STOLEN || 18+ (Monsters #3)

.77. Uncle

"She had a passionate longing for the garden, the darkness, the pure sky, the stars."

- Anton Chekhov

. . .

Fabiano 

There were too many people here. 

Lights were arranged all around. The whole front yard was glowing with lights of a million colours. Kids ran around, laughing and eating. People talked in Hindi, which meant I could not understand shit. But Leyla talking in Hindi was certainly hot. 

I sat at a round table, dressed in my suit - something which Olivia did not approve of. I didn't have a problem with Indian traditional wear, certainly not when a certain someone looked too beautiful wearing it. 

I watched Leyla laugh with Gabriella and her cousin, who I was told was named Samya. She looked beautiful. Too beautiful. 

Xerxes sat down beside me. He was dressed in a suit, too, like me and his brothers. He looked around his front yard. "Too many strangers."

"Your wife seems to be thriving."

Xerxes looked at Olivia who had just joined Gabriella, Leyla and Samya. Olivia looked beautiful in her golden lehenga. Creeds could barely keep their eyes off her. I couldn't blame them. I was positive I had not looked away from Leyla since she came to the mansion from the guesthouse - looking like a fucking angel. 

She looked over her shoulder, her dark eyes colliding with mine. There was a smile on her face. A kind of smile I had never seen before. I didn't regret taking her away from her father, but I did regret not being good to her. She deserved it. Especially after what had happened to her. She deserved a home she could feel safe in. 

They, her whole family, deserved a home they could feel safe in. Creeds had done a great job at that. Giovanni and I had fucked up. 

Her eyes were taken away from me, settling on Giovanni who was standing with Ashton and Zavier. They were probably again talking about security. 

Leyla walked toward where we were sitting. "My...uncle wants to talk to you, Fabiano."

I looked at the man she was motioning to. "Uncle?"

"Yeah, he's my mother...third brother."

I frowned. "How many siblings?"

"Ten, I believe."

"Kudos to our grandpa, no?" Gabriella walked toward us. While Leyla felt calm, Gabriella felt like a fucking volcano.

Leyla made a face. "Yeah. Whatever. Will you meet him?" She asked me.

I shrugged, standing up. "Of course, Principessa." Anything for her.

She grinned at me. Gabriella walked away and Samya grabbed her, both of them sneaking glances at Luca who was standing stone-faced with Michael Brown and Samuel Creed.

I took Leyla's hand in mine.

We walked to the uncle. He had Leyla's eyes and was as tall as much. His lanky form was covered in a tunic. His eyes were curious and accusing as he took me in. I wondered if killing someone on Diwali would land me in some serious trouble with Leyla and Olivia. Probably.

"Fabiano, this is my uncle Rajvir Bhati. Uncle, this is Fabiano Valentino. My...boyfriend."

Boyfriend?

"Boyfriend?" He asked lightly, shaking my hand. It was a good handshake. "You are the one who has been keeping my niece too occupied to visit me."

"I believe so."

He watched me. "I know you, boy."

"If you did, you wouldn't call me boy."

He smiled. "Leyla, give us a minute."

"Don't order her." I pressed a kiss to Leyla's cheek. "Give us a minute, my love. I promise I'll be nice." She was too tense. It was not like I was going to kill him.

Not here anyway. I'd take him to the greenhouse if I had to.

Leyla searched my eyes. "He's awesome," she whispered to me. "Helped me after mom."

Now I could not kill him.

I nodded. She smiled and walked away, instantly joined by some people. Originally, it was supposed to be a small party. But the guest list had grown somehow and now there were about fifty to seventy people here. Something I knew put Zavier, Xerxes and Ashton on edge.

"I know of your reputation."

I didn't say anything.

He looked at Leyla who was talking to Astrid. "I used to be in the army in India," he told me. "Lost my job because of a very bad knee injury. I came here and stayed with them for just a while. Her mother was alive. I didn't have any family of my own. Leyla would always be there. She was very young back then. She would take care of me. In every way she could - which was not a lot as she was a child. But I knew back then that she was meant for great things. Because kindness like that, like the one she holds in her heart, deserves to be rewarded."

He looked at me. "You are not a reward for kindness, are you?"

I wasn't. I was no reward.

I sipped my drink.

He sighed. "She would have thrived in college. "

"Yes, she would have."

"She should join from next semester. She should send out applications. She has always wanted to be an intellectual."

"If she wants, she will."

He looked surprised at that. "That's good to hear, Mr Valentino."

"I know you care deeply about Leyla," I said. "Tell her what to do one more time and I will injure the other knee. Have a nice evening, Mr Bhati."

I walked away. My eyes fell on Giovanni who was standing with Leyla. I stood behind her, caging her in easily. I kissed the back of her head as Giovanni kissed her lips.

I looked at Leyla's uncle. His eyes had widened with horror. I smirked.

. . .