His Little Flame

Chapter 25: Eli

☽ MAEVE ☾

I stare at Gio as he eats the waffles and bacon one of the maids prepared. Hayat grabs the plate full of bacon off the table and uses a fork to scrape more bacon onto Gio's plate.

"Eat more, habibi," Hayat says, combing the back of his head with her fingers.
(Arabic- My love.)

Gio happily takes the bacon in his bare hand and takes a giant bite. He looks up from his plate and beams the most adorable smile at me.

"Mon coeur va exploser;" I mumble, hiding my flushed face in my hands.
(French- My heart is going to explode.)

Luca pats Gio's head, "Hey buddy, did you know you and Maeve are family?"

He tilts his head at Luca's words, and bacon hangs out of his mouth.

"Your Mamma and Maeve's Papà were brother and sister, do you know what that makes you?" Sabrina adds, sitting in front of Gio.

Gio points to himself, "Gio?"

"Well yes, you are Gio, but that makes you and Maeve cugini," Hayat chuckles.
(Italian- Cousins.)

Gio gasps dramatically, jumping to his feet. He runs around the table and hops onto my lap, "Maebe!"

"Technically, since they were twins you two are genetically siblings," Marcus informs us as he nudges his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Gio giggles to himself, "why are you so weird?" He points at Marcus, who looks very offended right now.

Everyone laughs at Marcus's expression. Alessandra takes the opportunity to kiss his cheek, making his whole face turn a bright red.

"Are you ready for tonight?" I deep voice whispers into my ear from behind, scaring the pee out of me... like actually. I think I might have peed a little.

Why do I keep peeing myself?!!

"Where are you taking me?" I ask Elias after calming down my beating heart.

Elias shrugs, "you'll find out soon."

"Where are you going?!" Gio asks, bouncing on my lap.

Elias flicks Gio's nose lightly, "none of your business, bimbo." He ruffles Gio's head afterward.

Gio pouts as he rubs his nose with his bacon hands, "can I go? Please, please, please?!" He begs.

"Oui—"

"No!" Elias cuts me off. He picks Gio up from my lap and holds him by his underarms, shaking him around, "don't ruin this for me, bimbo."

Gio laughs as Elias continues to shake him around. Elias lowers him to the floor and Gio bolts around the kitchen table, stealing bacon off of Marcus and Luca's plates.

"Hey, that's mine! You dork!" Luca shouts with his spoon hanging out of his mouth.

Gio stops at the threshold of the door and spins on his socked heels, "but it's for Artmiss and Apodo," Gio pouts, giving Luca puppy eyes.