don't lie to me

Chapter XV

It had been a long time since someone told me that and meant it. It felt warm and good, but scary. I had spent so long becoming what I had to be to survive I forgot how it was to be cared for. For the past few years I had had to become independent, strong, and emotionless- and I don't regret that, I truly and genuinely believe that I would not have survived if I hadn't abandoned who I was and adapted to the environment I found myself in, but now I had the opportunity to let someone else be the adult and I could be a teenager. Or you could let them in and everything would fall apart because you trusted someone you shouldn't have. I was scared to give away some of my control- so many things could go right. And so many things could go wrong. The angel and devil on my shoulders couldn't decide what was best, and I was stuck in the middle too.

Stefano brought me out of my thoughts by putting a hand on my shoulder. "You mean so much to us and we've missed you more than you could imagine. We only want for you to be safe from everything, including things that you aren't even concerned about."

"But it's not fair," I looked up- not really at anyone- just to whoever was above, "It's not fair that you won't tell me things or that I have to follow your rules or that I was brought here at all."

"Amalia, your feelings are valid, but this is where you belong. The only thing that shouldn't have happened was us being separated." Stefano squeezed my hand as he spoke, seemingly to comfort me, but maybe he wanted to convince himself I was there and not leaving again, because something about the way his hand felt in mine told me he was scared to let go.

I just nodded, not having the energy to argue. Not that I would really argue with him about that- more that I just wanted this entire conversion to be over so I could be alone with my thoughts and digest everything that had happened today properly.

"Amalia, I want you to realise how hard we are all trying to keep you happy and with us while being safe. We have many enemies in our lives because of our power from the businesses we run, and you being who you are makes you a more likely target than your brothers, which is why we take these precautions. Have you noticed that there aren't many girls at your school?" Leonardo asked rhetorically, but I still nodded. "Many of the students in your study come from families in a similar line of business as ours, and many families choose to either send their daughters away to distant, but trusted family members, send them to boarding school, or homeschool. We, however, prioritized keeping our family together and chose to help you adjust by sending you to school with only extra precautions."

"None of this is to manipulate you or guilt you into liking us or agreeing with what we are doing- it's just things we want for you to know." Gio said, clarifying what Leonardo had said, and Stefano nodded.

"And what about him," Everyone was yet to address the black and blue boy sitting beside me.

"His Father and I are partners and are involved in similar businesses and he had been tasked with keeping you safe, and he failed." His voice was scary and deep and it was clear that the explanation was more directed at Vincenzo than it was to me.

"Why?" From the way Nicholas talked about, it seemed that his dad was more of Leonardo's boss than his partner (not that I could picture Leonardo following anyone else's orders) and if that were the case why would he protect me- and for that matter, I still wasn't following what it was I needed to be protect from. I knew it was their "enemies", but some competition between businesses wouldn't really put me in danger. Right?

"It was an arrangement made between his father and your father before we even had you back, before you were even taken." Gio, Stefano, and Vincent each raised their eyebrows, as though they were surprised at what he said- more like he revealed something they didn't think he should have.