Breaking Down His Walls

19 - Ive never been hugged before

The tension in the room lingered, thick and suffocating. Amelia felt like the air had been sucked out of her lungs, leaving her empty and vulnerable. She stared down at her hands, unable to meet anyone's eyes. The reality of everything they had just told her weighed on her chest, a burden she never expected to bear.

"Amelia, you should rest," Vincent said softly, breaking the silence. "We can talk more in the morning."

She nodded, her throat too tight to speak. Sleep seemed like the furthest thing from her mind, but the exhaustion pulling at her body couldn't be ignored. Slowly, she stood up, her legs shaky beneath her. Matteo was at her side in an instant, guiding her towards the hallway with a steady arm around her shoulders.

"Come on, Lia," he said, his voice unusually gentle. "I'll walk you to your room."

As they left the room, Amelia glanced back over her shoulder. Luca was still sitting there, his face as unreadable as ever. But something in his eyes caught her attention. A flicker of something—regret, or maybe frustration—before he quickly turned his gaze away.

Matteo led her down the quiet hallway, his arm warm around her shoulders. He was usually so lighthearted, always finding a way to make her laugh, but tonight he was quiet, sensing the heaviness of the situation. When they reached her bedroom door, he stopped and turned to her, his expression soft.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice low, as if afraid to break the stillness of the night.

Amelia managed a small nod, though she didn't feel okay at all. Nothing about this felt okay.

Matteo studied her for a moment, concern flickering in his eyes. "Look, I know this is a lot to take in. But just... don't shut us out, okay? We're here for you."

His words were kind, and Amelia appreciated them, but she couldn't shake the overwhelming fear that had settled in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know how to feel about any of this—about them, about her mother's legacy, about being dragged into a world she didn't understand.

"I'll try," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Matteo smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. He gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Goodnight, Lia. We'll talk more tomorrow."

She watched him walk away, his footsteps soft against the hardwood floor. When he disappeared around the corner, she quietly slipped into her room, closing the door behind her.

Alone in the silence, the weight of everything hit her all over again. She pressed her back against the door, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor, her knees pulled up to her chest. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she held them back, refusing to let herself break down again. Not tonight.

The sound of rain tapping softly against the window. The darkness felt suffocating, pressing in on her from all sides. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to find some semblance of comfort, but it was useless. Her mind was spinning, thoughts racing in every direction, unable to focus on anything for too long.

Suddenly, a knock at the door startled her. Her heart jumped into her throat as she quickly wiped at her eyes, standing up to answer it.

When she opened the door, she found Greyson standing there, his expression unreadable as usual. He looked more tired than she'd ever seen him, shadows beneath his eyes, but there was a softness in his gaze that surprised her.

"I just wanted to check on you," he said quietly, leaning against the doorframe. "Make sure you were... okay."

Amelia blinked, taken aback by his concern. Greyson wasn't the type to go out of his way to offer comfort, but here he was, standing at her door, his stoic mask slipping just a little.