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Ayra stirred in her sleep when she felt someone softly caressing her head. The touch was so gentle that she almost went back to her dreamland. She turned towards the warmth and snuggled more into the hard chest. A satisfied sigh was heard when strong arms held her tightly, coconning her. She froze, feeling someone besides her, a hard chest - a man’s chest. She quickly opened her eyes and scrambled back, eyes widened. When her vision cleared, her brown eyes instantly connected with intense sapphire blue eyes that she has always loved. The eyes which held love, admiration and longing in them.

“Luca?” mumbled Ayra confusedly. Damon nodded, his eyes full of amusement, “Yes love”. Ayra crinkled her eyebrows and slowly her memories of yesterday came causing her cheeks to get flushed. She was embarrassed about yesterday. A chuckle echoed in the room causing her to look towards the reason of the voice. Damon was looking at her in amusement, seeing her all confused and flushed. He wanted to pinch them or better yet eat them. Damon quickly shaked his head, quickly dismissing these thoughts. His Amore was not ready yet. He just got her, he won’t scare her away.

“Are you feeling better sweetheart?”
Ayra blushed hearing the endearment and nodded, “Yes I had a good sleep after a long time.” Damon smiled and said, “I’m glad. How do your ribs feel? Still in pain?” Ayra shaked her head and replied, “No they are much better, just a slight ache.” Damon nodded and stood up saying, “Get fresh, let’s feed your cute little belly”. Ayra felt so carefree this morning that she wanted to try throwing some tantrums like she used to with Luca. She again laid down on the bed and closed her eyes mumbling, “I’m sleepy, let me sleep for five more minutes please.” 

Damon’s smile widened, he felt happy and why won’t he. His baby was slowly yet gradually coming back to herself. She felt comfortable around him and that was the biggest achievement for him uptill now. Damon crossed his arms and cooed, “My baby is still sleepy but what about breakfast. I was thinking of making cheese omelette with garlic bread, some bread rolls and coffee. You don’t want to eat?”

Hearing the dishes, Ayra instantly opened her eyes and sat up with a big smile on her face “Cheese omelette? Bread rolls? These are my favourites. How did you know?” Damon chuckled and looked at her with loving eyes. Ayra inaudibly gasped and whispered, “You still remember?”. He nodded saying, “How can I ever forget what my baby likes or dislikes?”. Ayra’s vision got blurry with tears but she controlled them and stood up to walk towards the bathroom where Damon pointed.

Damon walked out brushing his hairs away with his fingers when he stilled. Aiden, Zander, Blake and Melanie were sitting on the sofa watching him with mouth agape. “What?” he barked out. Zander cleared his throat and spoke, “It’s been a long time we’ve seen you this carefree early morning and your hairs look like you’ve slept for a good time which is impossible since you have insomnia”. Damon raised his eyebrows and retorted, “So?”. Aiden spoke out, “Unless you actually got some sleep because your eyes look well rested”.

Damon walked towards the kitchen and started working on preparing food for his love. Blake gasped out loud, “Who are you and what have you done to our Damon?”. Damon gave him his famous blank stare and said, “Can you keep quiet so I can focus on making food for my Amore?”. Hearing this, all four of them huddled towards the kitchen with widened eyes and Zander said, “You never cook food!”. Damon shrugged his shoulders and replied, “Ayra is hungry, she needs food in her belly and I don’t trust the hotel to give her good food.” Mels awed at this and said, “Okay! I accept you as my brother in law”. At this all four guys looked at her with raised eyes and Zander scoffed, “You really think he needs your approval to get married to Bella? Delusional woman.” 

Mels gasped out loud and said, “Of course he needs my approval. I’m Ayra’s best friend and she always listens to me.” Just then Ayra walked out with big bambi eyes and the sight in front of her melted her heart. Her five most important people were standing in the kitchen and all of them greeted her with big cheshire smiles. She padded towards them and hugged everyone taking them by surprise. She felt so happy and overwhelmed that when at last she went to hug Damon, a tear slipped from her eye causing Damon to wipe her tear away using his thumb and he caressed her back softly. After what felt like minutes but in fact were only a few seconds, she pulled away and saw that everyone had smiles on their faces. Aiden came forward and said, “How’s your ribs Ri?”. She nodded and replied, “They’re better, just a bit sore”. He nodded saying, “Good that means they are healing.” 

Blake started on making coffee and asked, “Ri! How do you take your coffee?”. Ayra replied saying, “Strong with 1 teaspoon of sugar and lots of ice please.” Blake shaked his head in amusement and said, “Ice? In the morning? You haven;t changed at all huh. You just wanted icy and cold things all the time”. Ayra shyly said, “It’s not like that. It’s just been a while since I’ve had cold coffee so I’m craving it today”. Zander patted her head and said, “No worries bella. Eat whatever you want to eat. Drink whatever you want to drink.” She happily nodded and went towards Damon. “Do you need any help?” Damon smiled and shaked his head saying, “No Amore, I have it covered. Why don’t you catch up with Melanie. She looks like she’s about to bolt from here.” Ayra laughed and nodded, “Yeah I think I should go calm her down a bit. You guys are intimidating.” Damon playfully nudged her shoulder with his and said, “Hey I’m offended. I’m not intimidating am i?” She chuckled , “Not to me but Mels don’t know you. She only knows about how the mafia is all scary and dangerous. She doesn’t know this side of yours” 

Damon said, “And only you will get to know this side and no one else.” Ayra blushed hearing this and rushed towards Melanie ignoring the chuckle that rang out from the kitchen. When she sat, Mels instantly hugged her and asked, “Are you alright Ayra?” Ayra nodded and started massaging Mels hair giving her comfort. “They are good people Ri, they are so concerned about you that I’m finally relieved to think that you’ll be safe and protected because no matter what, these people will always protect you.” Ayra gulped her emotions and whispered, “I lost so many years with them and didn’t even try to contact them based on a lie that was fed to me. How can I be so dumb?” Mels shaked her head and firmly said, “No, don’t you dare blame yourself for the lies and horrors that witch put you through. I swear the next time I see her, I will personally choke her with my bare hands.” Ayra smiled listening to her best friend and just then they were called to eat breakfast at the dining table.

Damon, like a gentleman he is, slided the chair out for Ayra to sit and adjusted it afterwards. He served her a good quantity of omelette and bread rolls despite her protest and Blake served her coffee. Zander kept a glass of water patted her head while Aiden kept a painkiller for her to eat after breakfast. Ayra’s inside warmed and she felt giddy seeing this princess treatment. She took the first bite and instantly moaned at the heavenly taste. Her eyes widened and she spoke out unintentionally, “This is so good. I am having such good and real food after like seven years.” The four guys stilled on their places, their utensils frozen midway.

“What do you mean?”, Zander questioned in a cold voice causing Ayra and Melanie to look up from their plates. Ayra squirmed at her place realising what she had said. Mels also realising the same, looked towards Ayra expectantly but when she remained silent, Mels spoke in a firm voice, “She means Ella doesn’t give her food and intentionally starve her for two days straight without any pity.” Ayra gasped and looked at Mels in an accusing manner when Damon interrupted her glaring. 

“And why are you hiding this all sweetheart? Is she threatening you with something?” Damon asked in a firm yet gentle manner. His fists were clenched and jaw ticked hearing all the abuse his little love went through. He was blaming himself. Ayra looked down her lap and spoke in a meek voice, “She’s not threatening me. It’s just I need to find some answers”. The four men scrunched their eyebrows and asked, “What answers?”. She shaked her head and said, “I can’t tell you that now. Please give me some time, I’m not ready”. Zander nodded and very calmly said, “You can take all the time in the world Bella, there’s no rush okay.”

Blake said in a concerned tone, “But you do know we are going to punish Ella and all the people who hurt or wronged you right?” Ayra nodded, “I won’t stop you all on this.” Then Damon gently asked, “When are you ready to go home Amore? All the preparations have been made. We just need your word. Your dad and uncles don’t know we found you. It would be a surprise for them. Whenever you’re ready baby”. Ayra looked at him and whispered, “Home”. He nodded and repeated in the softest voice, “Home sweetheart, Home”. She gulped and played with her fingers for a minute, deep in thought. All the guys held their breaths waiting for the answer as if their life depended upon the answer and frankly it did. Ayra looked into those sapphire eyes with determination and answered, “Take me Home Luca. Take me Home.”