You Again (Completed) ✔️

54.

"I wasn't locked in. The guards tried to kidnap and threaten me because of some boss that doesn't want me to have anything to do with my uncle, who's behind bars."

Knox steps aside and lets me enter his office. Photos of different family members line the walls. He watches me closely as I take everything in. "Why don't you take a seat so we can talk?"

My fingers run across the brown shelf in the room where the photos are. "Am I going to be interrogated because of what happened at Twin Towers Correctional Facility?"

He shakes his head. "No, I'm not going to do that. I want to talk to you like a friend would."

Slowly moving over to the chair, I say. "We're not going to be friends, Mr. Moretti. You'll get all the information you need from me, and then make sure that I don't darken your doorstep again."

Knox takes a seat behind his mahogany desk. "You don't trust people, do you?"

I laugh. "Since I returned home, there hasn't been any reason for me to trust people. The ones who should have been happy that I'm back don't want me, and the one person I shouldn't like is why I'm staying here. Isn't that messed up?"

Lauren sits next to me and places her hand on my arm. "I know exactly how you feel. Knox and I had a similar thing happen when we first met, but things worked out perfectly. I believe the same will happen for Cole and you."

Is she always this optimistic?

Knox looks at his wife, and his eyes shine as he says. "That's not messed up, Julia. At least you don't have to go through everything I did to have Lauren as my wife. Many people didn't want me to marry her, but in the end, love won out, and they were happy that I would have heirs that would one day take over the empire."

Looking at Lauren, I say. "How do you feel about your kids taking over the empire?"

She stands up and walks into Knox's arms. "Our firstborn son will make an extraordinary head of the family when the time comes. We're raising him to be kind to people, but when it comes to criminals, we have to teach him to be hard on them, or else people will walk over him when it comes time for him to take over."

"Will he have guys stand by him? When they're growing up?"

He nods. "I have a few men that have sons around his age."

"That's good."

Knox looks at the table and then back at me. "How is it that I wanted to talk to you about your life, and you can make us talk about ours?"

I shrug. "It comes naturally to me, Knox. People often like talking about themselves, but I see how hard it is for you because you're the head of a criminal empire. Just know you can call me if you need someone to talk to."

He runs his hand across his face and sighs. "I see why Cole had to be cold towards you in high school. You're the type of person people want to share secrets with, but that can also get you killed. I'm surprised that you haven't affected Amalia yet."

A smile spreads across my face. "Amalia's the type of woman who has few words, but I can tell she misses her husband and kids. Why don't you let her bring them here while she trains?"

Lauren steps in this time, saying. "She's afraid of taking them with her because the family could turn against her. Having her husband stay behind and lead the family makes her life easier. Things are always going to be harder on Amalia."

"Because she's a female?"

"Yes," Knox says. "I don't want my daughter to lead the family. They will treat her like shit, and I don't want that to happen to her."

Hearing the pattering of tiny feet, Lauren says, "Here comes the little one."

"Daddy," the door opens, and I see the cutest little boy. He has blonde hair and blue eyes like his parents. "Can we go to the park?"

Knox scoops the little boy up. "Sure, I need to get out of this office." Looking at me, he adds. "We'll talk again later?"

"Sure," I stand up and walk out of the room. "Can someone show me to my room? I want to rest up before dinner."

"I'll show you," Lauren says, leading the way to the bedroom. "We usually don't have many visitors at once, but I'm glad you're here, Julia."

"I've only been brought here because Cole wants to ensure I'm safe after what happened today. There's no better place for me to be than in a house full of mafia members. I hope the people that were after me at the Correctional Facility don't come for me while I'm here."

"If they do. They're stupid. Knox has this place secured like fort knocks."

I enter the room with purple paint on the walls and matching curtains. "Thanks,"

Lauren closes the door, and I walk over to the bed.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I call Cole. He answers after a couple of rings.

Cole: Hey, Julia.

Me: Hey, Cole. What are you doing?

Cole: I'm about to go out for dinner with family. You?

Me: I'm crawling into bed at Knox's place.

Cole: Are you feeling okay?

Me: I'm tired of everything that happened today. I wish you were here and not in New York.

Cole: Me, too.

We're quiet for a moment before Cole says.

Cole: The high school reunion is in two weeks, and I was wondering if you'd be able to attend with me.

Me: I promised myself I wouldn't step foot in our old high school again, but being able to move forward from what you did to me is making me wonder if I can do the same with the other people from school.

Cole: Does that mean you're coming to the reunion?

Me: Yes, Cole. I'll go with you.

Cole: That's great. Can we make it like it's our prom? I will come to your house in a limo with flowers and chocolates.

I laugh.

Me: If you weren't the asshole you were in high school, would you have asked me to prom?

Cole: Yes, I would have. I didn't want you to know my secret of being in a mafia family. That's why I had to do what I did. My life back then was dangerous as I was helping my cousin in New York when we were in high school.

Me: Thanks for telling me, Cole. If you had asked me to prom, I would have accepted.

Cole: I will make our high school reunion a night for you to remember, Julia.

Me: Okay.

I close my eyes and listen to Cole as he talks to me. The last thing I hear before he hangs up is.

Cole: Sleep tight, Julia. I can't wait to see you on Monday.