Found and Forgotten

Chapter 14

Zeta POV

My brothers returned home and we are currently eating dinner. The twins greeted me with giant hugs. Massimo have me a half smile and a how are you. Enzo gave me a nod. Gianni walked right past me. 'Wide range of greetings' I thought, laughing to myself.

We are eating a variety of Italian foods as they make small talk about how their trip was successful and how they're glad to be home. They all seemed surprise that Xander wasn't grumpy for once, even joking about how he is the favorite brother now. It was a nice distraction from thinking about how my brothers will treat me once Xander tells them what he know. I understand that he needs to tell them though. Well he has to tell Massimo, but it's better to tell them all now then have to go through this every time one of them figures it out.

After dinner, I watch a movie with the twins and head up to my room. I get in my pajamas and engross myself in Pokémon to try to ignore my anxiety about the conversation that I am sure is happening somewhere in the house.

Massimo POV

I gathered all the boys in my office to discuss the information that Xander got from Zeta. I was worried that she would be mad at her telling all of us, but he assured she said she wanted to just get it over with. The twins sit on the couch patiently waiting. Enzo alone in a single chair looking emotionless, but he is paying attention. Gianni was standing looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. Xander was sitting alone, bouncing his leg. This is the first time in forever that I've seen him nervous.

"Xander" I say pulling him out of his thoughts. "You wanted to tell us about her past?" I ask.

"Uh yeah" he says. "Before I do though, she requested that you don't treat her different and that she hates pity."

"Oh come on, how bad could it be?" Gianni says.

"Watch it" I snap at Gianni, giving him a look that told him to shut up.

"Why don't you start with what happened when you came home?" I ask Xander, letting him ease into it.

"Right. Well when I cam home she was wrapped in a towel on one of the pool lounge chairs. When I asked her if we could talk, she jumped, clearly not expecting me." He paused. "That's when her towel fell, and that's where I saw it" he started.

"Saw what?" Matteo asks.

Xander clenched his fists like he was angry. "A scar that went across her entire stomach."

What the hell? Who hurt my sister? The entire room went silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Xander took the opportunity to keep speaking. "Obviously, I freaked out and asked her who did that. She didn't want to tell me. Why would she? I've been horrible to her. I apologized a ton and begged her to tell me" he rushes out.

After a deep breath he continues, "She finally revealed to me that one of her foster fathers did that when she was 12."

Fuck. Even Gianni looks pissed. Enzo becomes somehow even more still. Matteo is tearing up while Dante is starting to shake.

"Did you get a name?" I ask. I will kill him, not before many days of torture though.

"No. I tried, but she really ca.'t remember. She says she has been trying to remember, but all she can remember is having to call him 'Sir'" He reveals.

"We will find him" I reassure. "Is that all?" I ask, hoping it was just one bad home.

"I wish." He paused before continuing, "that night we had a movie night where we both fell asleep. When I woke up, she was gone. After looking around, I found her in her bed. When I was about to go to bed, she started thrashing and screaming in her sleep. It was terrifying. When I went to wake her, she shot out, gasping. It was a nightmare."

"Did she tell you what it was about?" Dante asked.

"She was reliving getting that scar. The asshole was drunk and high. He was paranoid. Beat her first and then sliced her with what she called his favorite knife." He took another breath. "She said she relives that once a week."

At this point, even Enzo is gripping his chair in anger. Gianni is looking down shameful. Good. I hope he feels guilty. As I begin to speak, Xander cuts me off.

"I'm not done. She said every single night is full of nightmares. Her lack of sleep wasn't just grief, but her other most frequent nightmares are remembering the crash in vivid detail. She watches her family die over and over again."

We are all speechless. She was abused? How long was she with that guy.

"I've been staying with her until she falls asleep at night, trying to help prevent the nightmares. She says it is helping. She does seem to be getting at least some more sleep" he reveals.

"Did she talk about anything else from her past, other than that scumbag?" I ask.

He nods. "We were at the pool again. She kept her shirt on and chose not to get in, which I thought was weird given that I knew about the scar. I let it go though thinking maybe she just wasn't comfortable. I splashed her and she plashed back. We were having fun, laughing a lot. At some point, her shirt rose up and I saw that her back is littered in scars. Mostly lash marks."

At this point, Matteo and Dante are crying. Xander is shaking. I look calm, but I'm starting to break. Enzo is practically breaking the chair, and Gianni is still looking down but now his fists are clenched.

"Same guy?" I ask.

"Her response has been replaying in my mind since. Some of them. He wasn't the only one who liked to use belts. He wasn't the only one. Our sister was abused. For ten years she was abused. From when father dropped her off at three until thirteen when she was adopted." He ends very emotional.

We are all breaking. Some crying , some with pure rage. How could we let this happen.

The boys don't even know that it wasn't for safety. I don't want to hurt them even more now. I let them just think it was the right intentions. She went through so much because of that asshole father. If he comes back, I'll kill him.

"How did we not notice? I mean I figured she was depressed, but she just went through the crash. I thought it was all grief." Matteo says.

"A lot of it is grief. The people who adopted her got her help to overcome her past. She used to be more fearful and timid. Her small appetite used to be smaller, they could only do so much for that. They didn't know about the nightmares. She hid that from everyone." Xander lets us know.

We are all quiet, stuck in our own thoughts.

Suddenly, Enzo speaks, so I know it'll be important. "You don't think she was touched at all do you?" He speaks all of our worst fears. I even see Gianni stiffen.

Xander shakes his head. We all breathe out, slightly relieved. "I asked her. One of her foster fathers tried when she was eight. She escaped through a window. Luckily, he was caught with drugs soon after so she was moved away from him. That's all I know."

Thank God there's no more. None of us could handle any more. "Ok boys. First, as per her wishes, we need to make sure to deal with our emotions and not pity our sister. Second, as we discussed, we will each spend a day with Zeta. I will start tomorrow and then we will go in age order. If your day doesn't line up with work or school, you can switch with another. Third, Xander we appreciate you staying with your sister until she sleeps, but we all need to be there for her. We will all take turns being with her until she sleeps. Am I clear?"

Some say "yes" and some nod. "Okay. We are done here. Get some sleep." I command.

"I'm going to check on Zeta" Matteo says.

The rest file out. Finally, I lose my calm. I take out a glass and pour in some gin. A single tear runs down my face. I should've known. Why did I trust him that he was keeping her safe? All that just because he didn't want a girl.

I sit there in guilt for hours before I pull myself together and head to bed. Tomorrow is my day with Zeta. I better make a plan.