Chapter 17 Charlie #2
“I am,” Luciano says. “She needs a shower, and only I get to see her naked. You make sure Pietro’s got dinner ready for seven.”
Mattia smiles. “I’ll get our favorite snacks for movie night as well.” He looks me over once more before turning towards the kitchen.
“You know I’m right here,” I say defiantly to them both.
“You remind us daily, Principessa.” Luciano swoops me up bridal style. “Shower time,” he says, carrying me up the stairs two at a time.
I drape my arms around his neck, hoping for a bit of emotion from him. “Will you join me?”
“We’ll never make it down for dinner if I do.”
“I can think of something else you could eat for dinner…” I kiss along his neck as he walks down our end of the hallway.
He drops in the middle of my bathroom. “Get in,” he grumbles, leaning against the vanity.
He pulls out his phone, making a point that he isn’t going to join me.
Every now and then I catch him looking at me while I lather my body, and I purposely rub my hands slowly along my body, pausing just to see his reaction.
The grumbles coming from his throat tell me he regrets his decision but doesn’t want to give in.
I let out a chuckle and throw my head back under the water.
Dinner is weirdly quiet. Has everyone forgotten how to act around me?
Yes, I killed a man today, but in their world that’s not a big deal, so why are they acting so weird?
When I can’t take it anymore, I slam my hands on the dining table, making everything rattle.
“What’s up with you all tonight?” I yell at them.
“What do you mean?” Gabriele asks innocently.
“This!” I wave my fork around in the air.
“You’re usually glued to your tablet, but tonight it has vanished, poof,” I say while making a vanishing remark with my fingers.
I then turn to Mattia. “Mattia! Stop staring at me like I’m a fragile doll.
Can you be immature and say something stupid?
” Then to Carlo. “Carlo, stop smiling at me, it’s freakishly weird.
And don’t get me started with you, Stefano! ”
“Is it happening?” Gabriele whispers, leaning closer to Stefano.
“Is what happening?” I snap back at him, scraping my chair along the floor. I lean across the table in predator mode, my steak knife in my hand ready to attack.
Stefano shakes his head. “No, questo è solo un capriccio.” No, this is just a tantrum.
“I am not having a tantrum!” I launch myself across the table at Stefano.
“Oh shit. Fifty dollars on Charlie to win,” I hear Mattia laugh, his hand slapping the table as Luciano grabs me around the waist.
My hand is so close to Stefano. If only I could stretch a little closer… The knife is only millimeters away from his face. Stefano snickers. He’s definitely my least favorite brother.
“What is your problem?” I yell at him, picking up the bread rolls off the table and throwing them at him. Luciano pulls me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me to stop my attacks.
“Calm down,” he whispers, which only fuels my anger.
“Voi.” You. Stefano stands up and marches out the room.
“Let me go, Luciano,” I say. “Let me at him.” I stomp my foot onto his, trying to do anything to wrestle free from his grip.
“Calm down, Principessa,” he whispers again in my ear. His arms loosen around me but never leave my body.
I look over at the other brothers to find them smirking at me. “Anyone else have something to say?” I ask. They just shake their heads and return to normal, like this is just a usual family dinner.
We slowly make our way into the media room for family movie night.
It’s such a strange thing to see: five grown men having a movie night ritual every week.
The brothers grab the front-row seats, while Luciano and I take the two-seater recliner in the back.
I watch them argue over which movie we’re going to watch.
Who knew grown men would throw hands over a movie?
Carlo won—unsurprisingly, since he’s the strongest of the brothers—and chose a Fast and Furious marathon for tonight.
Luciano pulls me in closer to him as the opening titles begin.
I cuddle into his side, feeling safe and warm.
The longer we sit here together, the more Luciano begins to relax into the couch, and I drape my legs over him.
His hand moves to rest on my ass, pulling the bottom of my shorts up slightly to expose my skin, where he starts tracing patterns with his fingers.
I wonder if it could feel like this every day; his Don mode switched off and now just a regular man beside me.
My eyes start to droop halfway through the second movie. My breathing grows heavy, darkness surrounds me. “No, please stop,” I yell out. I try to reach for anything desperately, something to fight them off me. Fabric, I feel fabric, but I still can’t see. I scream.
“Charlotte!” I hear Luciano’s voice radiating in my head. “I’ve got you. Wake up.”
My eyes burst open. “What happened?” I whisper. I’m now sitting on Luciano’s lap, his big arms cradling me and rubbing my back soothingly. I look around the room and all the brothers are on their feet staring at me, unsure what they should do.
“You had a nightmare. You were screaming in your sleep,” Luciano says gently.
I burst out crying. “I killed someone,” I sob, my cries becoming harder as my emotions flood out of me.
“Fuck,” Carlo mutters under his breath. I can hear someone pacing the room.
“Luciano. Do something,” Mattia urges.
I bury my face into Luciano’s chest, not wanting the brothers to see me ugly crying.
“Sit down, Mattia,” Luciano says. “She just needs to cry it out.”
“How long?” I hear Gabriele ask.
“As long as it takes.” Luciano pulls me closer into him, his familiar scent reminding me where I am.
I am safe, I repeat. I am safe. I try to control my breathing.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Mattia says.
One by one, the brothers grunt their concern and settle in, half-watching the movie, half-watching me—except for Stefano who is now nowhere to be seen.
“I’m here, Principessa,” Luciano whispers, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. He never leaves my side while I cry. When I finally stop, he says, “After today, no more tears. Every person we kill deserved their fate.” He picks me up and carries me to bed.