me with an evil grin, I was confused, and I got more confused when he picked me up by my armpits like a fucking toddler and threw me to Dom. Dom, of course, laughed like it was the funniest thing ever. He caught me then threw me away, "the first to get her wins." Dom said to Kieran, they both started charging towards me, I still haven't caught my breath and Dom caught me by my armpits again and threw me again, this time Kieran caught me first and he also threw me.
"Wait! Wait! I want to breathe!" I yelled but they ignored me and kept playing this stupid game. Then finally and to my joy and happiness, they got bored and stopped, my chest was heaving up and down quickly as I tried to catch my breath, I swallowed more seawater than I have drunk mineral water during this week, also I can't hear anymore, my ears are clogged.
"I'm never coming to the beach with you ever again." I said still struggling to find my breath. They both laughed, But I wasn't amused as I was trying to get the water out of my ears.
"Come here." Kieran told me.
"You leave me alone." I told him pissed. He rolled his eyes at me and came towards me.
"Stop hitting your head, you moron, you won't get the water out like that, let me help." He said. I'm so desperate so I let let out an annoyed sigh and dropped my hands to see how he's gonna help.
He grabbed my head then brought my ear to his lips and he literally sucked the water out of my ear before spitting it out. "What the fuck?" I exclaimed. That's so fucking gross.
"Watch your fucking language, we let you off a few times but don't over do it." Dom glared at me. "But what in the actual fuck, Kieran?"
"Father used to do this to me, now shut up and turn around and give me your other ear." Kieran said and I complied because it actually worked, I have never heard better.
"That's utterly disgusting." I murmured. "Thanks though."
"You're welcome." He said lowering his body so that the water covers it all.
"So... I heard I'm getting married." I said. Kieran and Dom looked at each other.
"You drown her, or do I?" Dom asked him before he turned to me. "You're never getting married. Forget it."
"Thank god. I don't want to get married, ever." I said.
"Good thing you won't."
M O R A N A
I have been called to the principal's office. Or that's how it felt like when Adriano informed me that Gio wants to speak me with me and he's waiting for me in his office.
I knocked this time and I made sure to knock only once because if I knock twice then I'm going to get reminded by someone I want to forget.
When I heard Gio's come in, I pushed the door open, entered the room, closed the door behind me, sat on the chair facing him and kept silent waiting for him to speak.
"How are you doing, Morana?" Gio asked me shutting off his computer.
"I'm tired. Cause I went to the beach with Kieran and Dom. They tried to kill me." I responded. He stared at me for a whole minute, his lips did twitch upwards twice before the serious expression was back on. I hate it.
"I need to talk to you regarding Gabriel." He said. Fuck, the one person I want to forget all about.
"Yeah, what's up?" I asked curling my hands and staring at my lap. Why do I feel shameful when Gabriel is brought up? Especially when talking about him with my brothers? I hate that they know what he did to me.
"His body can't handle any more torture. He's going to die soon. Do you want to kill him? Or torture him more, I'm sure we can inject him with some stuff that will strengthen his body... but I don't think he's gonna last any longer."
"How long?"
"I think tonight is his last night. The boys went too hard on him, his body is as damaged as a human body can be."
I remained silent. Do I want to be the one who kills him? But that would feel like I'm betraying the French Mafia... I can't kill him. I don't want to.
"I don't think... I don't think I want to be a part of this, I just... I—"
"Okay, I got it. We won't tell you anything about it from now on. You will forget about him before you know it." He cut me off. He understood me.
"Thanks." I smiled. "Anything else?"
"No, you can go."
I left the office and headed to my bedroom. I can't believe he's gonna die. I entered my room and watched tv for a long long time.
Fuck, I regret my decision. I want to talk to Gabriel. I left my room running as if someone was chasing me with a knife, I need to get to the basement, to Gabriel, I hope he's not dead. I pray he's not dead, yet.
M O R A N A