𝚂𝙾𝙱𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 𝚆𝙾𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙰𝙲𝙷 𝙺𝙸𝙳𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙳𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 ,, j. b routledge

8| i'll throw a brick through your window, i'm not your home anymore

Chapter Eight

Honey I'm Home (Destroy Boys)

"I'll throw a brick through your window, I'm not your home anymore"

Sleeping next to John B quickly became a source of comfort. Even on the nights where nothing happened, the tall brunette often found himself on my deck in the middle of the night, just to ask if he could lay next to me. Pretty soon, I found it difficult to sleep without him by my side.

Exhausted from a few more rounds of intense sexual activities, we were curled up under the old silk sheets, legs tangled together, his arms around my waist, his breath even and warm on the back of my neck. Everything was calm.

Until the crash of something in the living room woke Vittoria, who had to pound on my locked door until John and I woke up as well.

"Vit, what's going on?" I squinted, trying to open my lidded eyes, John B standing behind me

"I think there's someone downstairs. I head a crash." My sister said

"It's probably just JJ going to the bathroom and knocking over a lamp or something." John B yawned

"I don't think so. It sounded like a window shattering."

"What were you doing up anyways?" I asked, stepping out into the hall

"I was talking to Barry."

"What did I say!"

"He's nice."

"Do you want to go back to jail?"

JJ was sitting up on the sofa, a confused look on his face. When the three of us got to the bottom of the stairs, my mother emerged from her room, Nonna right behind her.

"What's going on?" JJ asked, voice raw and scratchy

"I heard something break." Mom said

"I don't know. Is there a gun or anything in the house?" Vittoria asked frantically as Nonna pointed to a locked drawer on a side table, tossing her the key.

"I always try and keep it close by." She said

"Mom!" My mother hissed at Nonna, obviously unimpressed

"Emanuele isn't here anymore, and it's time I learned to protect myself." Nonna shot back

"Guys, just be quiet. My head is still pounding." JJ sighed, getting up and heading to the patio doors. "Let's just figure this out so I can go to sleep again."

I followed JJ to the old glass doors, aware of a breeze that was definitely not there before. A sense of dread crept into my veins as I heard Vittoria cock the handgun behind me.

"Vittoria Franca Barba, you put that thing down right now!" Mom hissed

"Isabella, it's good that the girl knows to defend herself." Nonna defended

"This is a direct parole violation!"

"Can you guys be quiet?!" I said, interjecting once I'd had enough bickering.

JJ was kneeling next to the window, his hand through a shattered pane. The cool night air was seeping in, the moon bright over the ocean turning the sand a blue-ish hue. It was gorgeous, but now it felt more ominous.

"What could have done that?" John B wondered aloud

"I think I know." I said, looking at the pattern of glass shards on the oriental carpet. I walked slightly backwards, my eyes adjusting to the dark to allow me to look around. Something bright caught my eye.

A single piece of yellow note paper was wrapped around a brick. A brick that had clearly just been thrown through the window.

"What the hell is that?" JJ scoffed

"A brick, you dolt." I said, trying to get the note free of the slab of clay

"I know, but who put it through the window?"

Nonna and mom walked closer towards us while Vit took the gun and ran outside shouting obscenities. I kept ripping at the yellow paper, struggling to get it free of the elastic holding it to the brick. Just as I got it free, my mom rushed over and took it form my hand, the thin paper tearing at her touch. She took the paper and vanished down the hall. As she rushed away, her soft pink robe trailing behind her, I heard my mom say four words.

God damn it, Favio.

"Who's Favio?" JJ whispered into the darkness

"Her father, you idiot." JB said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders to try and help me to my feet.

We sat down next to JJ on the suede couch while Nonna went to go and cosole my obviously somewhat distraught mother.

All of this kerfuffle made me wonder what exactly was written on that yellow slip of paper. It had to have been something big to get my mother, the strongest woman I know, in such a state. And what did my father have to do with any of this? Last I checked, he was straight as an arrow, law abiding and somewhat douchey. Not a criminal. He didn't consort with people who threw bricks through windows to prove points.

Vittoria rushed back into the room, keeling over slightly to catch her breath. She threw the gun down onto a side table. The neckline of her Sublime shirt was soaked in sweat.

"The bastards got away." She breathed, plopping down next to John B. When the blonde's eye caught the brick, she shot up, assuming we had all seen the slip of paper. "What did the note say?"

"We don't know." JJ said "Isabella whisked it away before we had the chance. But she mentioned a Favio."

Vit's face drained of colour. "What?"

I shook my head, John's hand on my shoulder. "Dad had something to do with this."