DEAD WOMAN WALKING (THE BLOOD IN MY VEINS #1)

THE FAMILY REUNION III

twenty two. | FAMILY REUNION III

MIA STOOD ON THE OUTSIDE OF the Don's office. The coolness of the wooden door seeped through the thin material of her back, making goosebumps arise. Her hands curled up against the wood. It was deadly silent in the office. No breaking of glass, no throwing a temper tantrum or anything. Just raw, eerie silence. Mia never had siblings, older or younger, so she couldn't really feel what the Don was feeling to the fullest extent, but she knew that the man was overcome with grief. Over the few days she had been in the manor, she had learned a few key things about the Ambrogino. One, he was a control freak. Two, he was unnecessarily, inhumanly rude and arrogant. And finally, three, all the emotions that he didn't show, or rather, refused to show, were present almost exclusively in those stormy orbs of his. Though very faint, Anger, frustration, lust—all of them have a different glint to his eyes. When he had thrown her out of his office, his eyes weren't dark with anger. They weren't storming with frustration.

They were two, swirling pools of sorrow.

It had almost taken her aback by just how much raw distress the man was. The thought of losing his brother again, because of something he had done this time must have done it for him. She didn't know why that threw her off. She had no clue why she gave a damn about how the Don was feeling, despite all of the rude and degrading things he had done and said to her. Maybe it was the good in her heart, trying to see that bright light that shone through the darkness of everybody. She slowly pushed herself off of the door, heading back to her room. She had to remember that there was no light in people like him.

Just inky darkness.

Time was a slug trying to run a mile. The hours ticked by slowly, as if trying to kill her with boredom. The woman let out a deep sigh, getting up to close the curtains to the huge windows. The scarlet sunset rays glided through the transparent nude curtains with ease. Mia shivered as the warm light kissed her bare legs. She didn't know what gave the Don the bright idea to give a her shorts (that didn't even reach her knees) and an oversized tee. The majority of the men in the estate wore suits, so the AC was always on. Yippee, hypothermia.

Haiti eventually walked in, holding the woman's dinner—a bowl of spegetti, water, and a signature fruit bowl.

"Hey, sorry I'm late with this. Things have been crazy around the estate." Mia looked up at the woman as she was handed her tray. Haiti looked genuinely stressed. She was a cheery woman, but her signature smile was long gone. Mia spun some of the noodles around her fork, lifting it to her mouth.

"Really? Why?"

"Everything is going straight to shit." She cursed, making the ex officer's eyebrows raise in confusion. "The Don hadn't left his office in hours and isn't replying to anything we go or say! Everyone's confused, we're all so used to his constant flow of orders." The maid woman vented, raising her slender hands to her scalp. A distressed look formed on her face.

"Everyone's afraid to do anything in case he suddenly makes communication and we do something he won't like–"

"Which is why we try a different approach." Haiti's and Mia's head both snapped to the door, where Adriano stood. Mia yelped upon seeing the tall man leaning against her doorframe. He wasn't alone, with an equally as tall, but considerably older, male stood behind him.

"A-Adriano." Haiti stuttered, her face turning red. Mia looked at the woman and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Did her little maid friend have a crush? Shoot, Mia. Wrong thing to be thinking about. She quickly shook her head before turning to he two men in her doorframe.