loveable one

Chapter 7

Victoria's pov:

Allesio led me to the garage and opened a car door for me. From what I saw of the car, it must be a Jeep but I have no clue what kind.
I get inside and he walks around the car and gets into the drivers seat.

"Is it gonna take long to get there?" I ask him. He told me that if I hung up the call then he would gift me my own personal library. Actually, I though that It would be a room inside our house but it seems not.

"Half an hour drive, Vic." He answers me but he's still not really looking at me. From the moment he grabbed my hand he did not look at me.

"Alright." I say and try to find the knob to turn the music louder. When I finally find it the song already ended and another starts playing.

We drive in silence, only listening to the music.

Then we take a sharp right turn. Right into the forest.

Maybe he only brought me out to murder me.

He wouldn't do that. While I think that I glance to my right and see that he holds the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles have turned white.

I gulp down my fear and start thinking of an escape plan if he really plans to hurt me.

But he held my hand so gently when he led me to the car.

Whatever. Since we entered the forest the road got very bumpy. I have to refrain from screaming a few times when we hit a rock or something.
The road we're driving on seems not to be for cars. Especially not for expensive cars like this one. Feels like the wheels won't take it much longer.

Right after I think of that I spot a mansion. A mansion in the middle of a forest. Not creepy at all.

We park right in front of it. I sit still while Allesio gets out and opens my car door for me. He takes my hand again and leads me toward the front door. He opens it and gently pushes me inside.

I hold my breath. This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Bookshelves full of books everywhere. I take a few more steps inside and look around a bit more. I think I'm standing in the middle of a living room. There is a couch with a table in the middle of the room and across from it is a big television, but every other space in this room is full of bookshelves.

I walk into the next room, the kitchen with a dining area and here are also tons and tons of books. I pick up a few and they are cooking books from different countries, even in different languages.

I chuckle to myself, how could I cook after a recipe when everything's in japanese?

„There are English copies for every book you can see in here." Allesio says, and when I turn around he's leaning against the doorframe with a smile on his lips.

„It's incredible. What is this place?" I ask him. I'm really curious, non of the brothers or my father gave me the impression that they're readers.

„It was our mothers." He had a sad look inside his eyes but a ghost of a smile was still on his lips. „You're a lot like her, actually. I mean, you look exactly like her. Me and the others mostly took after father as you can see. But you and Valentino, you two look just like our mother. She loved to read, you know. She built this place for herself. She always said it was her own small paradise. I figured if you took after her in more than just looks you would like it here as well."

Our eyes lock and a genuine grin is plastered across his face and I find myself mirroring his look.

„What happened to her?" I ask him now. I still no nothing about this family and their history.
But right after I ask this question i regret it.
Allesio's smile falls and looks so unbelievably hurt.

„Vic, she.. em.. she died after your birth.."

„Oh. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

„It's alright. You should ask us any questions you want answers to. You deserve to know."

„You must miss her." I'm glad he told me. I'm actually kind of ashamed of myself right now because I only thought about our mother after he brought it up. She hasn't even crossed my mind yet.

„I miss her terribly. Though I don't really have much memories of her, whenever I think of her I get this warm feeling. The same feeling I always had thinking I had a baby sister somewhere. I'm really glad you found your way back to us, sis." He tells me and I can't help myself but walk up to him and pull him into a hug.

„Thank you for bringing me here."

„Who was the boy you were talking to on the phone?" He surprises me by asking.

„My best friend, Antonio. He and his twin Anastasia moved to my city a few years ago and we instantly clicked. I already miss them."

Allesio's Pov:

„Are you in a relationship with this Antonio guy?" I ask her and I must have done a terrible job at maintaining a nice tone because she flinches and pulls away from me.

„N-No. We are just friends. Well, best friends. But there's nothing romantic between us." She avoids my eyes while she answers and brings a few more feet between us.
I hate this Antonio guy. And I will do everything in my power to break this ‚friendship' apart. Because I know, from the way he talked to my sister on the phone he has ulterior motives. And from the way she still won't meet my face I figure I either look really managing right now, though I'm trying my best not to. Or there is something romantic between them and she just won't tell me.

„Take a closer look around here. I have a phonecall to make." I tell her and storm outside, put a cigarette in my mouth and dial Luciano.