Their Wife (Reverse Harem)

74

Sofia.

Our frames engulfed in yet another embrace, strong arms surrounding us with protectiveness. I pulled away from my mom regaining my composure enough to say something. Anything.

But then my eyes met his.

My throat bobbed harshly pricking at how parched and thirsty I was feeling. Emotions tightening their hold on my racing but anxious heart.

I never knew how much a single look could convey. How many feelings it can hold. How much grief was different than sadness. How much admiration and love differed. This man- this stranger however made me see them.

Made me see myself in him.

His longing. His desperation. His love. The fire in his onyx eyes seems to hold a fathomless amount of wisdom and care.

He didn't really know me but I was his daughter.

A daughter he never knew existed and here I was being stared at like I held the moon in my hands and handed it to him.

I was supposed to say something by now but how could I? What was the appropriate thing to say in this situation?

What was I supposed to do? Do I cry even if my eyes had dried out, already. Do I tell him about the horrible things I had to go through by myself?

He couldn't protect me from his enemies. Was it his fault that I was kidnapped as a baby? No- yes, it was partially his fault. There was no denying that.

The rivalry between him and Adrian did this.. they separated me from having a family, brothers that cared, loved and protected me. A mother that would've held me and told me that everything was going to be alright.

One that would've cared for me, that would've given me 'the talk' before I got my period for the first time instead of being mocked for not knowing and thinking that I was bleeding to death. Gosh. I shuddered at the horrid memory.

I needed a mother figure in my life more than I have thought, one that would've taken care of me when I was sick and helped me get better.

One that would've helped me navigate through the difficulties I'd face in life. That would tell me to hold my head high and never let anyone walk over me.

However, life was a cruel, cruel bitch.

My father noted the disturbed look on my face and said, jolting me from my thoughts. "Sofia. Baby, are you okay?" How could I explain that I was okay but still felt bad. Like really bad.

I finally found my family but I had missed so many things. So many memories that could have included me. Precious memories and moments that I would've experienced were gone to waste.

But fuck, there was no need to cry over spilled milk. I chided myself.

That was in the past, the future was what mattered at the moment and I was going to spend it with no regrets.

I always joked around Carter about my daddy issues while not having a father and wondered what I'd be like if I did have one but this seemed all too good to be real.

This man's taller and confident stature was enough to scare a grown man with the amount of power he oozed, his rough appearance adding to the mixture yet he looked like a wounded puppy gazing at me with the softness that every child deserved to feel from their parent.

"I-- I'm thirsty," I rasped clutching my nape. "But definitely okay. More than okay a- actually, and I just don't know what to say, right now." I stammered, shyly.

Marcella smiled, amused. "I apologize for being overbearing and this emotional." To prove her point, she wiped the fat tears that rolled from her pale flushed cheeks. "I suppose that dinner is served. We should head to the dining room, the boys are impatient when it comes to food." She tittered, the sound sounding soft but broken.

"I'm practically the same." I laughed. "Food is life to me. Telling that my Fratellini were the same as I am is fucking awesome." Adding as I swung my hands behind my back and smiled up at her.
(Brothers)

"Language." I facepalmed hearing my father gruffly murmur.

"Oh, look it's Nadei 2.0," My mother laughed loudly, her eyes squinted adorably, showing her amusement at my snarky comment.

I didn't know how I was supposed to talk to them and just stopped trying to hold back my usual morbid sarcastic but sometimes cheerful self. I was going to be me.

"Dio Mio, Amore, I needed that." She giggled pulling a soft snort from me as the dark haired man quirked a brow in amusement, his lips thinning with restraint.

He was holding back a smile and that itself felt like an accomplishment to me.

"Men are all the same, neonata. They can curse but don't want us to because it makes us sound less feminine." She sassily added. "But I say fuck it and fuck their barbaric rules. They always assume that they'll order us to do something and we'd just comply. Idioti." She scoffed pinching the bridge of her nose in exsparation.

"Let's go neonata."

We both ignored the sound of a throat clearing in the background and moved towards the door, "I- I need to change." I felt uncomfortable, slightly sweaty in my clothes and needed to redress.

"Okay, Bébé." My mother softly crooned turning to Giovanni's way. "You," he pointed at himself, a dark brow raised. "Shoo." I had to stifle a laugh at the way she turned around pushing me to the closet before he got another say.

But Oh, my freaking goodness. I loved her energy.

_

After getting a change of clothes and having my mother brush my hair for me. Gods, I had a mom. I was so freaking giddy and giggly, my heart was practically bouncing with happiness.

We ascended the stairs laughing at the embarrassing, troublesome antics Aurelio pulled when he and Valentino were kids.

The funniest one was when he broke Vale's bike and blamed it on Renzo who unluckily didn't know how to use one and was clumsy as hell. Aurelio being himself used it against him to get out of trouble.

Upon entering the dining room, arms linked and our eyes twinkling with renewed warmth, Nikolai rushed to my side pulling me to him. I forced down the snicker building in my throat at the way my mother glared at him.

"Lyubov'," he kissed my forehead, tenderly tightening his arms around me. "Did you sleep well?"

I nodded slinking my arm around his waist as we walked to our seats where everyone was sitting and conversing amongst each other looking like a big family.

"Aurelio didn't disturb you with his snoring, did he?" Nikolai asked, undertoned humor in his voice.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I slept like a rock and I wouldn't have known if Lio snored or not. But how did you know that he does?"

The hulking blond man snorted tugging me tighter to his side. "We had too many sleepovers-as he liked to call them- to know that his high pitched snoring almost got us to use hearing aids." My lips curled stopping my laughter.

"Here, little one, sit." Nadei spotted us, pulling out a chair for me next to him. My hand automatically grasping his under the table as Nial took my other one softly pecking my knuckles, not bothering to address the odd look in my brothers' eyes.

"Baby girl." Brown eyes kissed the side of my head in greeting as my hand tightened around his. My head leaning against his bicep.

"Bello." I smiled nuzzling him.

A large smile graced my face as my eyes scanned the lively table. It looked so complete. The laughter, the smiles and happiness was radiating through us.

My brothers seemed so happy.

My parents looked ecstatic too.

My men looked so at ease, normal and energetic.

Gods, this was all I ever wanted.

I had a family. A big one. And there it was.

Maybe my life was finally looking up and this was where I belonged.

With them.

My family and the trio.

The lost threads of my soul were finally being stitched back together and my lost memories were finally being replaced with new ones.