“I’m not sure. I’m just always surprised by her,” Romeo said as a slight smile formed on his lips. “She’s just different.”
I could tell by the look in his eyes that he’d become attached to her—it was something I never thought was possible for him. I was sure that Romeo would spend the rest of his life as a heartless monster. Somehow Lucia had gotten under his skin, and his brother was actually falling in love with her.
The Bonifacio girls were more dangerous than my father had given them credit for. They were affecting each of us, without even fully knowing it.
15
Chiara
The loneliness set in whenever he wasn’t with me. After we’d made love, truly made love, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I thought about him every waking moment. I wanted him with me. I wanted to spend time with him and be around him. I craved the scent of his cologne and the feeling of his arms wrapped around me. They were the small things I looked forward to when I saw him, and I needed that caring touch more than ever.
And I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. He was the son of the man who was fated to be my enemy. The Cavetti’s were the family that had taken everything from me. They’d destroyed my life and my family. He’d been an accomplice, and yet I had these feelings for him. It was bittersweet, and I wasn’t sure how to react to it. I simply tried to push it to the back of my mind. I couldn’t allow myself to hate what was happening. I just had to make it through the day.
I began to draw again, throughout the day. I’d worn down most of the pencils he’d delivered to me. The notebook was already half-full, mostly with portraits of everyone I missed. Two of the portraits were of Marcello. I tried to draw what he looked like when he smiled so that I’d have a reference to it. I saw his smile so seldomly that I missed it already.
I jumped at the sound of the door opening and dropped the notebook onto the cot. I’d been using my legs as a desk, and I leaped at the sound of him arriving. I smiled when I saw him, excited to have him there with me.
He wore a white sweater that looked too tight across his wide upper body. His light wash jeans were perfectly tailored for his muscled legs, and I took him in, enjoying the view. He closed the door as the light flickered above us, causing the shadows to shift along the walls. Marcello was taking me in, too, but I felt as though I couldn’t compare to him. I was wearing a worn-out plaid dress, which did nothing for my shape. My hair was a mess, and I was growing paler by the day. I was definitely not as attractive as he was at that moment, and I felt embarrassed. I wished I had access to makeup or a straightener. Anything that made me feel beautiful.
“Do you want to get out of this room for a while?”
I cocked my head to the side. “Like, go to your room? Sure. That would be great, actually.”
“That’s not what I meant. There’s no one home right now. Romeo and my father are out dealing with some shipments,” I said, approaching her slowly. “And Savio and Natalia are doing some shopping. I thought it would be nice to take a walk outside.”
Without thinking, I began hyperventilating. Tears formed in my eyes, blurring my vision and burning at my skin. I fell back against the wall and felt the weight of the world on my chest. I had to look away from him, completely embarrassed by my reaction. It was such a small thing, but it had been so long since I’d been outside, that it was overwhelming.
I felt his hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. “Come on. I think you need it.”
“Can I have a coffee, too?”
He laughed lightly. “Yes, you can have a coffee, too.”
I opened my eyes and held out my hand so he could help me up. His hand was so much larger than mine it was almost funny. Every part of him was big, even his fingers. I had to admit that I enjoyed the size difference. He made me feel safe, as though no one could ever hurt me while in his presence because he was so intimidating. Even to kiss him, I’d have to be on my tiptoes.
I stopped as he led me towards the doorway and wiped my eyes with my free hand. “Should we invite Alessandra? It’s been a long time since she’s been outside, too.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said, keeping his voice low. “Savio would get upset if he found out. If he came home and saw her outside without him, I don’t think he’d take it well.”
“He doesn’t own her.”
“I know. Savio is just... unpredictable.”
“Okay, but can we take her next time?”
He opened the door with his free hand. “Yeah, definitely. I’ll just have to settle things with Savio. He’d want to join us, I think.”
I didn’t know Savio well, and my sister hadn’t divulged any information on their relationship. I wasn’t sure how Marcello knew about them, but I doubt they talked about us. Marcello rarely mentioned his brothers.
The guilt as we passed her door weighed on me. I was excited to be setting foot outside of the house, to get even just a taste of freedom, but I wanted my twin with me. But I didn’t know Savio. There was no telling how he’d react. It was difficult to know that she couldn’t enjoy it with me.
We were silent as we ascended the stairs. I grew giddy with anticipation. I knew I was going to run the moment I stepped foot on the grass. It had been so long since I’d felt the sun and breeze against my skin. It was still summer, and I wanted to enjoy what little of it I could.
The house was quiet as we made our way into the kitchen. I was glad when Marcello closed the cellar door behind me. I didn’t want to go back down. The whole basement was a disgusting trap that, if I inherited the house, I would remodel and get rid of it. It was something I would mention to Lucia the moment Angelo died. Destroy everything relating to our confinement. Start fresh.
I debated on asking him about my brothers. I didn’t want to push my luck. I knew that Marcello enjoyed spending time with me and that we were developing a bond, but I didn’t know if he would take me back downstairs if I broached the subject again. It worried me that he would think I was being too pushy.
“Do you want an espresso?”
