- 4 1 -

- R O M A N - A N G E L O -

All I see is pain. Her eyes brimmed with tears as they stain her flawless face and her eyes wide, full of disbelief and so much pain as she looks at her brother.

Some brother.

The moment he pulled out the gun and pointed it to her, I was on my feet and behind her as I pulled out my own. If he laid even a finger on her, he would be as good as dead.

"Dead. I see you dead." He says to her and I notice her breath hitch and her step falter and can't help but wonder how she was involved in the death of half her family.

I wrapped my arm around her waist and stood right behind her, my finger on the trigger if he was to make any move, but he seemed unfazed and what I saw next confused me even more.

Familiarity.

Like she'd been through this before. How? And why? I had no fucking idea but I was going to find to find out.

"Put the gun down." I growled at her brother who was looking at her with such coldness it was hard to believe he actually loved her.

"That's all I needed to know. Glad to find out what you think of me." I heard her whisper rather coldly.

"Because I'm done. With everything." She said with finality in her voice and took off the engagement ring off of her finger and threw it on the floor just as I pulled her out of the office.

"I only left for two days. But maybe what we needed was me to leave forever." She spoke looking back at him just as he seemed to realize what he had done, the gun dropping out of his hand and falling on the floor.

His face contorted to one of regret and pain when he looked at her broken state but I didn't let it go any further than that as I pulled her away from the office and took her towards my car with Gabriel and Enzo following behind me.

"Adesso dove?" (Where to now?) Gabriel asked me as I unlocked my car and made Heather sit inside and buckled her seatbelt.

"Andare a casa. Te lo dirò tra un po'." (Go home. I'll tell you in a while.) I told them as I closed the car door and saw them look at Heather with sympathy as they nodded and left.

"Prenditi cura di lei." (Take care of her.) Enzo told me before following Gabriel as I looked at her.

There's no doubt I will.

Sitting in the car, I drove off with one last look at the building and took her hand in mine, which was now very cold for some reason as I stroked her knuckles gently.

"Can you take me home?" She spoke after a while, making me nearly frown.

"Home? You want to go back there?" I asked her in disbelief because I had no idea as to why she'd want to go back there, where her brother would be. The same that pulled his gun on her.

"No I... I have an apartment in the city. I'll stay there for a while." She said quietly, making me nod as she entered the address on the GPS.

"Does anyone know about it?" I asked her after we had driven a good distance.

"No one knows about it except..." She started but then trailed off, making me glance at her briefly when I saw her slight frown and pained expression. She shook her head and glanced out the window.

"No one. No one knows. At least not anymore." She muttered the last part so quietly I wouldn't have heard it if not for the silence in the car and the low hum of the engine in the background.

I hummed in response and continued driving towards the apartment and nearly half an hour later, I stopped at a modern apartment complex.

"Is this the place?" I asked glancing at her and saw her eyes already scanning the area when she hummed in response and unbuckled her seatbelt, getting out of the car. I followed her inside where she greeted the woman at the front desk who did a double take on me before she glanced at Heather again.

"Apartment under-..." Heather started but stopped short as she glanced at me briefly and cleared her throat.

"Anton S.E" She spoke, not sparing me another glance as the woman handed her a set of keys.

Anton?

"This way." She spoke and led me towards the elevators. We stopped on the second floor and I noticed this area seemed more posh than the rest as she walked towards a door at the furthest end and opened it with the keys after entering a code on the keypad.

We entered the apartment and I looked around at the open space that was well furnished with everything she could need.

"Do you have everything? Clothes? Food?" I asked her as I looked at her scanning the area with a sad smile on her face.

"Yeah, I have clothes. I'll need to restock the fridge." She said after placing the keys on a table nearby and sitting down on the couch, closing her eyes.

She looked tired, like she hadn't slept for a while and I couldn't help but walk over to her and sit next to her on the couch as my hand reached out to her face and I pushed her hair behind her ears, my fingers stroking her cheek softly.

Her eyes fluttered open as she took a deep breath before turning to face me, her bright blue eyes swirling with so many emotions when she leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine.

My hand automatically went to the back of her neck and I pulled her towards me even more and kissed her softly as if I was afraid she would break.

She looked like she already was.

Our lips moved as one as her hands settled on my chest and I pulled her into my lap so that she was straddling me and swiped my tongue on her lip, asking for entrance, which she gave willingly as I tasted her mouth and explored her, a groan erupting from me when she tugged at my hair.

I was the first one to break the kiss because I couldn't let it go any further. Not when she was like this at least. Her arms wrapped around my neck as she leaned forward and rested her head on my shoulder, her breath fanning my neck when she placed a small kiss there.

"Thank you." She whispered softly as I rubbed her back.

"For what?" I asked her and heard her take a deep breath.

"Everything." She spoke breathlessly as I placed a kiss on her temple before getting up with her in my arms.

"Bedroom?" I asked her and she pointed towards a hallway.

"Second door to the right." She replied and I carried her there and opened the door. Everything looked spotless, like someone had been living here.

"When was the last time you came here?" I asked her as I placed her on the bed after taking off her shoes and blazer.

"I bought it three years ago and never came back here except staying one night. But that was two years ago." She told me, making me frown.

This place should be covered in dust then.

"Does anyone else come here?" I asked her and saw her eyebrows furrow together.

"Not that I know of, no." She replied shaking her head and I nodded as I placed the covers over her. I turned to leave but she caught my wrist, making me look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Can you stay with me? Please?" She asked softly and I couldn't refuse as I took off my coat and shoes and got in next to her.

It's like I'll do anything she asks of me.

"Thank you." She whispered again, snuggling into my chest as my arms wrapped around her frame and pulled her closer to me, making me sigh in contentment because the next moment, I was out like a light.

* * *

- A L E X A N D E R E L I A S -

Fucked up is one way to put it.

I fucked up in ways more than one and now I regret it like hell. I watch as dad talks to someone on the phone rather aggressively in Russian and slams it on the table before his fury is directed to me.

And I know I deserve it.

"You will find my daughter or I will put a bullet in your head the with the same expression as you when you pointed your gun at her." He grunted lowly, making me narrow my eyes just a bit before I glanced at Uncle Mikhail who looked at me with disappointment.

Nonetheless, he came forward and put a hand on dad's shoulder.

"Jon. We'll find her. She's a smart girl and I'm sure wherever she is, she's safe. It's a good thing you've trained her." He assured my dad who nodded before running a hand over his face.

"How the fuck did this happen?" He asked uncle Mikhail who glanced at me briefly before looking back at dad.

"She triggered him." He said gesturing to me when my father's eyes pointed to me in a death glare.

I'd be six feet under if looks could kill.

"And what the fuck did she say that made you do such a thing, hmm?" He asked me, making me sigh as I turned my back to them.

"A year and a half ago, remember we talked once after we both couldn't sleep and were sitting in here, in the study?" I started, looking out the window with my hands in my pockets towards the gardens where Heather usually sat and admired the flowers.

Just like our mother.

"After...?" My dad's voice came and I glanced at him briefly before nodding.

"It seems Heather heard what I told you that night. I remember hearing footsteps that night but dismissed it. But now that I think of it, it could've been her." I confessed, feeling everyone's gaze burning holes on my back.

"So whatever she said was true?" Ivan spoke as I turned around.

"Most of it, yes." I sighed, slumping into my chair as I pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a a large puff of it before releasing the smoke.

"You said you saw her dead. What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Uncle Karl asked me making me look at him meaningfully before I brought my gaze to the glimmering diamond ring on my table.

"Whenever I look at her, I'm reminded of that night. I remember what happened. How it happened. Why it happened. And it pains me because we could have lost her that night too." I spoke, feeling everyone's eyes on me as I took another puff of smoke.

"What happened was not your fault son. And it wasn't hers either." Mikhail told me, making me look up at him and then my father's stoic face as he stared off into space.

"I know." I muttered, feeling like shit for all I put her through and I can't help but think what she thought of me for the last two years since she clearly heard me that day.

Yes, she was the spitting image of my mother and him. I couldn't help but be reminded of them when I saw her. And all because she looked like them and because she was with them in their last moments.

Or at least her last moments if not his.

But I can't blame her for anything. It was wrong of me not to clarify that for her. That it wasn't her fault. It never was. There was nothing she or we could have done to prevent what happened then.

"And you've been sending your men after her?" Dad finally asked me after a few moments of silence, making me nod.

"For her protection. I found out she's been taking other classes too." I told him and saw him nod once, frowning.

"I haven't trusted her like I should have. I invaded her privacy. And I regret it. A lot." I confessed, my head low as various thoughts raced through my mind.

"What she said was true. I've been far too controlling with her. But I can't help it because I can't lose her. Not again. I almost did twice. And I won't let it happen again." I said more firmly this time as my hands reached for my phone.

"You won't lose her." Ivan assured me as I dialed Daniel's number. He was our hacker, and the best of the best.

"Daniel. Anything?" I asked him, hoping he found anything about her whereabouts.

"Nothing. I can't even track her phone, or Roman's." He stated in his thick Russian accent, making me scowl as I hung up and threw my phone on the table and ran a hand through my hair, just when the door to the study was opened suddenly and a very angry Aunt Kris stumbled in, followed by Zephyr and Zarina.

"Gde ona?" (Where is she?) She asked angrily and scowled when her eyes fell on me.

"Ty! Svoloch'! Ty khot' predstavlyayesh', chto ty sdelal? Ty napugal bednuyu devushku! V ad s toboy!" (You! You bastard! Have you any idea of what you've done? You've scared the poor girl away! To hell with you!) She yelled furiously, making us all flinch as Zephyr came forward and threw a glare my way.

"Do you have any idea how hurt she might be? How broken she might be because of you?" He asked me angrily, making me slam my fist on the table as I stood up.

"YA znayu, chto ya sdelal, i tebe ne nuzhno, blyad', govorit' mne, kak sil'no ya prichinil yey bol', potomu chto ya znayu, chto byl ne prav." (I know what I've done and you don't need to fucking tell me how much I've hurt her because I know I'm in the wrong.) I snapped and everyone went quiet.

"Zephyr. Take Zarina and mom out." Nikolai said sternly and grabbed Zephyr's arm but he shoved him away and looked at me once again.

"If anything happens to her, I'll make sure you won't see the light of day Alexander." He threatened before dragging the two women out with him and slamming the door behind him.

"She left with Roman Angelo. Why did she go with him?" Nikolai suddenly asked, making us all look at him.

"She left with him?" Dad asked us baffled as Ivan got up from his seat.

"Yes. It seems the Italian Don seems to have some sort of fascination with her. But the attraction goes both ways." Ivan said, his eyes on me as I clenched my jaw.

"Why?" Dad asked Ivan, to which he shrugged.

"I don't know. He has a thing for her. And I'm a hundred and ten percent sure she does too. They both are like magnets to each other. Can't seem to stay away even after all the warnings I gave her." He said shaking his head with a slight chuckle as dad frowned.

"She never said anything about this." He stated after taking a seat on the couch next to Uncle Mikhail.

"Why would she? She knows what the Italians have done." Zephyr suddenly entered the office and sat next to Nikolai as all eyes snapped to him.

"And you this how, son?" Uncle Karl asked him and he shrugged.

"I have my sources." He said, making us all frown but then realization dawned on me.

"You knew all this time, didn't you?" I asked him and he looked at me a moment before shrugging. And I knew Heather would tell Zephyr everything because these two have always been close.

"And you know where she could be right now?" Nikolai asked her but he shook his head.

"If I did, I would've already told you, wouldn't I? And besides, even if they both do like each other, what would you all have done about it?" He said looking at dad who seemed to be deep in thought.

"I don't have anything against the Italians. At least not these ones anyway." Dad confessed nonchalantly before furrowing his eyebrows.

"But still. She should have said something to me."

"What else do you know Zephyr?" I asked him.

"Nothing more." He said with a straight face but I knew he was lying. He must have promised Heather he wouldn't speak of it and if there's one thing we value, it's loyalty.

I sighed as I leaned back in my seat and pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration knowing I'd faced my uncle's and dad's wrath already when he ripped apart my office and nearly shot me.

But I still have one more person to face.

With that thought, my phone rang and silence fell in the room as I glanced at the phone screen, frowning as I stared longer at the name on it.

"Pick it up." Ivan grunted, clearly annoyed with the constant ringing as I took the phone in my hands and swiped the screen, putting the phone to my ear only to be met with silence until the very familiar deep voice spoke.

"What the hell did you do?" He growled as I leaned back in my seat feeling everyone's eyes on me as I awaited his next words.

"Good to hear from you too." I spoke, taking a deep breath before the next words fell from my mouth like a heavy weight in the quiet room.

"Anton."