Liliana I woke up with something warm and soft under my body. My mind was slow but the memories were clear and focused, more focused than my surroundings when I finally dared to open my eyes. A movement in the corner caught my attention. Romero leaned against the wall in front of me. I quickly glanced at the room I was in. It was a guest room and I was alone with Romero behind a closed door. Without the lingering effects of whatever Matteo had injected me with earlier, I would have started screaming again.
Instead I watched in silence as Romero walked toward me.
I wasn’t sure why I had ever thought of him as harmless, now his every move screamed danger. When he was almost to the bed, I curled up, pressing myself against the pillow. Romero paused, his dark eyes softening, but their gentleness could no longer fool me, not after what I had seen.
“It’s okay. You’re safe.”
I had never felt unsafe in my life until that moment. I wanted my blissful ignorance back. I said nothing.
Romero took a glass of water from the nightstand and handed it to me. My eyes searched the skin of his hands for blood, but he must have cleaned them thoroughly.
There was not the slightest trace of red, not even between his fingers or under his fingernails. He probably had a lot of practice cleaning blood. Bile rose in my throat at the thought.
“You need to drink, little boy.”
My eyes snapped up to his face. “I’m not a kid.”
The shadow of a smile crossed Romero’s face. “Of course not, Liliana.”
I searched his eyes for a hint of mockery, a hint of the darkness that had been in the basement, but he seemed like the good boy I wanted him to be. I sat down and took the glass from him. My hand was shaking, but I managed not to spill the water on myself. After two sips I handed the glass back to Romero.
“You can go to your sisters soon, but first Luca wants to talk to you about what you saw today,” he said calmly.
Fear pierced me like a cold blade. I slipped out of bed when someone knocked and Luca came in a moment later.
He closed the door. My eyes shifted from him to Romero.
I didn’t want to collapse as had happened before, but I felt another panic attack make its way through the drugs in my bloodstream. I had never been alone with them, and after today’s events, it was too much.
“No one is going to hurt you,” Luca said in his deep voice. I tried to believe him. Aria seemed to love him, so he could not be evil and had not been down in the basement torturing the Russians. I risked another glance at Romero, whose eyes rested on me.
I lowered my face. “I know,” I said finally, which probably sounded as much a lie as it felt. I took a deep breath and stared at Luca’s chin. “Did you want to talk to me ?”
Luca nodded. He did not approach, nor did Romero.
Perhaps my fear was clear as day to them. “You can’t tell Aria what you saw today. She will be angry.”
“I won’t tell her,” I quickly promised. I had never intended to talk to her. I didn’t want to remember the events, much less tell anyone about them. If I could, I would immediately erase them from my memory.
Luca and Romero exchanged a glance, then Luca opened the door. “You are much more reasonable than your sister Gianna. You remind me of Aria.”
Somehow his words made me feel like a coward. Not because Aria was one. She was brave and so was Gianna, both in their own ways. I felt like a coward because I agreed to keep silent for selfish reasons, because I wanted to forget, and not because I wanted to protect Aria from the truth. I was pretty sure she could handle it better than I could.
“You can take her to Gianna, but make sure they don’t walk through the house again,” he told Romero.
“What about Aria?” I blurted out.
Luca stiffened. “She’s sleeping. You can see her later.”
With that he left.
I wrapped my arms around my waist. “Do my parents know what happened?”
“Yes. Your father will come to get you when he’s done with business and then take you back to Chicago. Probably tomorrow morning .” Romero waited but I did not move. For some reason my body stiffened at the idea of approaching him, which was ridiculous considering that not long before I had fantasized about kissing him.
He opened the door wide and stepped back. “I’m sure your sister Gianna is looking forward to seeing you.”
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to walk in his direction. His body was relaxed and his face gentle, and despite the terror and fear still simmering deep in my body, my stomach fluttered slightly as I walked past him. Perhaps it was shock. I could no longer have a crush on him after today.
Liliana Whenever I thought I was over what happened last September, something reminded me of that day and my stomach tightened into a hard knot again. Like today, when Gianna and I headed for Matteo, Aria and Luca. Dad had finally relented and allowed my sister and I to go to New York to celebrate my 15th birthday.
“Are you okay?” asked Gianna softly, making me wince with my growing nervousness. Just being back in New York and seeing Matteo and Luca again was enough to fill my nose with the sweet smell of fresh blood.
“Yes,” I said quickly. I was no longer a little girl who needed her big sisters to protect her. “I’m fine.”
Aria ran to us when we had almost reached them and threw both arms around our necks. “I missed you so much.”
Reuniting with my sisters, I couldn’t help but smile. I would have even gone straight down to that basement if it meant I could see them again.
Aria cast me a look. “Now you’re as tall as I am. I still remember when you didn’t want to go anywhere without holding my hand.”
I quickly looked around, but fortunately there was no one around to hear her. “Don’t say anything like that when Romero is there. Where is he, anyway?” I realized a moment too late how idiotic I had sounded and blushed.
Aria laughed. “He’s probably in his apartment.”
I shrugged, but it was too late. Not that I had forgotten the blood on Romero’s hands, but for some reason I wasn’t as afraid of him as I was of Matthew, or even Luke.
And I realized this when we approached them.
My heart sped up and I felt a panic attack rise.
I hadn’t had one in weeks, so I fought it desperately.
“The birthday girl,” Matteo said with a smile. How could that charming boy be the same person I had seen covered in blood in the basement?
“Not yet,” I said. I could feel my panic subsiding already.
In real life Matteo was not as scary as in my memories.
“Unless you have an early present for me.”
“I like the way you think,” Matteo said with a wink. He reached for my suitcase, then held out his arm. I cast a glance at Gianna. “Aren’t you carrying Gianna’s luggage?” I didn’t want Gianna to think I was flirting with her boyfriend, even though she didn’t seem to like him much most of the time.
“Luca is on it,” Matteo said.
Gianna glowered at him before sending me a smile. “Go ahead.”
I accepted Matteo’s hand. I wasn’t sure why Gianna despised him so much. And it had started before the basement, so it wasn’t that. But it was none of my business and anyway Gianna did not talk about her emotions with me . That was why there was Aria. In their minds I was always too young to understand it . But I knew more than they thought .
*** Fifty minutes later, we arrived at Luca and Aria’s apartment building. I checked my reflection in the elevator mirrors , making sure my makeup was okay and that I had nothing in my teeth. It had been months since I had seen Romero and I wanted to make a good impression. But when we entered Aria and Luca’s apartment, Romero was still not there. My eyes darted around and finally Aria leaned toward me, whispering.
“Romero is not there because Matteo and Luca are here to protect us.”
“I wasn’t looking for him,” I said quickly, but she didn’t believe it. I looked away before she could see my blush.
“Of course,” Aria said with a complicit smile. “She will come later when Matteo and Luca have to go for work.”
Excitement bubbled up inside me, but it was also mixed with something nauseating and nervous. I had had a few nightmares about that night in the basement, not about Romero in particular, but I wondered if a live meeting would bring up other bad things. But that wasn’t even the main reason I was nervous. So far Romero had always ignored me, well not me, but my flirting.
He had treated me like a child. Maybe he would finally show more interest, or any interest at all. After all, I was about to turn fifteen, and it wasn’t as if I hadn’t caught many of my father’s soldiers watching me. Maybe I wasn’t Romero’s type, my age didn’t matter. I didn’t even know if he was dating or promised to someone.
During dinner, I realized that Aria and Gianna exchanged a few glances from time to time. I wasn’t sure what it meant . Were they talking about me?
The elevator made a bling sound and began to descend toward whoever had called it.
“That’s Romero,” Aria said. Luca gave her a strange look but I didn’t react at all, I simply nodded as if I didn’t care, but I did, and I was glad for Aria’s warning.
“I have to go to the bathroom,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. Gianna rolled her eyes. I grabbed my bag from the floor and ran toward the guest bathroom. As I closed the door, I heard the elevator doors open. A moment later Romero’s voice resounded. It was deep but not rough. I liked that sound.
I turned to the mirror and quickly refreshed my makeup and fixed my dark blond hair. It was not as bright and beautiful as Aria’s and not as eye-catching as Gianna’s red hair, but it could have been worse. Others would have noticed that I had gone to the bathroom to make myself presentable, at least my sisters, but I didn’t care. I wanted to look pretty for Romero. Trying to look relaxed, I walked out of the bathroom. Romero had sat at the table and was filling a plate with the remains of our dessert: tiramisu and panna cotta. He was sitting in the chair right next to mine. I cast a glance at Aria wondering if he had anything to do with it . She simply smiled at me, but Gianna didn’t even bother to hide her amusement. I really hoped she wouldn’t embarrass me in front of everyone. I approached my chair, hoping to look adult and relaxed, but aside from a quick smile Romero paid me no attention.
Disappointment settled heavily in my stomach. I sat down next to him and took a sip of water, more to have something to do than because I was actually thirsty.
If I had thought that Romero’s obvious disinterest in me was the full extent of my embarrassment today, I was sorely mistaken. Once Matteo and Luca left for some sort of business meeting, it became obvious that Gianna and Aria were looking for an opportunity to be alone. They could have simply asked me to leave, but apparently they needed to get rid of Romero as well. Aria leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Can you distract Romero for a while? It’s important.” I didn’t have a chance to refuse or ask questions.
“Romero, why don’t you play Scrabble with Lily? She seems to be bored to death and Aria and I need a moment to talk as girls,” Gianna said in a firm tone.
My face flamed with shame. Usually Gianna knew better than to embarrass me like that. She made it sound like Romero had to babysit me while she and Aria discussed important things.
Romero came in from the kitchen where he was checking his cell phone and stood next to me at the dining room table. I could barely look at him. What did he think of me now? I peeked through my eyelashes. He didn’t seem bothered, but that didn’t mean he really wanted to spend the evening entertaining me. He was a bodyguard, not a babysitter. “It seems your sister would rather spend time with you,” he said to Gianna. Then her brown eyes settled on me. “Are you sure you want to play Scrabble with me?”
she asked, and I couldn’t help but smile. Few people asked me what I wanted, even my sisters sometimes forgot that I was a person with my own opinions and desires.
Aria and Gianna gave me a meaningful look. I had to convince Romero that I wanted it or I would ruin everything for them. “Yes, I really want to play Scrabble with you. I love that game, please?” I said with a bright smile. I couldn’t even remember when I had last played it. Our family had never played board games.
Romero cast a glance toward my sisters. There was a hint of suspicion on his face. “You could join us,” he said.
“I would rather play alone with you,” I said in a flirtatious tone. Gianna winked at me when Romero wasn’t looking.
“My sisters hate Scrabble and so does everyone else I know.
You are my only hope.”
A smile tugged at Romero’s lips and he nodded. “All right, but be patient. I haven’t played in a while.”
Playing Scrabble with Romero was really a lot of fun. It was the first time we really spent time alone together. I looked up from the word I had just written, wondering whether to ask the question that was burning in my stomach. Romero was busy figuring out the next word.
His dark eyebrows were furrowed in a lovely way. I wanted to lean over the board and kiss him. “Do you have a girlfriend?” I blurted out when I could no longer contain myself.
And then I wanted to die on the spot. Apparently, I didn’t need my sisters to embarrass me. I was doing just fine on my own.
Romero looked up. There was surprise and amusement on his face. I could feel a blush creeping up my neck. Way to go, Lily. I had looked like an idiot. “Is this your way of distracting me from the game so you can win?”
I giggled, glad he wasn’t mad at me for asking such a personal question. He returned his attention to the letters in front of him, and my amusement vanished when I realized that he had not answered my question. Did that mean he had a girlfriend? I could not ask him again without looking desperate.
I sank further into the chair, annoyed. My eyes shifted to the rooftop terrace where my sisters were standing.
Aria and Gianna probably thought I was unsure if they were up to something. They thought I was oblivious to everything that was going on around me. Just because I was flirting with Romero, however, did not mean that I had not noticed the secret glances they were exchanging. I didn’t ask them because I knew they wouldn’t tell me anyway and I would feel even more like the fifth wheel. They weren’t doing it to be mean, but it still hurt. Aria seemed upset about something Gianna had said. I had to resist the temptation to go over and try my luck.
“It’s your turn,” Romero’s voice jolted me.
I blushed and glanced quickly at the words on the blackboard, but my concentration was worn out.
“Do you want to stop?” asked Romero after a couple of minutes. He seemed to want just that.
He was probably bored out of his mind.
Repressing my disappointment, I nodded, “Yes.
I’m going to read a little in my room.” I stood up, hoping my expression wouldn’t reveal my emotions, but I shouldn’t have worried. Romero gave me a distracted smile and picked up the phone to check messages. I slowly stepped back. He did not look up again. I had to find a way to get his attention, and not with stupid games.
*** Aria had decorated the entire apartment with balloons for my birthday, as if I were a kindergartner. I thought we would be allowed to go to one of Luca’s clubs, but he and even Aria had refused to take me. The amount of food on the table made it look like a big party had been planned, but it was just us and Romero’s two younger sisters. Aria had asked him to bring them. I felt like the loser little girl with no friends who needed her older sister to find her friends. Maybe I should have stayed in Chicago so I could at least spend the day with my friends.
When Romero arrived with his sisters, I flashed my brightest smile. “Happy birthday, Liliana,” he said, handing me an envelope. It was a coupon for a bookstore. “Aria said you like to read.”
“Yes, thank you,” I said, but somehow I was hoping for a gift other than Romero. Something personal, something to show that I was special.
“These are my sisters.” He pointed to the taller girl with thick brown curls. “This is T amara, she is 15 years old like you.” I smiled and so did T amara, but she looked as embarrassed as I was. “And this is Keira, she is twelve years old. I’m sure you’ll get along fine.” It was obvious that I would have to spend time with them because I was still too young to be with Aria, Luca and the others.
It annoyed me, although T amara and Keira seemed nice enough, but I had not come to New York for a children’s party. With another smile, Romero headed toward Luca and Matteo, and I led his sisters toward Aria and Gianna, and the buffet.
I did my best to enjoy the evening and be nice to Romero’s sisters, but I wanted something special for my birthday, something I had dreamed of for a long time . When I saw Romero come out to the rooftop terrace for a call, I snuck out too. The others were hopefully busy enough not to lose me for a couple of minutes. Romero spoke on the phone and did not notice me at first. I followed him in silence and watched as he leaned against the railing. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms.
When his eyes rested on me, his eyebrows came together in a frown and he straightened. I walked over and positioned myself beside him. He hung up and put the phone in his pocket. “Shouldn’t you be inside with your guests?”
he asked with a smile, but I could tell he wasn’t as sincere as usual.
I moved a little closer and smiled at him. “I needed some fresh air.”
Romero’s eyes were alert as he watched me. “We should come back.”
“There is something I want for my birthday,” I said softly. “Something only you can give me.” I had repeated those words in my head countless times, but out loud they didn’t sound half as flirtatious as they did in my imagination.
“Lily,” Romero began, his body overflowing with tension.
I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say. I quickly stood up on my tiptoes and tried to kiss him. He grabbed my shoulders before my lips reached his and held me away from him as if I had an infectious disease.
“What are you doing?” He let go of me and took a few steps back. “You are a child and I am a soldier of the Family. I’m not a toy you can play with when you’re bored.”
I didn’t expect that kind of reaction from him.
Surprise and shock, yes, but anger? No. “I just wanted to kiss you. I don’t want to play games. I like you.”
Romero shook his head, then pointed to the glass door. “Go back inside. Your sisters will start wondering where you are.”
He sounded like an older brother, and that was the last thing I wanted him to be. I turned sharply before hurrying back. My heart contracted in my chest. For some reason I had never considered rejection from Romero. I had fantasized so often about our first kiss that the option of it never happening had never crossed my mind. For the rest of the evening, I struggled to maintain a happy expression, especially whenever I saw Romero. I was actually glad to be going back to Chicago. I would not be able to see Romero for a long time, long enough to get over it and find someone else to fall in love with .
Romero I knew Liliana had a crush on me. Aria had already told me, but I never expected the girl to act on her feelings. She was a beautiful child. A little girl.
I didn’t have the slightest interest in her, and the sooner she understood that, the better. She looked fucking hurt when I had lashed out at her, but I had no choice. Even though she was no longer a child, I could not allow her to kiss me.
When I returned to the living area, Luca approached me. “What was that? Why was Liliana out with you?”
Of course he had noticed. Luca had never missed anything.
“She tried to kiss me.”
Luca arched his eyebrows. “I guess you pushed her away.”
“Do you really have to ask? She’s my sister’s age.”
“Her age isn’t even the main issue. At least in her father’s eyes.”
“I know.” I was a soldier and girls like Liliana should have stayed in their social circles.”
Luca sighed. “That girl will be as much of a problem as Gianna, if not more.”
I had a feeling he might be right.