EMMA'S P.O.V
Walking into the kitchen was a nightmare, everyone kept giving me pity looks. I tried to ignore them as I bent down to Val's level and stroked her cheek lightly.
"Emmie why you cry?" She asked as she wiped the tears from my cheeks, I gave her a small sad smile.
"You see that man Val?" I asked her pointing towards Theo who smiled at her, she blushed and hid behind me slightly before she nodded.
"He's your big brother." I explained and held my breath. I honestly don't know how she will react to this news, since it's always been me taking care of her.
"B-But you said I don't have brother." She said with a small frown, I looked down in shame of the lie I told her.
"I lied baby." I mumble, she pushes away from me slightly before looking over at Theo. She seems to have a small mental debate before she walks up and hugs his legs. He smiles brightly as he looks down at her, a smile I that I miss seeing so much. I look down to my fiddling hands and try to hold my self together like adult I'm supposed to be.
"D-do you want me to play with me mister?" Valentina mumbles shyly to Theo. He smiles and pulls her up into his arms gently, an action that used to be so familiar to me.
"Of course baby girl." He smiles down to her. Baby girl. The nickname that I had up until I was 12 years old, now makes me want to curl in on myself and cry like a two year old girl. The two siblings retreat to the lounge room while I stand still staring at the tiles on the kitchen floor in a daze.
Maybe it's because I'm not good enough? Maybe I was just a bother and that's why he never came back. Maybe, Maybe, Maybe..
"Amore?" Big warm hands cup my cheeks and lift my eyes to connect with gentle silver ones that seem to melt. His thumbs run over my cheekbones gently and sighs when he sees the ache in my eyes.
"Are you alright?" He whispers even though everyone else has left us alone for privacy. Instead of keeping up an act of being perfectly fine, I shake my head and almost leap into his warm chest as the tears return yet again. He doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around me and lean his cheek against my hair.
"Shh, it's gonna be okay, I will make it okay." He mumbles sweetly while drawing soothing patterns on my waist where his hands rest.
"He's just going to leave again. Everybody leaves." I whisper brokenly, he growls a bit at the back of his throat and pulls away so he can see my face clearly.
"Listen to me Emma. I'm not going to leave, ever." He says sternly but also lovingly?
"B-But.."
"No. No buts. I'm here for good baby." He says before gently caressing my lips with his own in a gentle kiss. When we pull apart I swallow the lump in my throat before nodding.
"I'm just overreacting. Yeah that's it." I mumble and start pulling out pots and pans, cooking was always a sense of stress relief. Marco whispers something before he hugs me from behind and leans his head on my shoulder. What even are we at this point? Things have moved so fast that I haven't given myself time to think about the situation. Marco must have felt my shoulders tense because he kisses my neck lightly.
"What is it?" He asks, my anxiety starts to bubble up in my chest and I start to sweat slightly, can I ask this question? What if he doesn't want a relationship? What if I'm overthinking his actions too much. Oh god.
"Amorè, what's wrong?" He asks, suddenly spinning me around to face him. I look down at his collarbone because I know that I will freeze if I look into his hypnotic silver orbs.
"I uhm- I" I stumble over my words until my face is pulled up slightly and my eyes connected with his worrisome ones.
"You can tell me." He soothes, I take a deep breath before asking the question that could potentially cause a panic attack.
"What are we?" I ask shyly. When he doesn't reply I stumble out of grasp and start pacing while ranting.
"I mean you don't have to answer that, of course I'm not good enough for you, I mean you probably have supermodels lining up and I'm just a new challenge-" I get interrupted by his chuckles, I turn and look at him like he's crazy. Is he laughing at me? I knew you'd screw it up the voice in my head whispers in the cruel voice of my mother, a voice that I thought was buried away. Marco says something but I can't hear him over the crashing sound in my ears, my lungs lock up and I start to hyperventilate. Not now! Why right now!
I had my first panic attack when I was five years old, I was at school and the girls in my class ripped my new dress and when I went home I was hit for ruining it. Theo was the one to help me and gave me tips on how to slow my breathing. But now as black spots cloud my vision and my lungs burn from the lack of air I cannot think of any of the methods I have learned over the years.
It's not until I hear the now deep voice of Theo infront of me that my panic calms a tiny bit.
"Come on Emma, count to 10 with me." He says and holds my face in his hands when my eyes drift around the room, the black shadows that are a product of my imagination sneer at me.
"Emma focus on my voice." Theo says, I take a deep breath before my eyes clear enough to connect with his, carefully he raises a hand and counts to ten with his fingers, making sure I count along with him.
After the black shadows disappear and my breathing is normal again I notice that I am on my knees and that everyone in the kitchen is looking at me.
Embarrassment fills my body and the first of many tears roll down my cheeks, without a thought I bury my face into my brother chest.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry." I whimper out like a broken record on repeat while he shh's me and soothes my hair.
"What did you do." He growls at who I think is Marco, I want to defend him and say that it was my own doing but my mind is muddled and I can barely speak.
"I didn't mean to." He whispers before he walks out of the room, surprisingly everyone shuffled out as well, almost like the sense that I need to get my wits about me.
"Please don't hurt me." I mumble, the vivid memories of the bruises and pain not leaving my head.
"You're okay baby girl." Theo mumbles and pulls me closer to him, I don't see the angry frown on his face nor do I see Ace leave the room after Marco.
MARCO'S P.O.V
I chuckle at her question, how could this beautiful girl think that I'm not totally in love with her? I don't know when I fell for her, or how I did so quickly, but I know that I'm not going to let her go.
"Well I don't know about you-" I stop when I notice her breathing become almost erratic and her eyes fill with almost terror.
"Emma?" I cup her cheeks but she screams and pushes herself out of my hands, I feel myself panic and go to grab her again but she pushes me away again and drops to her knees.
"Emma?" Theo rushes into the kitchen, probably hearing her panicked screams. He takes one look at her and drops down onto his knees next to her.
"Emma it's okay." He says but she doesn't seem to process it, he huffs and cups her face in his hands, I feel a little sting at that fact that she didn't push him away.
"Come on Emma, count to 10 with me." He says, she looks around the room almost like she's looking for someone.
"Emma focus on my voice." He tries again, this time she takes a deep breath and makes eye contact with him. I watch silently as she calms down before crying again.
"What did you do?" Theo angrily growls at me, I swallow the lump in my throat and pursue my lips.
"I didn't mean to." I say genuinely before I leave the kitchen, I can't handle looking at her cry because of me. How do I tell her I love her? Is it too soon? sto diventando una figa. (I'm becoming a pussy)
"You good?" Ace's voice follows me as I sit down in the lounge with a huff. I put my head in my hands.
"Yeah." I mumble, what if I ruined everything?
"No your not." He says and hands me a glass of scotch as he sits down next to me, I don't answer him as I sift through my thoughts. Ace has been by my side for a long time, he knows me more than I know myself.
"You love her."He says simply, I whip my head up to him stare.
"Is it really that obvious?" I sigh, I don't want her to freak out and leave. Ace chuckles slightly.
"To me it is. You're drooling everytime she walks into the room." He chuckles again, I smirk and shake my head.
"She's just amazing y'know? She always manages to make me happy when we all know I don't deserve that." I smile thinking about a few mornings earlier and how beautiful she looked in my arms.
"You do deserve her, but she's hurt to Marco and you have to help her with that." He explains, I look out the window at the view of the busy city. I could be happy with her.
3rd person POV
Theo stands on one of the balconies that is attached to Marcos mansion, He knows he can't stay long and he doesn't know how to break that news to Emma. She doesn't trust him enough as is and he doesn't want to hurt her again. Theo's smartphone rings in his back pocket, the annoying tune makes dread run through Theo.
Unknown.
"Yes sir?" Theo answers immediately, knowing the consequences of delay.
"Enjoying your family reunion?" A dark voice chuckles into the phone, Theo swallows nervously. How did he know?
"I was going to tell you sir." Theo's strong voice laces with fear, the voice clicks their tongue at the pathetic fear that coat his puppet.
"You have a day Storm, otherwise I'll pay your sisters a visit." The voice hangs up leaving Theo to curse and clench his hands into fists. Theo can't let him hurt them, he's already done enough.
While Theo is frantically thinking of a way to break the news to Emma, a strong white haired male sits at a desk on the top floor of the mansion and chuckles at the misfortune on his puppets face.
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I am so so sorry for disappearing! I've just had a lot happening and haven't had the time to write.
But holy shit 1k reads! Thank you all so much!
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