Lissy Romano

37| Next to me.

Lissy Romano

I lay on Vincenzo's chest, silent tears rolling down my cheeks, as my gaze fixed on Jax. He was chasing the little blue ball Santino had brought him, his tiny tail wagging enthusiastically.

I wanted nothing more than to forget everything, to feel normal again. But I couldn't. No words would come. Every time I tried to speak, an invisible wall stopped me, warning me that opening my mouth might invite something bad to happen.

"Lissy, you want to eat your toast?" Vincenzo asked, glancing at the untouched plate beside me. It looked delicious, but the thought of eating made my stomach churn.

I shook my head.

"But you need to eat something," Vincenzo insisted, his voice soft but firm.

Again, I shook my head.

"Lissy, let's go downstairs. I'll make you something," he said, gently running his hand over my head.

I reached for my tablet and typed:

Where's the chef?

"It's his wife's birthday," Vincenzo replied as he sat up.

I hope you gave him a present—from us.

"Of course. We surprised her with tickets to Bali. They'll be gone for two weeks, so no chef for us," Vincenzo said, standing and stretching.

I sat up and pulled him closer, needing the security of his presence. There was something about being in his arms that made the world feel less frightening. He would never hurt me. He would protect me.

"Come on, let's go downstairs. We'll eat and watch a movie after," Vincenzo said, winking at me with a playful grin.

I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. A movie night with my eldest brother—it sounded comforting, even... fun.

"Take your tablet," Vincenzo reminded me as he helped me to my feet.

Scooping Jax up in my arms, I followed Vincenzo out of my bedroom. The little puppy licked my face, his tiny tongue tickling my cheek.

In the kitchen, I sat at the counter while Jax roamed around, sniffing every corner and then circling back to my feet, his antics making me chuckle quietly.

"What do you want to eat?" Vincenzo asked sternly. "And you have to eat something."

I typed on my tablet:

Pizza?

He read it and smiled. "Pizza it is. Do you want to make one, or should we order?"

I don't mind.

"Alright, I'll order from that pizzeria. Their pizzas are always amazing," he said, pulling out his phone.

Later, we sat in the living room, three large pizzas spread across the coffee table. A big bowl of cheese-flavored Doritos and a couple of sodas completed the feast.

"Pick what you want," Vincenzo said, grabbing a slice for himself.

I browsed Netflix until I settled on The Croods: A New Age.