Foreign Love

Family Matters Part Two

A kaleidoscope of images ran through my mind; nasty, horrible, blood-filled images. I watched as Massimo collapsed on the floor and died at the hands of William but when I blinked Massimo's face turned into Williams and when I looked down, I saw that my hands were covered in blood and I just realized that I killed William. I just took a life; I was a killer... a murderer.

This revelation made my insides twist and I couldn't help but scream, I screamed as loud as I could. Until I felt someone shake me, I was shaking and from a distance I could hear a voice, a voice that I knew and loved but moreover it was a voice that had a calming effect on me.

The images disappeared when I opened my eyes and were replaced with two concerned, crystal blue eyes.

"It's okay, it was just a dream." Riccardo's soft voice soothed me.

I sat up and threw my arms around him, loving his scent and the comfort I got being near him. He ran his hands through my hair gently and hushed me. "It's okay, it's all over now, I'm here baby."

I held onto him as if my life depended on it for a long time before I pulled away. I didn't look at him, I couldn't. I was ashamed of myself for taking a life and not just any life, but the life of Riccardo's brother, regardless of his evil intentions, the fact remained that they were brothers.

I felt his fingers on the tip of chin and I was forced to meet his blue gaze. "Don't do that." He whispered.

I felt a tear run down my cheek. "I killed him."

More tears escaped my eyes and I buried my face in my palms. "I'm a murderer."

Riccardo pulled my hands away and wiped away my tears. "What you did was self-defense, if you didn't turn around and fight back, he would've killed you."

"I took a life." I murmured.

"No, you saved your own life and for that I am so proud of you Princess. You learnt so much in so little time, you ended something that started way before your time and for that I thank you."

I looked at him from under my lashes. "It's really over?"

Riccardo half-grinned at me. "Yes it is." He leaned over and kissed my forehead. "You ended it."

Riccardo's words made sense, what I did was self-defense, I just saved myself but the feeling of killing someone was still there and even though I knew what I did wasn't really wrong, I knew it would trouble me for some time. He was right though, all of this was over, I was safe, my family was safe and so was Riccardo and his family, apart from Massimo.

The realization that Massimo was dead dawned over and the look in Riccardo's eyes when his father died haunted my thoughts. "I'm so sorry." I whispered.

Riccardo frowned for a moment but it disappeared when he probably realized what I was talking about.

I wrapped my arms around him again, only this time I was comforting him. "I'm so sorry." I whispered.

We sat like that for a long moment before Riccardo pulled away and with his thumb he wiped away a tear that I didn't realize escaped. "No more tears Tiana, I only want to see you smile from now on."

"Yes my father is dead but what's happened has happened and it can't be undone. I have to just accept that in life we lose and gain people, it's just the way nature works."

"Not in your world." I said.

"People die in my world too Tia, not as often as in yours but they do and after the death of my father I've realized that we need to appreciate those we have with us and not take them for granted because a day will come when we will lose them." Riccardo took my hands in his. "When I thought William was going to kill you all I thought about was every bad thing you've been through because of me and I hated myself for it but it also made me realize that from now I am going to treasure every single moment with you and make you happy. Perhaps the death of my father and the possible death of you opened my eyes."