Long Known Truths Are New

The first time Gio showed signs of waking, it was not much. All he did was groan, his brow furrowing as he slowly turned his head from side to side, his lids fluttering but refusing to open. It was over within a matter of seconds, Gio too exhausted to keep fighting off the clutches of sleep. But Elle still saw it, and she screamed like a teenage girl whose boy band crush had just blown her a kiss. It was definitely not the right thing to do as seconds later Big L and Benji burst into the room, guns ready, aunt Cecilia, who had just left standing between them, a fierce look on her face.

The older woman took one look at Elle's jubilant face and sent the guards out.

"Tell the others to stand down, it was a false alarm," Aunt Cecilia told the men as they left. Once the door closed, Elle heard the sound of multiple footsteps walking away, the other guards returning to their stations. She knew she should apologize for scaring them, but she was too excited to care.