*Bianca*
I gently grabbed his wrist, pulling it away from his face and my heart nearly stopped. His eyes were red and shiny but more aware as tears glistened down his handso face.
He’d never looked so vulnerable before.
“I’m a failure,” Leo whispered, glancing at with wide trembling eyes, “It’s all my fault. I failed you both. How can....how will I tell our baby why they don’t have a grandma and grandpa? How do I tell them their Auntie is trying to kill their daddy?”
“Auntie?” I repeated wide-eyed.
“Jack Frost. Maria Moriera. My half-sister,” Leo mumbled to himself, eyes closing as he buried his face into my shoulder like he was trying to hide from the world. The admission left shaken. I wanted to say it was nonsense but...
‘He got so rather unsettling news,’ Franky had said. So this was what he ant. I hushed Leo’s muffled cries as I buried my hands into his hair, holding back my own tears as he leaned on .
I said nothing because there was nothing to say. I just held him as he cried until his breath evened out and he drifted off to sleep.
My heart felt heavy, burdenso now with the weight of what he’d said but I was relieved a bit, knowing that he’d trusted enough to share this with . I was strong enough to carry so of this weight for him, no matter how terrible of a truth it was.
“It’s okay,” I whispered hoarsely deep into the night to both him and myself, “I love you. I’ll always love you. We’re family and I will never leave you. It’ll all be okay.”
It was all I could do.
*Leo*
Morning felt more like a curse than a blessing as I woke up with a pounding in my head. It felt like I’d been run over by a truck, dropped from twenty feet, and then had my head slamd between a pair of cymbals for hours.
I groaned, the sound muffled from where my face was smushed into the mattress. I reached my hand out, floundering for a pillow as my neck ached. I didn’t know how long I’d been in this sa position but it hurt like hell. I rolled over onto my back, my joints aching and popping in protest.
What the fuck had happened last night?
I stared up at the ceiling, struggling to rember anything. I rembered the eting with Franky and Darion and discussing Jack Frost. Also known as Maria Moirera and we talked about her blood test results and —
My mood plumted into a deep dark hole as the mory ca back to . I wished I could forget that one but no, it stuck out like a sore thumb due to all the emotions attached to it.
A sister. Maria Moirera was my sister. Not only that but a half-sister who had also made it her life’s mission to track down for so unknown goal. Probably to kill off seeing as she’d made multiple attempts to get alone with weaponized drugs on her person.
The rest of the night was a blur. I knew I’d wrecked my office, dragged Franky to the bar, and drunken until I couldn’t rember my own na but nothing else. I did have a slight mory, though I wasn’t sure if it was more a hallucination that I’d seen Bianca at so point.
But that was impossible. There was no way Franky would’ve called her. He knew how much I refused to let Bianca see in a state like that. An utter ss.
Though then again, he could be a real asshole when he wanted to be.
I heaved a sigh as I threw my arm over my face. The morning light pouring in between the gaps in the curtains was blindingly bright to my sensitive eyes. I struggled to sit up in bed, feeling like my entire body had turned into iron overnight but just as I managed it, the door opened up.
I slled food before I had ti to wipe away the crust in my bleary eyes. As I blinked, rubbing my face to see properly, Bianca swam into my vision. Carrying a large platter filled to the brim with my favorite breakfast foods, it looked and slled great. But the glass of what I thought was going to be orange juice next to it did not.
“That’s not orange juice,” I mumbled tiredly, staring transfixed at the dark blackish liquid. I swear I could almost see bubbles in the form of a skull popping over the top of it. It looked that nasty.
“It’s my family’s special hangover elixir,” Bianca said softly, barely above a whisper as she took a seat on the bed. She was mindful of her belly as she placed the tray over my lap and smiled at like nothing was wrong.
“I don’t have a hangover,” I said quietly, still warily glancing at whatever she’d put into that glass. Bianca’s smile turned a bit sharp as she plucked it off the tray and pushed it into my hands.
“Just drink it,” she said firmly, leaving no room for excuses.
I made a face of disgust at it but I said nothing as I took it. It was warm in my hands and that made shiver already. I cautiously brought it up to my lips, finding that it wasn’t a blackish color at all but a dark greenish-gray.
The worst part was the goopy texture, like sludge as I tipped it into my mouth and it ca slowly. The mont it hit my tongue, I blanched.
“God!” I groaned, pushing my head into my hands as I flailed to get it away from . “What the fuck?”
She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Considering what I had to do to get your sorry ass back ho last night, the least you can do is finish the elixir I made for you. It wasn’t an easy recipe to make, you know?”
“Because you got it from Satan?” I said incredulously, but I still gave her a resigned look as she shoved it back into my hands with a pointed look. I groaned, plunged my nose with one hand, and then downed it in one gulp.
It did not taste any better going down. I didn’t throw it up by sheer willpower, but it was close. I shivered in disgust as soon as it got down and then Bianca handed a bottle of water to wash it down.
“What did I do yesterday?” I asked, casually as I tried to get the stupid taste out of my mouth. Bianca gave a sad smile and I knew it wasn’t going to be good. I ate breakfast, sharing it with her as she explained everything that happened last night.
I winced, silently cursing myself every ti she reminded of the things I’d blurted out or done in front of complete strangers.
“I’m sorry,” I said once she finished. I stared down at my lap, utterly furious with myself. I’d not only burdened her with my problems but embarrassed her in the process by having her pick up in my drunken state. And while she was pregnant too.
The self-hatred inside of grew a little stronger as I gripped my own hand, tightening it until the skin turned white and it turned painful. Until a strong hand smacked upside the head.
“Stop that!” Bianca scolded fiercely, then ripped my hands apart so she could see the damage. She gave such a fearsoly protective glare that I gulped. “I won’t allow anyone to harm my future husband, do you hear ? Not even yourself, Leo!”
“Sorry,” I muttered ashadly, wondering if this was her motherly instincts coming out swinging. I didn’t have a mother growing up but she reminded fiercely of Olivia, Elio’s mom. She was able to strike fear into anyone just by yelling their full na.
Mafia or not, there was nothing scarier than a mother’s protectiveness.
Bianca sighed, a bit of relief in her expression as she finally let go of my hand, satisfied there weren’t any lasting marks. She gave a half-hearted glare that softened into a sad smile. “Dummy,” She said more lovingly than scolding. She grabbed and pulled our foreheads together.
I felt every breath of hers, even the presence of our baby still in her belly grounded .
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, though I was sure it had lost its effects by now.
“No,” She shook her head, eyes shining with sincerity. “I’m going to be your wife, Leo. We’re going to get married. It’s not just your burden anymore, it’s ours. I want you to lean on in tis like this just as I do to you. When are you going to get that through that thick head of yours?”
I chuckled, breathing out as I moved the empty tray to the floor and then pulled her into bed to cuddle her close. My heart settled once I had her in my arms.
“At least once more,” I told her as I laid a kiss on her forehead.
Surprisingly, Bianca’s supposed hangover elixir worked. My headache went away and I could soon look at the light without feeling like my eyes were getting cooked. We cuddled together as we discussed everything I found out last night about my half-sister.
“I’m sorry you have to deal with this,” Bianca whispered to once I’d finally run out of things to say. My throat was sore and my mouth parched after talking so much but I just idly played with the ends of her long hair as I thought about everything.
“It sucks. I finally et soone with my own blood, finally find my family and all they want to do is kill ,” My heart clenched as I finally admitted that truth. She brushed her fingers up my face, like she was tracing my details and I gently closed my eyes, letting her do as she pleased.
Her other hand intertwined with mine and I let her guide down to her belly where she pressed my hand up against the big bump where our child rested. My lips twitched upwards as I felt a little flutter. A kick responding to their daddy, as Bianca would always say.
I opened my eyes to look into hers.
“We’re your family, too,” Bianca insisted, her eyes as warm as flas. “And no matter what happens, I’ll be right here with you. We both will.”
“I know,” I lted at her words, my heart beating steadily in rhythm. The decision was easier than I thought it would be but I knew I wouldn’t regret it. “How about we go out tomorrow? I’ll take you out and show you how much I love you.”
I kissed her lovely hand and she smiled dreamily. “The baby is coming soon you know,” she said teasingly. “I’m too big to be moving around so much.”
“Don’t worry,” I smiled. “I’ll plan it all for you. I’ll take care of everything.”
She bead but I could tell she hadn’t caught the double aning in my words. It was for the best.
I knew what it would an to have Maria after us. She may only be targeting now but soon enough, she’d find out about Bianca and our unborn child. Then she’d co after them too. I couldn’t allow that.
Maria Moirea’s existence hadn’t been the only reason I’d drunk enough alcohol to kill my liver. Blood had never been a concern for . I’d long considered myself an orphan.
It was the Valentinos who had taken in. who had raised . Elio’s mother who had been there when I was sick as a dog, and Elio’s father who taught how to shave. Elio had been my brother in all but blood for a long ti now.
Franky had been there for to drown my sorrows in. He’d been by my side, no matter how many ups and downs. Bianca had co imdiately for , had dragged my drunk ass back ho, and then taken care of all morning.
She was my everything. She’d given a ho, a life, and had made a ho out of my wounded heart. It was dusty and broken and god knows she deserved better but it was hers.
They were family. That’s all that mattered to now.
I knew the mont I found out about my half-sister’s identity, no, even before that. When our eyes clashed and the seeds of doubt had been planted, I knew the day would co when I would have to face her.
Face her and then kill her.
It was inevitable.
That mont was rapidly approaching and when that mont ca, I knew It would destroy . I would have to lose a part of myself that I didn’t even know existed to protect Bianca and our baby.
But if it was for her sake, I’d do it.
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