Forever, Amore

16.

Monroe's P.O.V

The doctor came later that night and gave me some strong painkillers to take for a while and ordered that I don't do any strenuous activities, which of course earned a cocky retort from Leo.

"No promises with that one, Doc. Have you seen her?"

No matter how much he annoyed me, he was the one who treated me like I was the most beautiful girl in the world. He made me feel like I was invincible.

We were now laid in bed, the morphine kicking in. I started giggling at him out of nowhere, earning a confused look from him. "You're cute.." I booped his nose, making him scoff. "Baby, I much prefer sexy or handsome or irresistible. Cute is what you call a puppy, not the leader of a Mafia."

The medication had clearly sent me a bit delirious which the doctor did warn would happen the first few times I took it. "But guess what?" I whispered to him, making him cock an eyebrow at me. "Youre my puppy. You act tough because that is your job. But I know you. You're soft. You cry at The Notebook. You shout at romance movies when people are oblivious to love. You made me pancakes every morning since we were seventeen because of a comment I made one day about my love for them. That's Leo Valentino. Not the heartless persona you create."

He kissed the top of my head, pulling me into his chest more. "You tell anyone I cry at The Notebook and id have to kill you." He whispered, laughing. "Now get some rest, amore."

I grabbed his arm as he was starting to get up. "You leave me alone and I'd have to kill you." I mocked him as he came back down, cuddling into me. "Okay, amore. I'll stay."

I woke up the next morning to an empty spot where Leo was laid last night. Wincing, I pushed myself off the bed and threw on his jumper he gave me the other day before heading downstairs. As I approached the living room, I heard hushed voices - something there was a lot of in this house lately.

Contemplating whether I should listen or not, my ears pricked up when I heard Leo's voice. "I refuse to do that, father! There's no way she's coming. And that's final!"

I heard Gio sigh. "I know son. I don't want her to come either. But I don't think we have a choice. You know as well as I do that she would kill us all if she found out we were going to England without her. Especially if we're going to see James."

That's what made me walk in. The sound of his name. The name is grown to despise since I was a child.

I glared at Leo before retorting, making it clear that I heard. "You're going to see my brother!?"

Nine years ago
Three days after Monroe's moms death...

I was sat in my room with Leo in silence. We'd not left this spot in the past few days apart from to go to the bathroom. He stayed by my side, he slept here, he made sure I was eating. It was honestly what I needed. Without Leo, I don't think I would've made it through this by myself.

But today, the silence in the house was broken by my fathers yells.

"Where are you going!? You can't leave your sister alone!"

Me and Leo got up and headed downstairs to see what was going on. At the front door stood James with suitcases, clearly not knowing we were stood there listening. "Roe can look after herself, it's not like she's been here for any of us since mom died! And I'm 20, dad. So if I want to move to London, I'm going to go whether you like it or not!"

I stood frozen, full of shock. He was going to the other side of the world?

"You're leaving!?" I mustered up the courage to yell at him, capturing his attention. "You're seriously going to leave me here right now?"

But he didn't say anything. No goodbye. No apology. Nothing. Instead, he picked up his bags and walked out the house. And he moved to London, never even sending a text. I got nothing for my birthdays. Nothing when I graduated.

He didn't make contact at all.

"Why the fuck do you need his help!?"

Leo sighed and sat down. "Something your father said. Turns out the Germans aren't just using you as leverage for me, amore. Your dear brother pissed them off and now they're looking for revenge."

I simply rolled my eyes and sat down. Honestly nothing shocked me anymore. After this past month, you could tell me my mother was alive and I don't think it would shock me.

"When do we leave then?" I stated, looking at them both seriously.