STOLEN || 18+ (Monsters #3)

.94. Calls

"I have poured my heart out...

And now I am empty."

― Ranata Suzuki

Leyla Campbell

Olivia called a few days before I was to leave. I picked up the call without a moment of hesitation, heart thundering

"Leyla," she breathed, relief clear in her voice. "I thought you wouldn't pick up."

"I hold nothing against you or your husbands." I really didn't. Zavier had been given a hard choice and he had chosen his friend over a woman he barely knew. If he had killed Dante...

Would Giovanni and Fabiano have killed him?

Fabiano, who was lying on his side, reading a book glanced at me, naked body covered with white covers till his waist. He didn't say anything, just watched me. We were in his room - the room he had given me. He looked beautiful, a man stepped out from my daydreams. His eyes twinkled like he knew what I was thinking about. Mine narrowed.

"Gabriella wants to live with you," she said.

I let out a breath. I had, for some time, thought Gabriella preferred Olivia. The thought had come during one of those nights when I couldn't stop crying. I had shared it with Giovanni and Fabiano who had instantly said that it could not be true. She loves you, Giovanni had said and I had believed him - but doubt had lingered.

"What about Astrid?"

"She's going to live with mom in one of the houses your father left her."

"In America." Where I would not be able to visit her.

"Mom was given the option to live with you in Italy, but she declined. She doesn't want to be associated with either of us and wants Astrid away from the mafia. They are going to live somewhere in California - she refused to tell me the address."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, pulling at a strand to straighten it. "That's actually good." It was. Astrid needed to stay as far away from the mafia world as she could. I did not want her tangled in this.

"Gabriella will be sent to you," she said and then paused. "This is the last time we can speak." Cold, hard voice - that was not Olivia I knew. That was Olivia Creed - grieving the loss of her friend. I hadn't really known Michael. All I knew was that he was important to the Creeds.

"Okay," I said, looking down at my hands. This felt unfair. "Thank you for everything."

"You are welcome," she said. "I..." She hesitated. "Is Giovanni there?"

"No," I spoke softly.

She let out a breath. "Okay," she said. "Goodbye, Leyla."

"Goodbye, Olivia."

She hung up. I stared at the phone. That was it?

We had just begun getting closer and now she was ripped away from me. It felt unfair. It felt so unfair.

Fabiano pulled me to his side, keeping his book away. He tucked me to his chest, pulling the covers on us. "I am sorry," he said. "I know you care for her."

"I do," I said. "Gabriella will come here. I think she'd like to go to the UK with me. She can attend school there - maybe pass History."

He chuckled. "Yeah." He pulled me on top of him, our naked bodies pressed together. I folded my arms, looking at him. "She'll burn the UK down."

I chuckled. "She's actually really awesome when you get to know her."

"Yeah?" He asked, kissing my lips. I hummed. "You're telling me she won't call everyone a coloniser there?"