Pretty Poison

Twenty

"You don't know that!"

"It's goddamn likely, Luca. With him in the hospital deals can fall though causing us to lose millions!"

"That won't happen, that's why he trained us! The clients know us and they have no other source but us!"

I wake up suddenly to the sound of shouting voices, my mind confused and disoriented. My body feels as if it's floating on a cloud and I don't want to move, but my curiosity gets the best of me.

I swing my legs over the edge, standing from the bed and striding to the open window. I pull back the curtain slightly and peer outside. There, I'm met with Luca and his brother, both in a maddened fury at one another. Vincenzo faces my window while Luca's face is turned from me. I squint my eyes to narrow slits, taking in Vincenzo's changed features; he too obtains a muscular body and evenly sculpted face. His dirty blonde hair is slicked back, displaying his sharp jawline clearly.

"I've already heard that Nicholas will drop, he was our biggest asset! So don't give me that shit that 'it won't happen' because it already has!" Vincenzo places his hands on Luca's chest, pushing him, but he doesn't move.

Their height is equal, and their anger parallel.

"Do you think this is my fault? I had no part of that deal, Enzo, you did!" Luca charges forward one step, pointing a strong and accusing finger in his brother's face, to which he immediately hits away.

"You are in charge of securing the deal, you bloody well were involved, you bitch! You let this fall through because you were too busy fantasizing about some damn girl, Luca! You disappear for days at a time and leave me to do all this shit by myself!" Enzo's voice rises in fury, outraged and beyond furious.

"Deals don't alway w-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Vincenzo shouts, "They do, they always do for us! And I'm not going to let you destroy the Bianchi family name because of your damn stupidity, you hear me?!"

I pull the curtain back just a bit more, intently watching and listening to the two brothers fighting in the garden below. Just as Vincenzo is about to open his mouth again, his attention snaps to somewhere else, to me, and my heart instantly jumps out of my chest. I pull away and let the curtain fall back immediately.

"Who's here?" He demands in an abrasive tone.

"No one."

"Don't lie to me! Who is here?!" Without waiting for Luca to retort an answer, Vincenzo pushes past Luca rapidly as I instantly search for a place to hide.

"Enzo, no one is here!" I hear Luca's voice shout from the end of the hall as jogging steps approach closer and closer.

My breaths come quicker and quicker, and suddenly my eyes narrow on a door and I hastily open it and step inside. I turn around, and realize I have stepped into a grand bathroom, but my admiration is cut short when I hear the bedroom door swing open into the wall with a loud clash.

"Someone is here, Luca, I saw them. Who is it?!" Vincenzo demands again, and I can imagine his juniper green eyes full of bitter rage.

"I said no one! Are you fucking deaf? You're fucking paranoid!" Luca reprimands.

I peer out of the small key hole of the bathroom door, just as Vincenzo takes bunches of Luca's shirt and brings his body to his harshly.

"I would watch how you talk to me, little brother. You may be family, but I am not afraid to get rid of you like dad did with that pity excuse of a mother, don't push me," Vincenzo lets go of Luca and pushes him away. He stumbles backward slightly, and watches as Luca brushes past him to the door.

"We have a meeting tomorrow morning with Adrian, I expect you to be there, he is coming to the table with loads of cash, and we can't afford to let this one fail, you got it?" Enzo questions, his irate tone never falling.

"Yes," is Luca's only answer.

"Good," and then he slams the door shut, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hall again, but Luca stays behind.

He runs a hand through his hair and sits down on the bench with a defeated sigh. He buries his head in his hands, his elbows balancing on his knees. Luca rubs at his temples in distress, anger still having hold over him.

I stand from my knees and turn the knob, opening the door without a single creak. Luca immediately looks up from his hands and is quick to his feet. His face instantly changes, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asks, striding closer to me from where I stand.

I nod, "Luca, I'm so sorry, I didn't m-"

I close my mouth instantly when he places his palm on my cheek, his thumb caressing the skin above my cheekbone gently.

"It's alright, he didn't find you. But he's suspicious now," Luca says, all hatred evaporated from his tone. I expected him to be upset, but he isn't.

I lift my hand to cover his, the feeling releasing butterflies from their cage in my stomach. I stare up into his conflicting eyes, the fight in him thinly masked by a touch of happiness.

"Go to sleep now, you need to rest. Goodnight," he removes his hand and leaves my cold skin behind, all heat leaving as soon as he does. He strides to the door, stepping out and closing it behind him without a second glance.

I'm left there standing dumbfounded.