Broken

Chapter 34 - rewritten

*Andre POV *

I feel so alone; I know it's only been a couple weeks but it feels like forever. A lifetime. Lucia's brothers and I have tried everything to find her and return her back to us where she belongs, but we are all so helpless. I lay on my baby girls' bed, basking in her faint scent that still laces her pillows, I refused to let the maids change the bed sheets.

"Andre." I hear someone call my name but I haven't got the strength to move. Wincing as a bright light fills the room, burning my retinas. "Andre come on you need to eat." Aces deep voice bellows through the dark room. "Tell me what good this is doing her? Tell me how she would react to seeing you like this?" Ace scolds me, using his sister to get me up and about but that is the point she isn't here. She's not here for me to hold, she's not here for me to breathe. I need her and it's breaking me not to hold her. Lucia has become my everything in such a short amount of time.

"I'm not hungry, thank you" my voice is unrecognisable, hoarse and gravely. As the only words possible leave my mouth. The door closes submerging me in the darkness, that is slowly becoming my safe haven, once again. At the foot of the bed, I can feel Ace's weight cause it to sink and my body tenses from the closeness of him.

"Andre, I had spent years trying to find Lucia. My little sister. I've missed her whole childhood, I wanted to treat her like the princess she was shelter and protect her from all the bad things in this cruel world, kill all anyone that hurt her." I listen to Ace intensely, as I strain my eyes in the dark trying to make out his silhouette "never in a million year would I have expected to get the girl I did but I wouldn't trade her for the world. I love my little sister with all my heart. I like you Andre and when she gets back, she is going to need you. You can help her in a way that the boys and I can't. Your good for her, she looks at you with love and I don't even think she knows she does, or notices how you look at her with the same love filled eyes." He sighs pausing and I acknowledged everything said so far. "I'm scared of how we will find her; I'm scared for her. I don't know what we will find if we do find her. She has her own enemies and I don't think I will ever truly be able to protect her. I have failed her as a brother, but not only her all of my siblings." my heart goes out to Ace I couldn't possibly understand how he feels to have had his younger sister taken from him for a second time.

"Thank you, Ace. I know I'm not the only one that has lost her and I'm sorry, I just feel so lost without her. Everything is so cold and it hurts, my body and mind are on another planet It's like I can't function without her. I need her." tears well in my eyes as io speak, "I love her." I find myself whispering the last three words out to her older brother.

"Listen to me my sister is strong but broken; a deadly combination. She doesn't forgive easily but she forgave you in a matter of days for something she killed others for doing. Slowly we are softening her up, but she will always know when to be deadly. Lucia will be OK and come back to us. So, stop with this nonsense take care of yourself because when she gets back, she will kill you for neglecting your basic needs. You are going to need your strength, so come eat then shower and nap. If not for yourself then for her. Please." Ace pleads with me; his voice almost breaks at certain points but he still remains strong for everyone else. I admire the man in the dark, what he has accomplished in this life for his siblings and himself.

"Do you think she loves me?" I find the question falling from my lips a barely audible whisper but I know he heard it and I listen as he inhales a sharp intake of air before replying.

"I believe she does." he sighs out letting the air he had taken in, out.

"Thankyou"

"Now please for her sake, take care of yourself. She doesn't need to be worrying about you when she gets home." I feel his weight lift off the bed indicating he had stood up ready to leave. Swinging my legs over the bed I attempt to stand, the quick actions causing an immediately wave of nausea and dizziness to overcome me. As I wobble a strong hand grips my shoulder helping me stand. We walk out of the room into the light as my eyes adjust Ace stops us in the doorway.