Hidden Away [Mafioso Book #2] (SAMPLE)

Chapter VI: Little Brother

Serafina had been trying her level hardest to avoid Paolo as much as possible, having her twin brother occupy him as she saw in her parent's bedroom, hiding. In the morning when she had arrived in their bedroom, her parents looked at her in confusion as they were getting ready, watching her get under their covers and rest her head on the pillow. Her mother had checked her temperature to see if she was sick but frowned when she was perfectly fine.

She didn't provide any explanations and they didn't prod, so placing a kiss on her forehead, they both left.

She liked Paolo, yes. He was sweet, sure. He's her first actual kiss, yes. But she didn't know how to do any of this. She had two boyfriends in her lifetime, neither one of them having lasted more than a week or 2 dates for that matter, and she just wanted time to figure things out between Paolo and her, and she couldn't do it if he was constantly hovering over her. On top of all that, her mind has made her consciously aware of the fact that maybe, Paolo is just using her to help him through his father's illness.

The exact same thing her father warned her against.

To her, Paolo didn't come off as such a guy, but she had learned the hard way that looks are horribly deceiving.

Serafina had spent almost the entire morning in her parent's bedroom. Maids had come and cleaned the room and gone, her twin brother peeked in once or twice, as did Marco, but she was beginning to get bored and there was nothing remotely fascinating in here. Exhaling she stood from the couch, deciding to pay her 'little brother' a visit since her twin was occupied and the eldest was somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.

Sneaking out of the bedroom, she opened Marco's room door, sliding in and closing it behind her with a sigh.

Looking up, she took in the ambiance of Marco's bedroom. He had a wide window adjacent to the door with a large bookshelf to her left. His bed stood in the center with the wall behind it being covered in star constellations. With a shelf, on which, he had placed several of his knickknacks. There was an ottoman rug between the bed and his study table which was littered with books and papers. A door stood in the corner which led to the changing room and then the bath.

Glancing about, Serafina noticed Marco sitting at the bottom of his window on his knees, fussing with a paper.

"Whatcha' doin'?" She asked in a sing-song voice, approaching his kneeling figure.

"Neither Salvatore nor Paolo are in here. You must be in the wrong room," He stated without looking up, his words having her wince. "Given that you're clearly not here for me."

He was right.

Since he had become a part of the Regnante family, Serafina hadn't been very accepting towards him. The only reason she had agreed was that her parents had wanted to make him a part of them. It was evident that she hardly ever spent time with him, and only talked to him when absolutely necessary. Other than that, she had no idea what her younger brother did or what his likes and disliked were, and Marco was aware of that fact.

He was 13, and he knew the feelings his sister harbored for him.

"Actually, I am here for you," Serafina forced a smile, refusing let him see how true his words were.

"Lies," Marco stated nonchalantly, shaking his head and still fussing with his paper. "You're just here hiding from Paolo because he kissed you,"

"H-howﾅhow do you-?"

"-Just because you don't talk to me doesn't mean that others don't," He sighed, straightening from his bent over position and held up his work: an origami rose. "I'd very much like it if you came into my room just for the sole reason to hang out with me and not to hide from someone."