La Principessa

Chapter 5

I looked away from the men as they disappeared from sight and breathed out a sigh of irritation. I will talk to them as soon as we land about what just happened. I understand that they wish to protect their leader but that treatment towards the little darlin' was not it.

Though I can't stand here and lie and not wonder where she came from and why she's out so late in the night. Why are there bruises and cuts on her face and most likely her body too? Why hasn't she said a word yet? But knowing Ricky and his gossip tendencies, the fact this little girl bumped into me and I defended her is likely already out and the whole family is alerted.

I roll my eyes at Ricky. If that man wasn't a good fighter, if not one of the best, he would fit right in the Spanish telenovelas my mother loves so much. Probably as one of the abuela's since he acts like a goddamn grandma, might as well give him the role. All he does is watch them when he's off duty. I saw that fucker watching it with my mother and sisters-in-law in the cinema room many times, giggling and shit. What a strange man.

I look down at the little girl whose name is still unknown and slowly walk over to her. Her little fists are clenched hard as she grips the straps of her small backpack and her head's bent down, her form shaking from the chilly air.

I crouch to her short height when I'm close enough and immediately frown when she flinches again in response. The movement is quick but I notice and quickly make sure to keep my distance and give her space.

We stand in silence for a couple of minutes as I examine her with a clenched jaw and heavy heart, noticing all the small things I did with my son, Tony, the first time I met him.

The little girl in front of me gazes at her feet and avoids all eye contact, and the look on her face will forever haunt me. Light blue eyes shielded by long dark curls tightly squeezed shut, almost like she's waiting to be hurt and is expecting it, cut and bruised lips trembling and body shuddering in what is so very obviously anxiety and fear, whether of me or what I was capable of, I had no idea. But fuck, I could feel my heart breaking for someone I had never met before today and already wanted to protect with my life.

I cleared my throat and then try to swallow the lump lodged in there before I slowly and tentatively moved towards her. My actions must have either scared or intrigued her, because she, despite being so obviously terrified out of her mind, finally looks at me, properly this time.

I resist the urge to smile when she looks up at me with confusion and intrigue as if I'm an alien who just came from outer space. I hold the chuckle that want to escape to not offend her as she inspects me and my tattoos with a stare that very much reminds me of the movie Boss Baby my nephew made me watch. She looked so goddamn serious, her gaze unmoving as her eyebrows danced up and down, inspecting me some more.

From this angle, I can see the colour of her eyes. The shade was rare, a mixture of the very lightest blue and the sweetest white, the unique pigment complimenting her. I stand there amused until she gasps when her eyes zero onto the nasty scar that begins at the top of my cheek, continues through my eye and ends at my brow.

I got the scar when I was fighting and got caught off guard when I caught the sight which was my wife. Her beauty astonished me yet again as I stood there unmoving during a mission as she fought three men twice her size. She gave me a mouthful and warned me to focus more on the job than her next time, but that's impossible. Very impossible.

The little girl sniffled as tears shone in her eyes when she looked at me with concern and something that looked a lot like sympathy. My heart warmed at her soft innocence about the old scar hurting me and her worry for a stranger she knew nothing about. I raised my tattooed hand and she shrunk back, her body recoiling harshly in panic. She fucking backs away with a flinch so scared I have to look away and breathe in and out in an attempt to control myself. The bruises and cuts now make clear sense. Bruises and reactions like this only mean one thing.