"𝐖𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐞."
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Alyssa, Alessandro and Alessio Smith have gone through hell.
They've been fighting to survive from the moment they'd first opened their eyes. Six...
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"IT'S OKAY," ALE whispers soothingly after coming up behind me, his hand rubbing up and down my side soothingly.
I inhale shakily, forcing myself upright in an attempt to regain at least a little bit of my dignity. Although, to be honest, I've lost it years ago, when I was first robbed of my clothes and told to kneel. I shake my head, shooing the crude thought away before I slowly but surely turn around, bracing myself on the counter top to support my weight.
"I'm sorry," I return, my voice so hoarse, half of the sentence doesn't come out. But he understands what I'm trying to say, if the careful frustration threading itself into his features is anything to go by. Careful, because he would never dare actually get frustrated with me. After everything, and with that stupid guilt clouding his mind, I don't think he's even capable of it.
"Let's go back first," he suggests after a moment, a hand gently encircling my upper arm to ready himself to support me. "If you can," he adds quickly, although we both know that we don't really have a choice in this.
Releasing a small sigh, I let go of the counter as I shift my weight onto my feet. I almost cry out loud in frustration when I feel that the wobbliness has returned.
Can this day please end?
Please?
Ale presses a chaste kiss to my temple, eyes softening when he senses my distress. His left hand continues rubbing small circles into my skin, whilst his other hand is entwined with one of my own, holding up my weight with me. I must look nothing short of pathetic right now. And usually I wouldn't mind. Usually, I would even relish in it. Not the feeling pathetic, but the feeling comforted and protected.
But not now. Not with that prickly feeling of being watched burning away at my skin.
Red tints my cheeks as we return to the bed room. In my peripheral, I spot San, still rooted to his spot, his gaze sweeping over me only briefly to make sure that I'm okay - well, as okay as I can get - before he re-focuses his attention back on Marcello.
And I know what he's doing, eyes narrowed in anticipation of any negative reactions the brothers might give - and I acknowledge it. But after what happened when we'd tried separating I just can't find it in me to respect it today. I simply don't feel comfortable standing so far away from him. So, I cautiously take the lead from Ale and guide us over to San, where he's still standing in front of Marcello and the others, almost in a stand off-ish way.
My head is downcast as I do so, my heart not courageous enough to have me lift it and chance locking eyes with one of these guys after just completely exposing myself to them. Moreover, their piercing gazes are watching my every move like hawks. It's uncanny and makes my skin tingle with discomfort - if I'd felt pinned down by their stares before, I feel almost naked now. But not in a way I've experienced before. Not in a forcefully sexual way, but in a vulnerable way. As if my skin had turned translucent and they could see beyond the persona my shell is projecting; as if they could peek inside and see all that I'm trying to hide.
