silent

18

• AMALIA •

I have my own greenhouse. I have my own greenhouse. I have my own greenhouse.

I have my own greenhouse!

     It's been two hours since my dad and Elijah revealed it to me. I haven't left, not once. Grayson came out and gave me a bottle of water, as well as a hug since he hasn't seen me all day.

But beside from that, I haven't spoken to anybody else. I'm alone in here, which I like.

• LORENZO •

Xander punches the wall, making a massive hole in it. Elijah puts his head in his hands. Masons jaw clenches, and he stares down at his lap, fists balled up at his sides. Grayson looks up at me with wide eyes. Cole's eyes go glassy, but he quickly blinks his tears away and swaps his gaze so he's looking at the wall.

     "Are you fucking kidding me?" Xander shouts.

     "Shh." I urge. "She's upstairs." She should be sleeping. She's had a long day, and she spent a lot of time in her greenhouse, so she's probably tired. I only hope she's asleep already so she didn't hear the sound of Xander's fist flying into the wall and breaking it.

     He turns to me. "I told you. I told you that cunt probably did something, but you didn't listen!"

     How I wish I had. I wanted to trust Amalia—trust that if something did happen, she'd tell me. But she didn't. And I understand why, but I really, really, wish that she would have.

     "I know." I whisper, remorse lacing my tongue.

     Mason gets up and leaves without warning, the door slamming shut behind him. I sigh and lean forwards on my desk.

     "You can't mention it to her." I say, "she'll get upset. She thinks it's her fault."

     Elijah looks up at me, his eyes full of tears. "What?" He asks quietly. "Why would she think that?"

     "I don't know. The twisted fuck put it in her head." I inhale a heavy breath. "He's the reason she doesn't talk. She told me."

Graysons face drops.

     Xander storms out of the room like Mason did, and Cole stands, following his older brothers out. I sigh and lean back in my seat.

• AMALIA •

I wake up in the middle of the night when I hear people racing up the stairs, followed by the sound of doors slamming.

I furrow my eyebrows and slowly climb out of bed, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders as I slide my slippers on. I walk over to the door tiredly, then out into the hallway. I can hear quiet voices coming from downstairs, so that's the way I go. I make my way towards my dads office and knock on the wood of the door.

"Come in!"

I open the door to see my dad, Grayson and Elijah sitting around his desk, a certain sadness in each of their eyes that makes me sad.

My father plasters a smile onto his face. "Hi, baby."

I wave at him, trying to blink the tiredness out of my eyes. His expression softens as I walk over to him. He lifts me onto his lap, and I smile. It's comfy here. Safe.