Italian Psycho

Part 5) Violently Beautiful

Aurora

I walk into the room quickly knowing I was late. Pulling my chair out I sit next to my brother. I run my fingers in my hair a couple times to try and flatten it. Fixing my dress, I spot the one my brother calls his soon to be wife.

"So nice of you to join us." My brother says picking up his glass of wine and waving it around.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." I say with a sarcastic smile.

"I assume it was business you were taking care of right?" He looked at me with a grin.

"Not as much as you." I say returning the grin. "So tell me about yourself Ms.Russo."  I try changing the subject for now.

She looked at me for a brief moment then back down at her food. "Why should I?"

I was a stunned at first. I blinked what felt like a million years. She earned a good stare from my brother and everyone at the table got quiet.

"Last time I checked this is my house and you are just a guest here." I say and feel my face began to get warm. "Now like I tell Romeo, I don't like asking twice."

She looked at me for a minute. What I assume choosing her options carefully. "Where do you want me to begin?" She asked, defeat in her voice.

"Anywhere." I say finishing my drink in one swig. She talked for a little until the desert came out.

After that I sat in my chair deciding if I liked her or not. She was pretty but, you could tell she was insecure. Flaws are something my brother hated.

Finally when we finished eating we went to the another ballroom. They had slow music going and or d'oeuvres being carried around the room. I began to talk to people. Which was part of my job and all. Somehow I was slow dancing.  Ending up with my brother, we talked for a little bit.

"Look Roar," He pauses debating if he should use the nickname he's given me since we were two. "I need you to be on board with this wedding. You don't have to like her or trust her. But at least for the family. Combing the families will make us unstoppable." He says then spins me.

"Isn't that what you've always wanted though. The power, money, and endless supply of everything." I say looking around to see if anything seemed out of place to me.

He laughed a chuckle. Which made me relax a little. "You know mom and dad are only doing this for our own good." He takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Honestly I'm glad you came. I feel like mom and dad are pushing me into this room with no escape. It's like everything we've trained to hate just walked into our lives." He says staring at something on the ground.

"You're not the only one Romeo. At least you inherit the family business and wealth. What am I going to do? Work for my older brother my whole life?" I asked. Seeing the water form in my eye made me close them. I rest my head on his shoulder.

"On the other hand how's my big brother feel about getting married?"

"Well it's. . .it's nerve wracking." I could tell by his tone he meant it. "Being tied down to one girl who barely knows me or anything about our families ways." He stopped dead in his tracks and pulled me close.

"Twelve a clock."

He spins me a again so I can see what he ment. I gasped and almost fell.

"Is that who I think it is?" I ask in a whisper back. He just nodded.

"Thought dad killed him along time ago." I still whisper scared he might hear me.

"Yeah well he's still walking from what I can see." He says in a low voice. My whole body tensed and sat on guard from the memories. "He's walking this way. Get ready."

"Hello grandfather." we both say in unison.
He just looks at Romeo for a second. Then stares me down. "Where's your fiancé?" He asked to Romeo. Romeo took a step closer to me and began to speak.

(Flashback. Age 5)

I can't move and facing Romeo. Both tied down to a chair. Arms. Legs. Lungs. Everything hurt to move. I see the blood drip from Romeo's chair. Hes slumped over so I can't see his face.

I look around the room. Black. No windows. Nothing but the chairs Romeo and I were tied to. Grandpa walks through the door with the bamboo stick he had earlier. Blood still covered it.

"Now once more where do you live?" He asked in a calm voice.

I didn't respond, earning another wack to the upper thigh.
"Last time where do you live?" He asked walking around the room.

I still didn't respond scared of what he'd do. This time he hits Romeo. I wince at the sound.  He hits him again.

"Stop. . ." I say looking at him. "Just stop."
Was all I could say.

(Present)

"No." I hear Romeo say in anger. His grip on my arm was hard. It began to hurt. When he loosened his grip. I could tell he was more scared than anything. Knowing what he did to us as kids was a hard pain.

"Well I'd like to see my son then." He says turning on his heels.

"Fine." I answer to let Romeo know I was out of my trans.

We began to walk in my dad's direction. I follow my brother walking through the crowd. No one notices our fast and steady movements. Romeo gave me a look of concern.

"Roar, he won't hurt you." He says in a whisper I could only hear.

I just nod.

"Trust me." He says trying to reassure me. I just nod again. I knew he was as scared as I was.

I slip off Romeo's side in look for Cecilia. Knowing grandfathers here means trouble. I know Romeo, Dad and Nonno went to talk business. I walk around a few more minutes before spotting her. I walk over to where she was standing.

(Grandfather)

"Ahh, hello Ms.Moretti." I say sticking my hand out. "Hope I'm not intruding on the conversation." I say with a light smile.

"Not at all!" She says with a big smile.

Ms.Moretti was a family friend that everyone loved. As in she owned the every liquor store in town and paid us very well in taxes.

"May I speak to Cecilia for a moment?" I ask.
"Go for it unno." She says pushing Cecilia a little by the arm.

Cecilia began to ask questions. Which caused me to get a little angry. When we got out of ear shot I began to answer some of them.

"Are you going to kill me? If so, why now? Hey! Answer my question!" She said sounding like a little girl.

"Listen. If I was going to kill you, Romeo would have told me to do it hours ago. Now don't tempt me." I say pausing for a moment. "Now we have to hurry. That's if you'd like to live." I say and began walking fast again.