The Ones Who Saved Us

Chapter 23

Avalee's POV

Emilio was holding an ice pack to my neck while Matteo and Teddy were standing close to me as if they thought I was a glass doll that would shatter the moment they looked away. Elijah, Leo, and Papa were having a hushed conversation in the corner of the room, their eyes momentarily flashing in my direction making sure that I didn't catch a word they were saying.

"Em?" I whispered. Emilio turned his head towards me, a slight smile tugging on his lips as he nodded for me to continue. "Um, I probably should have told you this earlier, but Cameron—he's the Blade."

Emilio let out a string of curse words under his breath, causing Papa to turn to him with suspicion. Raising his eyebrow, he asked, "You okay there?"

"Don't worry about him, Papa. He just hit his stomach on the table," I said.

"That's Emilio for you," Teddy smirked. "Clumsy as hell."

Elijah playfully narrowed his eyes at Teddy and said, "Don't say hell."

"Why? It's not even that bad of a word," Teddy said. Standing up, he continued, saying, "It's just a place Matteo and Emilio are headed once they die."

Teddy tried to run out of the kitchen before Emilio and Matteo could get him but was grabbed roughly by Alessandro. My oldest brother massaged his forehead when he saw the twins stop their steps upon noticing Alessandro's annoyance. "I'm not dealing with this shit right now," Alessandro said. "Teddy go to your room before your brothers kill you."

"But—"

Alessandro glared down at the ten-year-old and said, "If you don't get your ass up those stairs—"

"Okay, okay," Teddy said. "No wonder people call you Mr. Russo instead of Alessandro. Grumpy old man," he said, the last few words barely said above a whisper.

"I heard that."

Teddy looked back over his shoulder and said, "You were supposed to."

As Teddy left the room, the laugh that I was trying my hardest to suppress finally came out, filling the room. "I'd like to say that he gets that from me, but he's way better."

"Your mother," Papa chuckled. "That is one hundred percent your mother's genes."

Looking behind my brother, I furrowed my eyebrows and asked, "Where's Arya? Did she go home?"

Alessandro shook his head, pursing his lips together. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." He took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair, and said, "I had to tell her parents about her dating Cameron, and her mother didn't take it well. She'll be staying with us until her father settles everything in their home."

"Why did you tell them?" I yelled, throwing my arms up. "You know how they are about her dating."

"Tesoro," Papa said. "As her parents, they have a right to know. It wasn't right that Arya lied about it, and—"

"She had to lie, Papa," I argued. "Her mom won't let her date, and she's sixteen. Isn't that old enough to date? She's almost an adult."

Alessandro sighed. "Every family has different rules, Aves, and we should respect that."

"Whatever," I mumbled. "I'm going to go see how she's doing and—"

"Ava, sit down. We need to talk first," Alessandro ordered. Noticing my balled fists and clenched jaw, he said, "I promise you she'll be fine. She's a bit shaken up, but Raphael is with her trying to cheer her up."

Alessandro gave a pointed look towards Emilio, who sighed and got up from his seat to allow Alessandro to sit. Taking my hand in his, he said, "Tesoro, why didn't you tell us what he did to you?"