Explosive ( Bloody Heirs #1 )

What the fuck is happening?

ROMERO

The women stood frozen in place, Aida's legs rooted in place as unshed tears glistened in her eyes.

Karina too, stood rooted in place, a hand over her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks, her turquoise eyes bouncing between Aida and Natalya.

"What," Natalya whispered, stepping closer to Aida. "Is that...?" She trailed off, not finishing her question. She didn't need to.

I frowned. What the fuck was happening here?

"I-I-" Karina stuttered, a sob wrecking through her before she could finish her sentence. Stefan moved closer to her, his hands lightly massaging her shoulders, his face full of worry.

Aida's face went from shocked to blistering in a split second - so fast I wouldn't have recognized it had her eyes not narrowed. "You what?" She snapped at Karina, her tears now streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Karina said softly, powerful sobs making her balance herself against Stefan.

Aida's laugh was humorless. "Sorry?" Her voice raised. "Sorry?! We thought you were dead, Karina! Dead! For over nine years I thought you were dead," she jabbed an accusatory finger in Karina's direction who flinched at the harsh words.

Karina took a deep breath and when she spoke, her voice was as soft as always. "I'm sorry," she said, meeting Aida's eyes head on.

I knew they were twins - I'd compared their pictures to see how much they resembled each other - but nothing could've prepared me for seeing them both up-close and personal, looking like reflections of one another.

"What," Stefan began, his tone calm but edgy, giving away his anger. "The fuck is going on?"

Green eyes, filled with venom and rage snapped up to meet his, the smile on Aida's face bordering on manic. "Why don't you ask your girlfriend that hm?"

I felt Domenico stiffen beside me and I turn my head, eyeing him weirdly. He nudged his chin toward Stefan whose jaw was so clenched I was ready for it to break at any given moment.

My brother looked at Aida again. "Why? Does it pain you to talk about your sister that much?"

I glared at him. If what Aida was saying is true and they'd thought Karina was dead - she was more of a triggering subject than my brother's pea-sized brain could think.

Surprisingly, Aida looked at Karina, tears still streaming down both their cheeks as she answered with a soft "Yes."

Shock lightened Karina's features - as if she hadn't expected Aida to answer that question, and before anyone could object she broke away from Stefan, moving toward her sisters and brother.

She stopped a few feet away from the Mikhailov siblings. Karina gave Ivan a soft smile and he shot her a confused look, lighting pain in Karina's eyes.

"I'm sorry," she told Aida and Natalya softly, her smile turning nervous as she fought to keep it in place. "I'm sorry you felt that way if I could've I would've gone back to you so much sooner - I would've asked you to come here so much sooner-"

"-But you couldn't?" Aida interrupted, her tone dry, her features twisting in rage. Karina's eyes narrowed and her sister and for a split second I thought I was seeing double.

"Let me finish Aida," Karina's tone was lightly pleading and I internally cringed, knowing how Stefan felt when she had to do that. Aida gulped and motioned for her to go on with her hand.

"Understand that it was much more complex than I thought it was gonna be when they got me here," Karina said softly. Got her here...?

"It wasn't pleasant at all, I know that's what you're thinking. That I lived a perfect life here in New York, shielded from the dark corners of Vegas." She chuckled drily as she fiddles with her rings. "Believe it or not, the corners of New York weren't always filed with sparkling lights either."

Aida's expression was pained as she tilted her head up to the sky and even Natalya's usually happy facade was nothing but a mask of shock now.

Karina cleared her throat, her voice more calm now. "If you ever feel the need to talk - if you ever want to talk to me, I'll be right down the street from your house," her hand tentatively reached out and she wrapped her hand around Natalya's pinkie, giving it a squeeze, making the blonde's eyes well up with tears.

She gave her little sister a soft smile then removed her hand and put it on Aida's shoulder, gently tugging on a strand of Aida's hair - seemingly out of habit. Aida lowered her head and looked at Karina for a few tense beats before she nodded.

Karina's face lightened up and just as she was about to step away, Aida's hand shot out to grab onto a curl from Karina's shoulder and gently tug on it.

I didn't understand the gesture - it was probably they'd done countless times when they were young and it seemed to comfort them both so I kept my confusions to myself.

Stefan however, didn't understand the meaning of the word privacy yet and cleared his throat loudly, interrupting whatever sentimental moment the girls shared.

My eyes burned a hole in the side of his head until he turned and had the nerve to shrug. "Can we go now?" He asked the girls, boredom in his tone.

Karina whirled to him, hands on her hips and her eyes told me she was royally pissed. "I am so very sorry your very important schedule got ruined Stefan, but I just reunited with my siblings for the first time in nine years so if you could make yourself a little sensitive, it'd be appreciated," she snapped and walked off in the direction of Domenico's car, giving Aida, Nataly and Ivan a soft wave as she went.

Damn. The twins were twinning. I cringed at myself. I spent too much time with Fiorella for my own good.

I gestured Aida and her siblings toward my car. "Come on, get in," I told her in the most gentle tone I could manage even if I had to introduce her to my father in less than a few hours.

She scoffed at me as she came toward the car, refusing to get in before she made sure ( triple-checked ) that Natalya and Ivan were safe in the backseat.

I shut their door and opened hers, letting her to her own devices as I rushed to mine.

I put the car in drive and turned the music on, trying to make the boring as fuck ride more entertaining for Natalya and Ivan - who were busy on their smartphones anyway.

"You know," I murmured to Aida as we took the exit turn from the airport. "Those two are both perfectly responsible teenagers," I looked her from the corner of my eye. "I'm sure they'd be able to handle themselves - if given the chance."

She scowled, her pretty features turning downright satanic as she looked at me. "Are you suggesting I stop taking care of my siblings?"

I shook my head. "No-"

"-Good. It wasn't happening anyway," she snapped and turned away to watch the view.

I sighed. "You know I didn't mean that."

"I don't."

"How come?"

She turned her head at me again, her eyes locking with mine. "Because I don't know you."

I nodded. Fair enough. I had to remind myself I was the psychotically obsessed one here, not her.

A thought passed through my head. She'd get to know me soon enough and maybe then she'd return the obsessive feeling I had toward her. Maybe even love me at one point - although I wasn't about to risk my heart like that.

Not yet anyway.

"You'll get to know me soon," I promised her, a grin curling my lips as I turned back to the road.

"Stars forbid."

★

hey estrellitas ! new chapter of explosive here - who's surprised? i know i am. i wasn't expecting to write it this fast and to be honest, i'm very proud of how it turned out:)

i hope you all had fun reading, don't forget to comment and vote and i'll see you in the next chapter. i love you 🩶

- bex ⭐