Riccardo stopped outside a big house.
It was nothing like the one my brothers own, but big nonetheless.
"Oh my God, yes!" I sighed in relief, looking at the word 'Levine' on the mail box.
Quickly taking my helmet off and handing it to Riccardo, I contemplated my next move. "Uh," I looked at him hesitantly. "You can go, if you want."
He looked at me as if I'm insane. "Right." he chuckled and got off the bike as well.
He stuffed both of our helmets inside the top box and came to stand besides me. "Lead the way."
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
I'm going to do this.
This is actually Jace's house. Holy shit.
I haven't seen him in so long, what if- oh God.
What if he'll blurt out something to Riccardo?
Great, now I'm freaking out.
"How do you know Jace?" I asked him, trying to distract myself.
He seemed to think about it for a few moments. "He works for us."
I raised my eyebrow at that. "Shit, really?" i asked surprised. "We always thought he joined a gang or something."
Well, good for Jace. I guess there is a third option after all.
Riccardo gave me a quick smile, and just like that, knocked on the door.
My eyes widened in horror. "What? Why would you knock? I didn't have time to rehearsal--" the sound of footsteps behind the door stopped my rant.
"Okay, quick." I panicked and tried to flatten my hair. "Do I look fine? I don't have the whole 'walking dead' look, right? Just tell me, if I look ugly I can take it. No, wait, don't tell me I look ugly-"
"You look normal, stop talking so fast!" he whispered frantically, now panicking with me.
This only freaked me out more.
The door opened, and I felt like time had stopped. My hand dropped to my side, and every thought I had completely disappeared.
Jace.
He stood there with eyes trained on his phone, looking exactly as I remembered.
He was tall, almost as Riccardo.
His muscles flexed through his shirt, and the usual crew cut stayed the same.
I guess by the size of his home he can finally afford a barber now.
God, I used to love to cut his hair.
"Jace." I whispered, tears threatening to fall from my eyes.
He quickly raised his eyes off the phone, and once they locked with mine, I couldn't stop myself from crying.
"Oh God, Olive." He mumbled, and I immediately got pulled into his arms.
I hugged him tightly, crying silently.
"I can't believe you're here." he pressed my head to his chest, rubbing circles around my back with his other hand.
It made me cry even harder.
Jace always did this when I cried.
We grew up next to each other, ever since I met Theo when I was six years old.
He was twelve at the time, and was our sole protector.
All he did was try to protect us.
He wasn't just Theo's brother, no.
He was mine as well.
Getting separated from him was one of the hardest things life had put me through.
I loved him, and despite everything that happened, I still do.
I always will.
"I'm so sorry for everything." he mumbled, and I suddenly remembered where we are, and who is with us.
"Not here." I whispered before pulling apart, wiping my tears with the collar of my shirt.
He looked at me confused, tears dangerously close to falling from his eyes as well.
He opened his mouth to say something, but one look towards the man besides me froze him completely.
I nervously glanced back at Riccardo. He was watching Jace with arms crossed and narrowed eyes.
I elbowed him, signaling for him to stop being a dick.
"Look, I got your work buddy here with me." I smiled weakly at Jace, trying to ease the mood.
"What? Olive, why are you-" he started cautiously, taking a step closer to me.
Riccardo raised his eyebrow, daring him to continue.
"Long story short, this is my brother. Crazy, right?" I chimed in, rubbing the back of my neck.
Jace stared. And then stared some more.
Then he moved his eyes to look at Riccardo but quickly brought them back to me, scanning every inch of my face.
"What?" He exclaimed. "You are their sister? So they, I mean you know about-"
"Yes, I told her you work for our family buissnes." Riccardo cut through, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Forgive me for my bad memory, but what is it that you do? Human resources, right?" there was an edge to his voice.
I furrowed my eyebrows, what got into him?
"Yeah." Jace blinked, not looking away from Riccardo. "I... I fire people."
"Why are you being weird?" I looked between the two of them, totally and utterly confused by their behavior.
"I'm never weird, weirdo." Riccardo flicked my nose, and I swatted his hand away.
Jace was looking at me completely shocked, which I definitely could understand.
"Can we come in?" I asked apologetically. Riccardo was acting odd, but let's remember we're talking about the man who tried to kill us on our way here.
I'll take him being rude over that every day.
"What? Oh, yes. Shit, of course." he rumbled and took a few steps back to let us come in.
The house looks beautiful. It's everything he ever wanted. "Hey, you even got yourself those discs shelves you always talked about." I gestured to the living room and walked towards it.
Jace had this huge collection of music discs, even though no one uses them anymore.
He used to save all his money and buy some rare ones from every old man he met.
I spotted the one I bought him for Christmas when I was eleven.
I gently took it out and inspected it. Not a scratch. "You kept it." I mumbled to myself, but he heard.
"Of course." he smiled, looking at me sadly. We all have bad memories, but good ones too.
"So, what about your friends?" Riccardo interrupted while slumping down into Jace's couch with an apple in his hand, feeling right at home.
Does everyone in this family just randomly steals food?
But never mind that, because he actually raised a good question.
"Did Theo talk to you?" I returned the disc to its place and gave Jace my full attention.
He looked at Riccardo apprehensively, but eventually looked back at me.
"Yeah, he called three days ago." he grinned, crossing his hands over his chest. "Told me about the whole thing, then asked if he and Ares could live here."
"And?" I pushed, desperate to know everything.
"What do you mean 'and'? Of course I said yes. I just wish the three of you would have come years ago." he sighed, giving me the same look he gave me whenever I stole muffin packs from the kitchen.
"Don't do this, Jace. You know we needed to be on our own."
I was careful with my words, well awared of Riccardo's presence.
He might be trying to balance the stolen apple on his head with eyes closed, but I know he's listening to every word.
"Yeah, I know." he nodded, and for a second his eyes wandered to my scar.
"Last time we talked he said they're planning to leave soon, it was this morning."
I breathed out in relief. That's great.
I can't wait for them to be here! God, I can't imagine how Theo's feeling.
The last time they saw each other was a few months back on Jace's birthday. They met in some diner and did their usual birthday burgers tradition, which is eating as many burgers you can without hospitalizing yourself.
Jace always wins, Theo always throws up.
I know they both miss each other more than anything, so I really hope living together will help them.
"Okay, so that's what we'll do." I nodded to myself, taking my new phone out of my pocket. "We'll exchange numbers, and you'll call as soon as they're here, okay?"
"Sure thing, kiddo." he grinned, using the nickname he knows I hate.
"Ugh, stop." I groaned, quickly sending a message to the number he shows me. "It makes you sound old."
"Well, I am twenty two-"
"Shit, what? You're twenty two?" Riccardo dropped the apple from his head, making it roll away. "But I'm twenty one."
I widened my eyes. "You're twenty one?"
That definitely came as a shock. Riccardo is so... Shit, I don't even know how to describe him.
Well, now that I look, he does seem kinda young.
You just have to ignore the numerous tattoos and bags under his his eyes.
"Tweny one indeed. I can buy you every alcoholic drink you'd like." He smiled proudly, but then quickly raised his finger and pointed it at me. "Which I will never do, because I am a very responsible adult."
He spoke like he memorized that line straight from a script, and I could only imagine Alessandro lecturing him on never giving alcohol to his minor brothers, and now, sister.
I smirked. "I don't need you, traitor. I have my own fake ID."
Chapter 19 yall!!!
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