Pretty Girl

Chapter 15

Hi guys, I am so sorry that it has been a little while since I last wrote. My family has been going through a ton and I am still recovering from surgery. I have a new chapter for you and I will be posting again the next chapter this weekend! I hope you have a beautiful and happy day and that you all are doing well. Oh! And the song that I think goes well with this chapter is called--Roslyn by St. Vincent & Bon Iver. Don't worry...Soon, we are getting to the reallyyy good stuff ;) I love you guys, always. -Hannah

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CHAPTER 15: Marcello watched as Sydney slept, her face soft and serene, a harsh dichotomy to the complete and utter heartache and guilt that had colored her face before sleep had claimed her.

He was glad that she fell asleep, though.

She was going through so much, he thought she deserved the tranquility of the oblivion that waited for her there.

Despite fighting himself, he finally gave in and let his fingers wander over to where her hand rested a top on an old and dusty briefcase she held tightly, even in sleep, as though it held all the answers to the questions she wanted. His fingers met her small, but long and beautiful dainty fingers and he ran his finger up along the bridge of hers.

He could not help but allow himself this one indulgence when it came to her at that moment. He curled his pointer finger around her tiny pinky and ran his thumb along the soft skin of the back of her hand.

Fire and electricity lit inside his veins, warmth bloomed in his chest and abdomen and his head became dizzy with delight.

He knew that he shouldn't.

He knew that he would remove his touch from her finger long before she woke, but he simply could not help himself. He was a measly moth compared to her bright, beautiful fiery light.

He couldn't help but circle her light, bathe in the heat it gave him, blinding him in the most beautiful way. He had told Stacy that he had to go out of town on business and he didn't know when he would be back.

To say that she was pissed, was an understatement. Even over the phone, he could practically hear the steam whistling from her ears and the unattractive shade of red her face turned whenever she was angry and didn't get what she wanted, but he simply could not make himself care. He listened to her scream and yell and call him names before he calmly told her that he would speak to her soon then hung up.

He silenced the calls that came after that.

When they finally were driving up the long winding hill road that led to the beach house, Marcello finally, regretfully, pulled his finger away from Sydney's. She sighed in her sleep, as though disappointed at the loss of contact. He couldn't help but smile. That smile soon faded, though, as he stared at the house looming above them.

The memories that rushed at him were hard, fast and unrelenting. He remembered it so well, all the memories being so vivid, because it was the place where he realized he was completely and utterly in love with Sydney.

It was also where he broke her heart and in return, broke his own.

Antony reached back to gently caress Sydney's knee to rouse her from her sleep. Marcello grit his teeth, remembering what the conversation he had with his brother.

They both wanted her.

Marcello knew he wanted her, but he didn't know what was keeping him from expressing his feelings or why he was hesitant to...was it that he was scared of rejection? No, he told himself with an internal scoff.

That was silly.

He was Marcello Amaro. He didn't deal with rejection, he did the rejecting...yet, with Sydney it was different. She was an enigma to him. He could see the want and the desire that she had in her eyes for him, yet she fought it just as hard as he fought his attraction for her and that...well, that said something. He was also worried about what his sister's reaction would be. He knew that Alice worried constantly about everyone when they fought and about their relationships changing in ways that couldn't ever be mended. He couldn't bear to hurt her, but could he live with himself if he didn't take his chance at Sydney? Or what if he was too late?