CHAPTER 4 #2
Suddenly Rafe lifted his head and met my eyes. Arran was still holding me at his side, and it had to be pretty obvious I had been shaken by Rafe’s outburst, from the look on my face, I was sure.
“Shit!” Rafe hissed, then he released his hand from the fist and lifted his head with a deep breath. Instantly he was calm once again, no sign of what was all over his face a second before. “I’m so sorry, Tesorino. Did I scare you?”
“No. Just startled me. I’m not scared of you, Rafe. I’m just worried about you,” I told him honestly.
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine. And it’s quite a relief to hear you say you’re not scared of me now.”
“I’m not sure I ever really was, if I’m honest. I mean, yeah…
at first. But it wasn’t really you that scared me.
It was the version of you that Mum made up and forced into my mind.
I was scared of your power when those men tried to stop me leaving the hotel, and I was wary of your intentions at first, but when I saw you I never felt fear really.
Or if I did, the need to jump into your arms and have you hold me like you used to, felt stronger.
I missed you so much all of those years, and having you back…
part of me didn’t even care if you did hurt me.
It felt worth whatever happened, just to see you again,” I tried to explain, but I knew I wasn’t doing a great job of it.
Rafe rose to his feet and cautiously came closer to me, as if giving me time to back away if I wanted to.
But of course I didn’t. Arran released his arm from around me, just in time for Rafe to step right up before me and pull me into his arms where I sat.
I wrapped the arm that I could comfortably move around him, and relished every second of the emotional moment.
“I would never, and will never hurt you, Cara. I love you so much. No matter what, I will always do everything in my power to keep you safe and protected,” he promised.
Tearful, I opened my mouth to tell him I loved him too. I wanted to tell him that I would always be there for him, but I didn’t get to speak the words.
Instead, the loud crash of the kitchen door being thrown open violently, startled us both, and Rafe instantly pulled away from the hug and placed himself in front of me as he looked to the door.
Arran and Dante were on their feet too, and I understood why.
The door hadn’t banged like it had the other day, with a loud thud.
No. This time it had crashed against the wall so ferociously it was like it had been kicked open, with violence and purpose.
“How did I know this is exactly what I’d walk into this morning?
!” Gia ranted, almost maniacally. I looked around Rafe and saw her walking further into the kitchen.
I was shocked by her appearance. It wasn’t that long since we’d all gone to bed, and we all looked that way too – tired, crumpled, and a little on edge.
But not Gia. She was wearing a pair of skin tight, skinny jeans with a sheer, black blouse, and a grey - almost silvery coloured - blazer, that looked like it had been tailored to mould and accentuate her every curve.
Her hair was curled with complete perfection and hung over her shoulders, and her makeup, while a little heavy, was also immaculate.
There were no signs of the injuries she had the night before, or of any of the exhaustion and lasting effects that I was still feeling from what happened the night before. She was perfectly stunning in every way, except the angry, bitter glare on her face.
I looked to the kitchen door behind her and saw the wood was split on one of the inlaid panels. When I glanced to the wall, there was a dent in the plaster, where the handle of the door had obviously landed against it.
“Gia!” Terza scolded.
“Sorry,” she sneered as she glanced to Terza, then back to me and Rafe with a bitter smile in place. “Did I interrupt another ‘everyone dote on and adore Cara’ session?”
“You didn’t interrupt anything, Gia, but you did make quite the entrance,” Rafe told her calmly as he returned to his seat, but remained half turned to face our sister. “Would you like to drop the attitude and join us for breakfast?”
“Not a fucking chance,” she scoffed. “I know when I’m not welcome!”
“Gia,” I spoke up. I had to try. “Of course you’re welcome. We’re all worried about you after last night. Please just come and sit with us. We can talk about whatever has you so upset.”
For several moments she just froze where she stood, arms crossed over her chest as she glared hard at me.
“Okay,” Gia nodded eventually, shocking me. She marched over to the centre island, where we were all seated, and slammed down angrily into the seat beside Rafe.
“Do you want juice, Tesoru…”
Rafe’s polite and kind offer was cut off as Gia sat up straight, glaring right at me and said, “Let’s talk about what’s upsetting me. She’s sat right there.” She pointed a manicured finger at me.
“Don’t start this bullshit again!” Dante growled.
“No, it’s okay,” I said, trying to remain calm, despite my heart racing way too fast already.
I was terrified of what my little sister would throw at me next, but clearly she had something to get off of her chest, and I needed to hear her out if we were ever going to get through this drama.
“Tell me. What have I done that has you feeling this way?”
“You came back!” she snapped as she stared me down with so much loathing and hatred, I felt it radiating from her and straight at me. I honestly wouldn’t have hurt more if she hit me with a car, but I pushed through it and nodded.
“You don’t want me here?” I gulped, fighting to keep my face neutral.
“Cara…” Rafe tried, but I just held a hand out to him not even looking away from Gia.
“No, I don’t. I thought I did, but I was wrong. You just fuck everything up for me. I hate you! You’re not even my sister!” she spat.
“Gia! Don’t talk like that!” Terza tried to step in.
“No, Terza. It’s okay. Let her get it all out,” I interrupted, even though I knew I was just lining myself up for more body blows with every word Gia spoke.
“I never even knew my Mum, and because of you, I never will now. Then you come into my home and you bring all of your trouble with you. You endanger my family – people I grew up with and care about. You get me kidnapped. But that’s not enough, is it?
You have to take everything from me! You take my family!
You make Rafe hate me, and tell him to punish me, when you don’t know a single thing about me!
You’re taking everything from me!” she shrieked hatefully.
“I’m sorry if my being here has made you feel that way,” I said as steadily as I could.
But her anger and her words had hit me hard, and I was beginning to tremble, my resolve slipping as my emotions took blow after blow.
My little sister hated me, and I didn’t know where to even begin repairing it all.
“Stop that!” she yelled as she shot to her feet and rounded Rafe, getting closer to me.
I fought not to flinch or move away, but something about the yelling and the way she moved, reminded me of my Mum coming at me.
It didn’t help that Gia had her father’s eyes, and when she looked at me the way she did in that moment, I felt like the terrorised kid, that Marcello De Santis had shaped me into, all over again.
“Stop being so fucking nice!” She slammed a fist on the counter in front of me viciously, and I found myself swallowing back a wave of instinctual fear.
“It’s fake! Everything about you is so fake!
You don’t care about me or Rafe. You see the nice house and plenty of money.
That’s what you want. That’s why you’re screwing anything with a dick, hoping it will get you closer to us all, just so they can’t throw you out when they see you for what you really are! ”
“What am I really?” I forced myself to ask.
“Scum! A fucking leech! You don’t belong here, and spreading your legs will only fool these idiots for so long!
” She leaned over me and I found myself instantly recoiling, so sure she was going to hit me.
My body told me to defend myself, but I couldn’t.
I wouldn’t hurt Gia, no matter how much she despised me or how much she intimidated me right then.
“You don’t belong here,” she hissed at me, so close I felt her breath across my face.
“Gianna!” Rafe barked, then he stood and wrenched her away from me, pushing her into the seat he just got out of. He was breathing hard and the look on his face earlier was nothing to the anger I saw there now.
“Go on then. Take her side! Tell me how she’s innocent in all of this and I’m being a bitch. Tell me how disappointed you are in me!” Gia hissed at Rafe, almost taunting him.
“I can barely even look at you right now,” Rafe ground out. “How can you say such bullshit to your sister? She’s your blood! She’s done nothing but try to get close to you since she arrived here.”
“That’s crap!” Gia threw back. “The only one’s she’s tried to get close to are you lot, the ones with healthy bank balances!”
“Gia,” I said. I couldn’t hide the tremble in my voice now, but it didn’t matter.
“I never meant to bring trouble with me, and I don’t even know how that happened, but if it has, then I’m sorry for it,” I began.
“And I’m not trying to take anyone from you.
I just wanted to make friends with the people who live here, and yes, maybe I am kind of clingy, but I was on my own for a long time before I came here, and I was relishing the contact I get from everyone.
I didn’t mean to make you feel left out.
I’m not sleeping with anyone. In my whole life I have only ever willingly slept with two guys, and both were a mistake and over fast. I’m not here for money, or sex, or whatever nefarious plan you suspect me of.