We Were Villains

29

Reminder:
Abel - Angelo's bodyguard
Christian - Alessia's bodyguard
Rafe - Alessia's 2nd bodyguard

Luca

I watched my sister get ready for the party and I felt a wave of anxiousness wash over me. I think we - my brothers and I - felt it all the time now that Alessia lived with us. We were protective over her and I could especially see it in Mattia and Angelo.

She looked just like Angelo. I hadn't expected her to look like my oldest brother, but they had the same eyes. Mattia had been skeptical in the beginning, unsure that she should live in a world where monsters were in her blood.

And yet, he had become more protective than Angelo. Not that Angelo didn't care. He would do anything for his family, especially Alessia.

I stood from her bed, tripping over her books. "Let me do your hair," I said, tucking my phone into my jeans pocket, stopping behind her. "I'm going to braid it, is that okay?"

"Can you do a crown?"

"Sure thing," I said and took the brush from her. I quickly did her braid. "Promise me that if anyone picks on you tonight, you'll tell Christian right away."

It took everything within me not to go with him.

As I weaved her hair into a delicate crown, Alessia's reflection in the mirror seemed to soften, the anxiety in her eyes easing at the touch of familiarity. "I promise," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.

I finished the braid, securing it with a gentle twist before meeting her gaze in the mirror. "You look like a princess," I said with a smile, hoping to bolster her confidence for the evening ahead. Little did she know.

She offered a tentative smile in return, her fingers tracing the woven pattern of the braid. "Thanks, Luca," she murmured softly, a flicker of gratitude shining in her eyes.

As she turned to leave, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease gnawing at my insides. "Be safe," I called after her, the words heavy with unspoken worry. I'd have grey hair before I was thirty. I followed her from her room and into the hallway, heading in the direction of my bedroom. I reached for my phone and texted Enzo, wondering if he was ready to get the delivery.

"Pick me up at my apartment," he said and hung up.

"Jerk."

"Who are you calling a jerk?"

Julian walked down the hallway, an eyebrow raised. I sighed. "Enzo. He's rude."

"Tell me about it. I asked him if he wanted to come to dinner tomorrow night and he said "hard pass."

I chuckled. "What are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be in Athens right now?"

He shrugged. "I took care of business early. I just got in. Where's Angelo?"

"Probably telling Alessia to have fun and be good."

"Ah, right. I hear it's been quite the week."

"I'm surprised Angelo didn't do anything to the kids father as retaliation."

"Who's his father?"

I gritted my teeth. "Terrence Alcaraz."

"That family is a bunch of slimy bastards," he mumbled, shaking his head. "Didn't his wife die three years ago?"