Somber Light | DISCONTINUED

Chapter 9

Amara

I sighed, walking down the stairs with the slight click of my small heels. I hate wearing heels.

I immediately heard some unfamiliar voices. But also a familiar one? And it wasn't my brother.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, all eyes snapped to me. I could see some of my brothers wanting me to change. It wasn't even that fucking revealing and then I looked over and saw him.

Gael.

Standing right there was my best friend who helped me through everything.

My face broke out into a shit eating grin and so did his. "Nice of you to turn up again," I joked, laughing. I got my broken up phone after he left two years ago and it broke me.

Tears welled in our eyes as he opened his arms and I ran into them, wrapping my arms around his torso. He picked me up and began to spin me as I giggled. I giggled.

Dante's voice broke us out of our moment as we still had happy tears pooling in our eyes. "What is going on?" Dante's voice boomed.

Me and Gael looked at each other and began laughing. I don't even know why.

"Amara, sweetie is that you?" Gael's mom, Maria, asked. She was like a second motherly figure to me although she didn't know about the abuse and torture. I never saw his dad until now, though.

She opened her arms and I went into them, hugging her small frame. God, how I missed them. My only family who helped me.

"This is touching but what is going on?" Emiliano asked.

"Gael is my best friend and Maria like a second mother," I said. No, a better mother. 

Then realization set in. Why was a mafia family coming over to my brothers. Yeah, Gael told me about the mafia and honestly, it didn't effect me.

I saw the gears turning in my brother's heads until they told us to come sit. Of course, Gael and I sat right next to each other.

"Why are you here?" He whispered next to me.

"I guess they're my brothers," I said. "Callie and Brett died," I said emotionlessly.

I saw a flash of hurt go over his face by my reaction to them and he took his hand in mine. We were never romantic. I'm fifteen, he's eighteen. He's like an older brother to me.

We met after I had a bad beating and was sitting near a bridge when he came over and saw me in my state and helped me. I was eight, he was eleven. Now here we are.

I saw him tense for a second. "Amara, promise me not to freak out," he said.

"Okay?" I questioned.

"They're the Italian Mafia," he whispered very closely I almost couldn't hear.

Wait- they're what?!

I blinked for a second before groaning. "What did I expect," I muttered.

"How has it been here?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Fine, I guess," I replied.

"How was it after I left?" He asked the dreaded question.

"Bad," I whispered. He brought me into a hug and I just inhaled his earthy scent.

When they started talking in Spanish, I then began to listen. I elbowed Gael and he got the hint I haven't told them about me being fluent in many languages.

"Quindi, la perduta principessa della mafia italiana?" Gael's father, Carlos, said.

(So, the lost Italian Mafia princess?)

"Si," Lorenzo said. "Abbiamo motivo di sospettare che non fosse in una buona casa prima di prenderla."

(Yes) (We have reasons to suspect she wasn't in a good home before we got her.)

"Ah, è un peccato," Carlos said. "Qualche futuro fidanzamento o progetti per lei?"

(Ah, that's too bad) (Any future betrothals or plans for her?)

Those words made my insides churn. Food was then delivered and I just picked around at it. Gael gave my hand a squeeze.

"No, vogliamo che prenda le sue decisioni," Lorenzo said which slightly comforted me. Although, knowing they had the power to do anything with me scared me.

(No, we want her to make her own decisions.)

We all then ate in silence and I was full after not even eating half of my plate. Gael gave me a soft look then his eyes darted to my shoulder. I looked down and saw some of my makeup smudging off and bruises being more apparent.

"I'm full, can I please excuse myself?" I said, trying to be polite. 

Lorenzo gave me a frown. "That's all you're going to eat?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm not hungry," I said.

Lorenzo sighed then nodded. "Go ahead," he said. I hoped his eyes wouldn't see my shoulder.

"I'm going to go with her," Gael said.

"Oh hell you're not," Dante said.

"Yes, he is," I said sternly. I heard Maria chuckle and I just smiled at her although it didn't reach my eyes.

I then grabbed Gael's wrist and dragged him upstairs. "You still have the bracelet," he whispered.

"Mhm," I said, dragging him up the stairs. "So do you," I said, looking down at his wrist.

Once we made it to my room, I closed and locked the door behind me.

"Are you okay?" He asked. I nodded.

He then gulped. "C-Can I see?" I saw he had a hard time asking. He knew how traumatized I was about it and just hid it.

Sighing, I walked to my bathroom and dumped some makeup remover on a cotton pad, beginning to smudge the makeup off. I trusted Gael. Even with my life.

Soon, the bruises appeared and I heard him suck in a breath as he saw my shoulders and some on my legs. I then faced him, tears welling up in my eyes as I wiped the makeup off my neck and face. There was a slightly swollen and bruised nose with a hand print fading on my neck. 

They never liked to hurt me where it would be visible. "I'm going to change," I said, heading to my walk in closet. Gael waited outside.

I changed into sweatpants and oversized sweatshirt. I walked out and saw him staring off into space. "Do you have anymore?" He choked out, refering to my bruises.

I lifted my sweatshirt to under my boobs where it was purple, blue and green all over. I saw a tear escape his eye which caused a tear to escape mine, too. 

"I'm so sorry," he apologized with a sob. "I wasn't there to protect you," he whispered.

"It's not your fault. They're dead now," I whispered back. We headed over to my bed and I laid down next to him on it, resting my head on his chest.

"We need to take you to the doctor," he said.

"Gael," I began. "You know that's not an option," I said.

He sighed. I quickly took the bills out of my bedside table drawer and popped two painkillers in my mouth, swallowing them dry. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we sat like that.

It wasn't a romantic thing. Just a loving manner. I quickly fell asleep into a dreamless rest, laying against him.

A/N

Gael's here! What do you think?

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