CHAPTER CV
~~~
“You’re innocent, Sophia,” Valerie held Sophia’s hands in hers. “And I think it’s pretty normal to panic when the one you love doesn’t say the same, especially when it’s your first love. But then, have you tried giving him time?”
Sophia shook her head. “When I told him I wanted to, he told me not to. He said he wouldn’t realize a thing even if I gave him time,”NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.
Valerie smiled a little. “No one part of us was raised to fall in love and I’m sure that’s why Don is holding back or maybe he hasn’t realized his feelings yet. We all know how much he cares about you. He does that more than everyone else and I haven’t seen him behave like that towards anyone after his mum and sister. Give him time and try not to be too overbearing. Don’t suffocate him with your feelings and trust me, he will realize how he feels about you,”
“You’re right,” Sophia said after thinking about it. “What you’re saying is right,”
“Great!” Valerie chirped. “Why don’t you try to exercise some patience, then? After all, one can do anything for their loved ones,”
Sophia smiled.
“By the way -” Valerie pointed at Sophia’s shoulder.”-you have a nice tattoo over there. It’s nice,”
Shyly, Sophia blushed. “Chase said the same,”
~~~
The moment Valerie placed her hand on the door knob of her room, a rough hand was placed on her mouth, and her eyes widened in shock.
There was an invader in the mansion.
Before she could make any further noise, the person’s arm went around her waist, and she was pulled away from there. She tried to struggle, but the person didn’t let her go.
Once they reached a dark and quiet part of the house, the person let her go.
She regained her posture. “What the -,” She gasped when she stared at the person. “Alessandro!”
Alessandro said nothing. He stared at the only woman he had fallen in love with against the mafia world rules, but the truth was, he was ready to do anything for her. Even if it meant breaking the rules again and again.
Valerie Romano was his weakness.
“Why would you do that?” She glared at him. “You scared the shit out of me,”
“What else would I have done?” He stepped closer, sounding as calm as ever. “You weren’t talking to me or listening to what I was trying to say,”
“Oh great,” She flailed her arms in the air. “Look who said I wasn’t listening to what I was trying to say when he did worse,” She poked his chest with her index finger. “Alessandro, you gave me the silent treatment for more than a month because you thought I was cheating on you with Nick,”
“Are you trying to do a payback here?”
She stepped back from him. “Take it however you want,”
“Fuck, sweetheart, “He muttered. “I didn’t do anything. I did nothing to deserve that,”
“Really?” She folded her arms across her chest. “Can you remember when you-,”
He gripped her arm tightly and pulled her closer to him. “It doesn’t matter because I love you. I love you, Valerie and you know that,”
Suddenly, the lights went on, followed by a deep voice before they could even realize what was happening.
“What the fuck going on here?”
Alessandro let go of Valerie, and she took a few steps backwards as she stared wide-eyed at her brother, who didn’t look in any way, pleased by what he saw.
“Lucas,”
Lucas walked towards them. “I said what the fuck is going on here?”
“Lucas, I- I-,”
Alessandro stepped in. “We’re in love,”
“Fuck,” Valerie muttered. “This idiot is going to get himself in trouble,”
Lucas narrowed his eyes at Alessandro. “What the fuck did you just say?”
“Nothing serious, Lucas,”Valerie jumped in and stopped directly in the middle of Lucas and Alessandro. “He was only pulling your legs,”
“I clearly heard him telling you he fucking loved you,” Lucas gritted out. “I fucking don’t have hearing problems, Valerie. Stop lying and tell me the damned truth,”
“The truth is that Valerie and I are in love,” Alessandro held Valerie’s hand and stepped forward to stand by her side. “Valerie and I love each other,”
Lucas looked taken-aback for a moment before he regained his calm composure. It was so shocking that someone in his shoes was looking that calm, but then, that was how Lucas was. “Since when?”
Valerie knew her brother very well. He was the calm- before- the- storm type. “He’s lying,” She was only trying to protect Alessandro. Lucas was likely to get him killed, not because of the fact that they had both gone against the rules of their world, but because he was over protective of her. “We’re not in love,”
“Why the fuck are you hiding the truth?” Alessandro gripped her arm and turned her to face him. “Let’s tell him the truth,”
“Are you fucking out of your mind?” Valerie almost snapped. “Lucas won’t spare your life,”
“So it’s true, then?” Lucas smirked and they turned to face him. “You both love each other, then?”
Valerie frowned. “You’re not angry?”
Lucas shook his head. “As much as I want to, I can’t,” He stared at Alessandro. “Alessandro is capable of taking care of the one he loves. That’s something I’m so damned sure of,” He moved closer to him, a warning glint in his eyes. “Take care of my sister else, I won’t hesitate to chop off your balls,”
“You’re not going to kill him?” Valerie asked. “You’re the underboss and you’re allowing us to go against the rules,”
Lucas turned to Valerie and smiled. “Sophia is changing that in her own innocent way,” He then faced Alessandro again. “Both of my sisters’ are your responsibility. You hold one’s heart and you have the other one’s life to protect. I don’t know how you’re going to do it, but never compromise one for the other,”
Valerie gasped. “He- he knows the truth?”
“Alessandro and I have always been close buddies and I trust him enough to keep it a secret,”