Within The Families

7: Hand full

"You're not going to do anything," Sandro's firm tone snaps me to reality and back to drowning in his mesmerize emerald orbits.

"I never said I was," I defend myself.

"You were thinking it," he accuses. "Besides, I know you too well," he adds as an afterthought earning an eye roll from me.

"Well if you do, you should also know that I'm not just going to sit on the sideline and watch this mayhem break out," I huff.

Laying a feather like kiss on my forehead, "I know," he whispers rising to his full height and making his way to the other side of his room.

"Good," I mutter, trying to push aside the butterflies his action set free in my stomach.

"And that's why I'm distancing myself from you until all this is dealt with," he informs me solemnly pushing me into instant shock.

"No, you're not," I tell him assertively, now jumping to my own feet.

"Ria, you've already been through a lot this year, this is my mess to deal with," he explains...at least he tries to do so, but I'm not having any of it.

"And that was my mess, but you were there regardless. And I plan on doing the same," I declare.

"Besides, these monsters took my father away from me. This is your mess as much it is mine," I clench my fist as my emotions start to take control of me, and I push back angry tears from rolling down my eyes.

He sighs, landing a furry fueled punch on the punching bag he now has strung back on the ceiling.

"You're being unreasonable," he grunts.

"No, that will be you," I retort.

"You're not trained," he justifies.

"I can take down two trained grown men, by myself in a fight," I counter.

"That's not good enough," he persists.

"Yeah?" I cross my arms across my chest and make my way to stand in front of him. "Then what is?" I raise my brow.

He stops mid-punch and sighs now starting at me blankly. "Fallon is," he replies.

"She has been training since she was eight, just like me and your brothers. I'm not by any means denying the fact that you're capable of defending yourself, because you do a damn fine job at that, but being a part of this is much more than just physical fighting."

He move closer to me, tucking the loose strands of my hair behind my ear, before continuing.

"It's not the physical fighting I'm concerned about, it's the mental games these fuckers play that has me at this position," he explains.

"I can deal with it, with them," I try convincing him. Try being the operative word.

"And I know you will," he replies giving me a spark of hope. "Some years into training and you will," he adds dousing my spark instantaneously, as the small smile that was curving my lips falls.

"Like you people will ever let me in, much less train," I scoff turning on my heels to face away from him in anger.

"Ria..." He trails off when I shrug his hand off my shoulder.

Silence takes over the room as tension imbues the air.

"Compromise with me?" He offers, breaking the silence, wrapping his arms around my shoulders he turns me to face him.

"What kind of compromise?" I inquire hating the fact that I'm mad at him.

"We can come up with one together," he suggests and I tentatively nod and let him guide us back to his bed where we sit facing each other.