Luciano Fierri [Book #3]

Chapter 6

Luciano's POV
I jolted awake, hearing Valeria screaming at the top of her lungs. "He's coming! He's coming!" I switched on the lamp light just as she climbed out of the bed and began pacing back and forth.

"Valeria, what's wrong!?"

She didn't respond. It was like she couldn't hear me at all. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, concerned, frightened, and unsure of how to help her.

A knock sounded at the door. Getting out of bed, I stalked over to the door. My hand on the knob, she screamed again, pulling at her hair. "He's coming!"

She backed herself into a corner, before collapsing onto her knees. She buried her face in her hands, sobbing as she trembled.

I opened the door, Marcellius, Niccolo, and Cesare all standing on the other side with their guns drawn. I pointed to Valeria. They stepped inside, lowering their guns.

"What happened?" Marcellius demanded.

"We were just sleeping, and then she woke up screaming. I-I don't know what to do." I felt bad that I couldn't help her. Especially when I wanted to.

Marcellius put his gun away and approached her, kneeling down to her level. He gently grabbed her wrist and she flinched. Suddenly, she was swinging at him, fighting for her life.

She managed to scratch Marcellius, leaving a mark that stretched all the way from his left eyebrow, across his nose, and down to his upper lip.

He cursed under his breath, backing up and giving her some room. "I think she's still alseep," he stated, wincing as he touched the bleeding wound on his face.

Valeria curled up into the fetal position, holding herself so she appeared smaller, submissive.

What the fuck did he do to her!?

I clenched my hands into a fist, pissed. Whoever this man was, he hurt my best friend. And he's going to pay. I bared my teeth, seething in anger.

"Let me give it a try," Cesare said calmly.

"If Marcel couldn't do it, then what the hell makes you think you can?" Niccolo snapped.

Cesare rolled his eyes, ignoring him. He slowly approached her with caution, his hand out to assure her that he wasn't a threat. "Valeria it's me, Cesare." He held one hand up. "I come in peace."

Niccolo rolled his eyes. "She's not a damn Alien."

"Shut the hell up Nic!"

Cesare was doing fine until he made the mistake of touching her. She lashed out. And in a blink of an eye, Cesare was being kicked in his groin and flipped across the room.

Where did she learn to do that?

His back hit the dresser as he clutched his groin and swore. "Fuck! If she wasn't so hot I'd tranquilize her crazy ass." Niccolo burst into laughter, which resulted in a glare from Cesare.

Valeria jerked awake, gasping for air as if she had been submerged underwater. Her skin was pale, glistening from the thin layer of sweat that clung to her.

Her gray eyes enlarged as they skimmed over everyone and everything in the room. Realizing where she was, she released a sigh of relief. She didn't seemed too surprised by her actions, but disappointed that it had happened.

She eyed Marcellius and Cesare, mumbling, "I'm sorry." She looked down, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip with embarrassment. "I should've told you about the nightmares."

"It's okay," I told her calmly.

Cesare gasped. "This shit is not okay!" Marcellius snapped his head in the direction of Cesare, glaring angrily into his soul. Cesare gulped, shrinking into himself. He didn't say a word after that. Which was fine with me.

I brought my attention back to a shaking Valeria. She felt so cold as I folded my hands over hers. "You have to tell us what's going on. It's the only way we'll be able to help you."

"You can't help me," she sniffled, pulling her hand from my grasp. "No one can."

"Luci." I glanced back at Marcellius. "Just give her some space." I nodded slowly, straightening back up to follow my brothers out of the room.

Cesare limped to the kitchen and Niccolo left to check up on the babies, while I stayed behind with Marcellius.

I was disappointed in myself because once again, I had proved my father right. I was useless. Marcellius could see right through me. "Basta(enough)," he demanded, causing me to look up at him. He sounded so much like father that if I hadn't looked up to see my brother I would've thought he'd come back from the dead.

All my brothers knew how I felt. They were there to witness it. Witness my father treat me like a bastard, like I wasn't his blood. He was so sure I wasn't his that he had me DNA tested to make sure I hadn't been switched at birth. He never tested Cesare, despite the fact that we're twins. To him, Cesare was his son, and was proud to call him a Fierri.

"Cosa ti avevo detto(what did I tell you)?" He questioned, his brows furrowed.

"To stop thinking on the past."

"So why are you?"

"Because I can't help it. I could never do anything right in pa's in eyes." I wanted to cry. The old me would have broke down into a mess of tears. But the old me was gone. The old me was in the past where my father should be.

Unexpectedly, Marcellius wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me into him. He kissed the top of my head. I was shocked. He hasn't done that since I was six.

"I'm not going to baby you Luci, so this is the last time I hold you like this."

"Sì(yes), I understand."

My brothers have always believed in tough love, which is why this type of affection caught me so off guard. It's just not common when it comes to him and Niccolo.

Father didn't believe in showing affection, or encouraging what he called "baby-ing." It was forbidden in our household to coddle one another.

So, whenever my brothers got like this I accepted it with open arms. Because nothing felt more safe and more reassuring than my brothers' embrace.