Chapter 8
VALENTINA
The house was empty. I knew my brothers would be out all night working, but Z had already sent me a million texts trying to push for more details as to why Namazzi wouldn’t be able to attend work for the foreseeable future, assuring me that he would sort it out.
As we entered, Sunshine marveled at the modern interior.
Each of us had our own level and only shared the common spaces, but even those were large enough to provide us with ample space when needed.
I could feel her skin crawl with discomfort at how different her apartment had been in comparison.
It was the same look she had when she’d seen my car.
She knew I was well off, but it wasn’t until she took in the large marble countertops, high ceilings and luxurious furniture that she understood just how wealthy I was.
She quickly crashed after a warm bath and a glass of wine.
She looked breathtaking on my four-poster bed.
My room was nothing but black-stained wood, emerald-green velvet, and gothic décor, and amidst it all, she was a beacon of light, my little ray of sunshine.
My brothers had laughed when I decorated it assuming I would opt for colour given my penchant for artistry.
After looking at vivid colours all day, I liked the solitude and calm deeper and darker colours brought. It allowed my brain to switch off.
At some point, I dozed off, and when I awoke, my girl was trembling in her sleep as the early morning sun streamed through the gaps in the curtains.
She was having a fitful nightmare. Slowly I coaxed her out of it, stroking her hair to rouse her until her bleary eyes locked on mine.
She was confused for a moment but then, as she took me in, her signature smile returned before she winced in pain, the cut on her lip cracking open once again.
I licked up the drop of blood as it pooled on her lips.
‘Sunshine,’ I breathed against her ear. Her body shuddered in response. She pulled herself up, wanting to crawl into my lap, to be held. I let her.
‘I didn’t get a chance to tell you last night but I live with my brothers.
Now don’t panic—they know you’re here, but I didn’t say anything.
That’s your story to tell. You won’t see them, though, unless you want to join us for meals.
We each have our own level in this building.
But… I want to know how you would like me to introduce you.
I know what you are to me but I don’t know what I am to you.
’ Her cheeks flushed as her eyes darted away.
Barely above a whisper she asked, ‘What am I to you?’
Without hesitation, the word fell from my lips. ‘Everything.’ Nodding, she took in the word, letting it settle into her bones.
She pulled my face to hers, placing a chaste kiss on my lips, branding me with her piercing eyes.
They were the most alive I had seen them since I found her on the floor of her shower, looking at me with a certainty that I had never seen in her before.
It was as if she had finally made an irrevocable decision.
‘Everything,’ she breathed.
After that we held each other in bed, watching the rest of the sunrise.
We spoke about our dreams while whispering sweet nothings to one another.
Not ready to talk about anything real yet.
We wanted to ride out this happy moment where we had claimed one another.
After texting into work to say she wouldn’t be there, not knowing I had already taken that liberty, she agreed to meet my brothers for a lunch.
I messaged the boys to come home and asked Xavier to order in her favourite cuisine—Japanese.
It wasn’t long before lunch. Zane had said he would be a couple of minutes late, so we headed down to set the table and pick out a bottle of wine from the cellar.
She was partial to a deep, robust red like myself, settling on a Malbec.
I had dismissed Evelyn wanting to give my girl as much privacy as I could while she both mentally and physically recovered from yesterday.
As we poured our wine, I prepared to rip the Band Aid off and tell my girl exactly who my family was. She seemed calmer now, but I waited too long. Xavier walked into the kitchen.
‘Food’s set up in the dining room if you two ladies are ready,’ he said. Walking towards her with his arm outstretched, he shook her hand.
‘I’m Xavier, you are?’
‘Namazzi.’
His eyes took in the split of her lips and the cuts on her hands; every other bruise was covered by my favourite track pants and jumper I had given her.
Xavier’s eyes flickered to mine in question, concern etched on his features, but he didn’t probe, instead sweeping her into the dining room as I trailed behind them.
‘Wow, what’s all this? Are we celebrating something?’ she asked, taking a seat beside me as Xavier took the one across from her. He knew Zane was intimidating, to say the least, so he thought it would be best if she wasn’t directly facing him. Too bad he didn’t know they already knew each other.
‘We’re celebrating you, Sunshine. It’s rare that I bring anyone home, so I wanted to do something nice,’ I explained. Her cheeks flushed as she flashed me her winning smile.
‘You shouldn’t have, V. It’s too much.’
Ignoring her, I filled her plate with all of her favourites that we had spoken about during our first date at Guido’s: salmon sashimi, scallops, thinly sliced teriyaki beef and a katsu chicken curry with pickled daikon.
‘So how do you two know each other? Better yet, who are you to each other?’ my brother asked, looking between the two of us.
My girl tensed, fearing the judgement that typically came with her line of work, which she didn’t realise she would never find here.
Leaning into her side, I grabbed her hand under the table and nudged her shoulder.
‘This is my everything,’ I said to my brother, but my eyes never left hers.
‘I suppose I should cancel your engagement then.’ Xavier chuckled as my girl choked on her wine.
‘Xav!’ I scolded. ‘He’s lying, Sunshine. I’m not engaged. It’s a bit more complicated than that.’ Slowly, she swallowed, composing herself as I shot daggers at Xav. I knew what he was doing; he was testing me. Teasing me. Not her.
Before I could explain any further, Zane blew through the door.
Shit. I hadn’t found the time to tell Sunshine, and now she was confronted and cornered.
She stood, shooting out of her chair and backing away.
Zane looked pissed, as though he were on a war path, but that was just his demeanour and partially my fault for not replying to his messages.
He hadn’t even really taken in who our guest was yet.
Her sudden movement drew his attention just before he went to sit down.
I stood, blocking her from his view. I wanted her to feel safe.
Xav was the first to break the tense silence. ‘What am I missing here?’
Sunshine spoke first, but it was directed at Zane. ‘Wh-what are you doing here? Is this because I called in sick?’ She looked petrified.
Turning, I grabbed her by the shoulders. ‘This is on me, Sunshine. I was going to tell you. Zane… he’s my brother.’
‘WHAT?’ she shrieked.
Zane exploded into a fit of laughter. ‘I see you made your decision, sister.’ He smirked and I rolled my eyes at him.
Sunshine pushed out of my arms, taking a step back then looking between us. ‘Y-you’re a De Luca?!’
‘Yes and no. We’re blood. I share their last name but I’m not a “De Luca”,’ I said, making quotation marks with my hands to emphasise the difference.
‘I don’t really have a role in the family businesses.
I might… help from time to time, and these two tried to marry me off to other families to gain some more territory because I wasn’t really seeing anyone until now.
But, that’s not my life, Sunshine. It’s theirs.
However, there are benefits, like being able to castrate the man that did this to you.
So… will you forgive me? I didn’t mean to hide it from you, not really,’ I pleaded, stepping closer into her.
‘This is… a lot to take in,’ she breathed.
Zane spoke then after he seemed to take in what my last comment had meant. ‘Jason’s back?’ he asked.
Xav went to interject, asking who that was.
‘Her ex,’ Zane and I said in unison.
‘She’s going to be staying here from now on. Xav, find him. Zane, end him. Also, Sunshine here will be taking a leave of absence from both roles until this is sorted. But Z, you make sure her jobs are still there when she’s ready, if she wants them.’
‘Wait, wait, wait. You can’t just go deciding these things on your own, V. It’s my life! And what do you mean, “end him”?’
‘You know what I mean; you know our name and what we do. We will make sure this never happens again. I just want to keep you safe, baby girl.’ I soothed her by pulling her into my arms.
Her body was still tense, and she seemed uncertain, but she had claimed me just as much as I had claimed her, and I wasn’t going anywhere. I knew we were in front of my brothers, but I refused to hide any part of my love for her; she carried enough shame. I needed to be proud of her.
‘Let yourself think long enough, and there will be a million reasons not to, but I promise I can give you a million more reasons why we should. Do not let the voices win this one. You deserve safety, you deserve love, you deserve to be happy,’ I whispered into the crook of her neck.
‘You’ve never allowed yourself to freefall into something like this, but here and now you can.
Give in; no more rationalising or overthinking.
Just feel. Let that guide you; guide us.
Sunshine, I’m yours. I don’t know how many more times I can convince you of this.
Let go. Live in the fantasy if you need to until it becomes reality. What do you say?’
Her answer was a searing kiss that had me pulling her into my body until she winced, and then I remembered myself and the two men we stood in front of. Zane looked almost proud. He was a monster in the truest sense of the word, but he had a soft centre buried deep, especially for his little sister.
Xav took us in one more time, acceptance finally settling in.
‘Welcome to the family, Namazzi. Would you like your own room? Perhaps your own level? We can look at remodelling the guest level to suite your tastes, otherwise you can stay with V in her space. As for Jason, it seems Zane already has the information that I’ll need to start my investigation, seeing as he’s tried to deal with this situation himself before, I’m assuming? ’
‘Just like that? You’re what, exactly? Accepting me? Fighting for me? You don’t care that I’m not good enough for your sister? I have no money—I’m a stripper for Christ’s sake!’ She was stunned.
Z chose to respond then. ‘Just like that. You get involved with one of us, you get all of us. As for who isn’t good enough for whom, it’s V who’s going to have to prove she’s worth you.
I already warned her once. She breaks your heart; I break her legs.
No one, absolutely no one, fucks with my girls, Namazzi—not even my family.
And you don’t need money; we have more than enough.
That’s how it works in this family: everyone owns everything.
As for the stripper comment, really? You won’t find judgement from me for surviving by any means necessary.
V sure as fuck doesn’t care. If anything, it probably works in her favour.
And as for our stoic older brother, if you knew him on a personal level, you would be the one judging him and his sex life.
No one here in this room, no matter the material possessions we have, is in a position to judge you. We wouldn’t even think to—’
Xav interrupted then. ‘It’s true. We couldn’t care less.
Besides, if I’m being honest, I was worried V wouldn’t find someone decent in this lifetime because of us.
Because of who we are, there are only a few who would attempt to claim her, but she always deserved better.
In my line of work, Namazzi, you get good at reading people and I see right through you.
You’re going to be good for her. Besides, I should be thanking you because you see her for who she is—not her name, money or power.
I see the way you look at each other. It’s real.
And you’re not sitting here judging us for what we do and how we use our bodies; is far more sinister. So, we’re good.’