His Temptation - on hold

Chapter 3

Lucia:

I watched as Antonio walked behind the maid completely ignoring my presence heading to one of the many guests rooms.

My brows scrunched with curiosity what was he doing here? I seemed to find myself wondering whilst I made it to my brothers office.

I needed to speak with him.

I needed answers and I swore to myself this time I wouldn't leave until I got what I wanted.

Still there was a little doubt that crept inside as my shaky legs moved to Donatello's office door.

My brother wasn't someone that could easily be persuaded and most of all wouldn't give up information so easily to just anyone even if I was his sister.

He was just that type of person ever since my mother decided to leave us.

Taking one deep breath I barged into his office, the smell of whiskey and old wood lingered like always.

"Knock next time" Donatello gruff voice echoed in the room.

His eyes remained on his desk skimming through pages as work. They didn't bother to look my direction but I wasn't hurt by it. After all it wasn't something new.

"Donatello" his name left my lips.

"Why is Antonio still here" I said.

I waited a couple of minutes hoping I'd get something out of him but he only ignored me.

"Donatello" I repeated again hoping for the slightest acknowledgement.

A tired groan was heard at the other end "why do you ask so many questions" Donatello said.

"Because you don't seem to tell me things when it's important" I returned. "Why is he still here ?"

"That" he said getting up from his seat "has nothing to do with you Lucia"

I wanted to scream at him. Why couldn't he just give me a straight answer for once instead of creating a maze of questions I had to get through before I could get the slightest idea.

Taking another deep breath I continued to pester "it clearly does if it looks like he's going to be here for a while. Please Donatello it really isn't hard to tell me"

"Lucia, what I do is for your safety and everyone else that lives under this roof, if I do something I do it for a reason, but that doesn't always mean I need to explain it to you"

"BUT YOU DO" I finally let go.

"This is my house too Donatello. Father left it for both of us not just you. I also have a right to know what is going on inside it not just you".

He let of a small sign "you really are hard work you know that"

"I wonder who I got it from" giving him a dead look.

"Antonio is staying because of a business related problem".

"And what is-"

"You only get to know what's going on inside the house, business however, is none of your concern now if you'll excuse me there's somewhere I need to be".

Donatello began to walk his way towards the door "next time knock before you enter" and with that he shut the door behind him.

*****

The next few hours I decided to spend them outside near the river where i sat painting the stream take the same journey it always did.

The sun was about to set so it was the perfect time to paint the view in front of me, even if it was the hundredth time, it was still something I enjoyed doing.

I hadn't seen or heard Antonio through out the day, it was like he was never here yet he was lurking somewhere.

The days when we were close were long gone by the way he looked. He didn't seem the same person who would whisper random jokes when he knew I wasn't enjoying my time. Or how he would make me laugh during training.

No.

Those were nothing but an old memory that would soon be forgotten. But I could never forget.

Suddenly the sounds of footsteps appeared besides me. They were to loud to be Aleena's and too slow to be Donatello's.

My head turned to find a familiar looking body stand a few inches away from me startling me by the way his eyes seemed to pierce my insides.

Antonio remained standing watching me intensely with his eyes as if I had committed some crime towards him.

Slowly his face morphed from an intense stare to pure anger.

His legs suddenly began moving again and headed towards my directions.

"Can I help-" but before I could finish what I was about to say a firm hand gripped my forearm pulling me to my feet.

"WHATS YOUR PROBLEM" I yelled at Antonio "have you gone mad".

Antonio said nothing, all he did was stare at me.

"Antonio" I said "what the hell is wrong with you"

"Why can't you leave me alone?"

What the hell? I thought. I haven't seen this man in nearly over five years and those were his first genuine words he said.

"What are you on about" I said pulling my arm away.

I watched as he began rubbing his eyes with the heal of his hands " I want nothing to do with you "

"What?" I was utterly confused.

"Every time I look at you I feel worse than I already am and staying here isn't going to help that"

Ouch. I felt something sharp hit my heart.

"Antonio what's going on" I whispered too confused with the situation in front of me.

"All I ask, while I'm staying here, is to be left alone, that's all I'm asking from you" Antonio mumbled.

But before I could give him any sort of answer he turned his back towards me and headed his way back inside the house.

I stood there watching him leave still dumbfounded about what just happened a couple of seconds ago.

What had happened to him all those years ago? I knew nothing and it was driving me mad with curiosity.

My hand reached up to my neck where a small flower rested between my collarbone.

I began twisted it in between my fingers trying to calm my wounded heart but that's what it now was broken into a million pieces scattered for everyone to see.

Broken from the man who was no longer mine.