“Bella, calm,” Lorenzo says as he reaches to take my hand.
I panic as I realize how clammy it feels within his and I pull my hand from his grasp. I run both my palms down my fuchsia skirt, smile, and look at Lorenzo. He’s so sweet and oblivious, and I wonder how my uncle has been able to shield him from all dangers.
Having no surviving children of his own, Alberto took Lorenzo in as his own after finding him lost on the streets of the Amalfi Coast. He grew up in our family fold, but due to being miles apart, I went from seeing Lorenzo when he was a small child to now being a six-foot-two, tanned god. I knew a lot could change in just over a decade, but I never expected him to steal my breath away. Maybe it was the drop-dead likeness to Zane that did it, but Lorenzo is actually perfectly beautiful in his own right.
“It’s been so long,” I counter, shaking my head with some wild hope that I’ll calm. “What if I’ve left it too long?”
“If they love you like you do them, don’t worry,” he replies sweetly and gives me a small smile.
I have no time to reply as the car slows to a halt. I wait on the door to open before I clamber out as ladylike as possible, dragging my huge brown Prada bag from the car with me. I thank Matty, our driver, and look up at my house. It hasn’t changed, but I’d be a fool to suspect anything inside has remained the same. The thought, in itself, propels me to the door, and I don’t hesitate to push my way into the large foyer. The front doors are unlocked but on constant watch. My father didn’t want his guests to feel like they were imprisoned. Once inside the highly guarded walls of the Abbiati palace, you were free to go where you liked.
I can feel Lorenzo right behind me, but it doesn’t deter me because I know he’ll follow like my lapdog. I rush around the house, and I only seem to come across empty, spotless rooms. I hear laughter suddenly cut the clean air and I clearly depict each of my brothers’ tones in it. The sound has me gravitating toward them, and I feel myself become brazen. After all the hopes and wishes for a hug, it’s finally here and I want to run toward it.
However, all of my confidence disperses from me as I see them all. My brothers sit around on the back porch of the house all laughing, each with a beer in their hands. They look the epitome of happy while I’m the one cast into a dark cloud. I haven’t been happy since the last time Zane made love to me. That is the last time I can pinpoint when I thought everything would truly be okay. And while I douse myself with more and more pessimism, they’re having a jolly good fucking kickback time.
I guess life had to go on without me.
“Are you not going to go in?” Lorenzo asks, prompting me with a whisper.
I want to, but a part of me falters as I wonder how they will be react to me suddenly being back. Will they know I was on my way back? I never asked my uncle whom the orders came from. Having been out of the loop for so long, I don’t even know who’s dealing with what anymore. I can feel the shift in everything around me. This isn’t the same place I left, but at the same time, this is my home and this is where I belong.
When Giovanni catches sight of me in the kitchen, I make my move. I don’t want him to strike first, I want to surprise them all the best way I know how. I straighten up, square my shoulders, and don’t give a shit what he has to say. I’m here for the brothers who only ever sought to protect me. I just have to keep the smile on my face to see if they’re about to treat me differently.
“You didn’t bleed out then?” I say as I enter the veranda. My voice has them all whipping around to look at me and I just stand, a hand on my hip and a blasé look on my face. “Or die from sepsis? I’d have rather the latter, but I’m sorely disappointed to see you’re here looking sickeningly healthy.”
“And all peace on Earth disappears!” Giovanni exclaims, putting both hands up in the air in mock disarray. “And here, I was just getting used to not seeing your mess up of a face around here.”
“I thought it was best I come back just to piss you off,” I comment and catch Enzo staring at me. I look at him and my ice queen persona melts away. I strive to remain stoic and bold in the face of them all, but Enzo weakens me and I thaw quickly under his gaze. He doesn’t even have to speak and my walls begin to crack and weaken.
“What are you doing back?” Enzo asks, standing up. He’s the first to move and I don’t know if I should go in for a hug or remain where I am. “We weren’t told.”
“Well, then clearly this isn’t an intended happy reunion,” I joke mockingly. “Uncle Alberto told me to pack and leave. Said I was due back on business, so here I am,” I put my hands out as if to display myself more before continuing, “back on business.”