Devotion

twenty ﾒ marco and jessica

ANGELICA

"Okay, Lucille, just so we have an idea of how bad this situation can turn out, on a scale of 1-10, how terrible is it?"

The Italian woman smiled and laughed before setting a wrinkled hand on top of mine. "Pretty bad. This caused lives to be lost, remember? Plus, the mafia, you know? They are cruel and always inhumane, in other words. 10. It can't get any worse."

Luca sighs with a hand on his face. "Luci, please tell me my father didn't do any dumb shit regarding my mother, because if he did, God knows what I'd do."

Lucille, also known as Luci (apparently), doesn't answer, and I think that answer is better than a spoken one. Gosh, I know my dad isn't an angel, but my mom? She's my twin in so many ways. I'd be heartbroken to find out she's not as good as she makes herself out to be.

Before we can get to questioning her, she continues with no warning. "Marco and Jessica were involved in a love affair when they were 26 and 34. Back then, no one had a clue, but secrets aren't kept for long in the mafia."

"But they had unfinished business back when Jessica was only 18. Okay, when they were 26 and 34, Jessica and Aziel were newlyweds and were new parents to two beautiful twins." She smiles at me. "By the way," she interrupts herself, "you are such a beautiful woman. Your parents carry your face well. Bless you so much."

Gee, I'd love for her to be my grandma. Unfortunately, my grandparents are assholes, so we all can't get what we want. "Anyway, Marco and his now-ex-wife, Francis, also Luca's beautiful mother, had just divorced. So we're dealing with newlyweds and divorced people."

"Aziel was always on business trips when his father was alive because they owned many companies around the world, so that meant traveling. From infancy to school age, Jessica was by herself most of the time, and so you and your brother," she says, looking in my direction, "were without a father."

Lucille turns her head to face Luca. "And you. Your mother died a month before Aziel began traveling due to postpartum depression. Jessica was also suffering from postpartum depression, so when Aziel left for trips, she had no one else to lean on during the tough times. Marco was grieving and was scared because he had no experience with kids. He didn't want to grow up and be a bad father to his son."

Luca snorts before quickly gaining his composure. "Aziel left for his California trip to take care of unfinished business, leaving Jessica and Marco in the same city, knowing they were enemies, and so forth. Marco had come by the De Santis' residence to help Jessica with the twins, and Jess agreed to help with Luca so he would know that there was a mother figure near that he could fall to."

"These two became close with you all, but alone? There was more that would happen between them that had grown to be somewhat romantic without a label. At first, Jessica couldn't do it because she felt as though she was betraying Aziel, but as time went on, she'd kiss Marco and tell him she missed him. She had gained feelings for him. She needed him because Aziel didn't pay attention to her and her needs."

"Meanwhile, Marco was using her to get over Francis. He just wanted closure. Jessica was the alive version of his ex-wife, whom he thought he hated but couldn't get over." Lucille stops when a loud ring from the phone takes the house by surprise.

She stands up and quickly moves past the both of us with the phone pressed to her ear. "Sorry, guys. My daughter. She lives in Italy."

We nod in consideration as she paces out of the room. I look at Luca, and he looks at me. Neither of us talked for a few minutes because the information was just too much to take in. I knew basic facts like the affair and his mother dying, but not in full detail. It was brief and simple.

"So," I say as I clap my hands together. "That was cute."

Luca glares at me with his blue eyes before sighing. Man, he must be really messed up about this. I mean, he has every right to be. "Usually, I'd participate in the banter, but I can't wrap my brain around this. My mom died of fucking postpartum depression, not a gun to her head."

He sits up, his face resting in the palms of his hands. A frown appears on my lips, and I find myself aching to comfort him.

First of all, ew. But second of all, why wouldn't I? I'm not the one who has to deal with the loss of a parent and hold the lies of his father in their hands. All I can find myself saying is, "I'm sorry, B," I say.

"Sorry doesn't fix my mother's death, DS," he says.

And suddenly a smile rises on my lips because I guess we're starting something new with the last name situation. DS for De Santis and B for Bertarelli. Quick, fast, and easy.

"You look like you need a good hug," I whisper.

He raises his head in pure annoyance. "Please enlighten me on what that means?"

"Well, you look like you need a shoulder to cry on right now. Unfortunately, you can't get the unlimited pass, so a day pass will have to be made due until then."

"I don't need to cry for fuck's sake, An—" I raise my eyebrows at the sudden revelation. "What was that?" I ask.

"If I say your name, will you leave me alone?"

I tap my chin in thought. "Definitely not. It'll be gold. I'll need to make a plaque for it; tell Leilani and everyone and their mother."

"You get on my nerves, Angelica," he says. Luca sits back against the cushion with a hand to his mouth. That's how he thinks, I've noticed. "Are you still offering that free-day pass hug?"

Damn it! I didn't know he'd take it seriously. "Yes, B." I scoot closer, and I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders as he sits in a stiff position. I smile a little uncomfortably as I hug him, and he looks at me. "Better?"

"Sadly," he says. A ring of notifications goes out from his phone. He takes his phone out of his pocket, looking at the unknown number listed on the phone. "It's got to be..."

"Mia..." I finish the sentence. "What are we going to do?"

Luca looks at me, and it's one of my thoughts. It's a nasty thought, and I do not like where the hell it's going from what I can see.