CLAIMED

Mia Familia

                                                                                      Bella

The door was shut with force, the voice echoing in the whole mansion. Diego sat on the chair with his head hung low. I was unable to process what had happened right in front of my eyes. what was so dangerous, even for Lorenzo to do? And why did Diego mention him dying by saving this "Marco"? Who was Marco? Thoughts just appeared one after another, the more I thought about what just happened. I stood up from my chair and approached Diego, gently caressing his back. He didn't react, as if I wasn't there. "Diego?" I whispered, not wanting to upset him further. He hummed, as an indication for me to talk. "You okay?" I asked, crunching down in front of him so I could see him properly. He looked back, sadness showing through his tough guy aura. He nodded as he sent me a little smile. "Yeah" he muttered as he stood up and held my hands, pulling me up with him. I smiled at him as he hugged me from the side. "Don't worry cutie. He has been through worse" he whispered as he saw me staring at the hallway, which I had seen Lorenzo exit. "You know him the best" I answered as I pulled back. "Get ready. I will drop you home" he said as he started cleaning up the mess Lorenzo had made. I looked at Diego with adoration. He surely did care for him, if he was cleaning for him when they had quarreled. Diegos sentence took time to register in my mind, but when I did, I shook my head. For some reason, I didn't want to walk away from him in this state. It was obvious that he was tired and if tomorrow was going to that hard, I would rather lay in his arms tonight. Even though I know I shouldn't let my heart get close to him, its already affected. And he is too. I can see it by the way he treats me good. Moreover, he hasn't done anything for me to think otherwise.

"What you thinking about?" Diegos voice interrupted my thoughts.

"I will stay here" I said, expecting for Diego to shut down my idea. However, he didn't. he only smiled and nodded.

"Good. Here. He needs it" he spoke and threw something in my direction. I picked it up as I saw him walk towards the exit. "Diego" I hissed, my face flushing red, as I saw the condom in my hand. He winked in my direction and laughed when I threw it back on him, hitting his face. He laughed his way out and I went to Lorenzos room after I heard the door lock. I followed the exit he took from the kitchen and walked down the hallway to his room. The walls were covered in what seemed like family pictures. It was portrays of each members and damn, everyone was flawless. It must be the genes, I thought as my eyes wandered to the girls in his family. Their long, thick and blacks locks were to die for. And so was the piercing gazes of the guys in the family. I walked down the hallway, looking at every photo before my eyes landed on a picture of someone so familiar to Lorenzo. He had the same features, but he seemed nicer by the way he smiled. I smiled at the picture as I thought about my own family. It felt as if my heart had been hit by stones, by the way it pained from the memory. It would have been nice to have a picture of my brother in my apartment too. After all, he is the only one I have left. If he is left.

"Princess, listen to me" Khalid whispered to me as he held on to my hands. I could see the fear in his eyes, even if he was trying to cover it up. A tear escaped my eye and rolled down my chin, before it was wiped away by my brothers' protective hands. The hands I had felt the most secure in.

"You must run, okay? Just run. No watching the right and left, your only focus is right ahead, yeah?" he whispered as he stepped closer to me. I nodded my head, hearing the chaos outside. Gunshots and screams were the only thing I could make out. Some screams too familiar for me to ever forget.

"What about you?" I whispered back, as my form trembled in his embrace. If I could hold his hand forever and frame this moment so it stops, I would do that.

"I will find you, princess. I will find you no matter what" he whispered; his voice so hoarse that some letters fell right through his mouth. Unable to be as strong as him. I shook my head as I looked at him; "What is happening Khalid?" I asked, several tears running down my chin. "life isn't precious to nice people, but its okay. This is temporary" he whispered and took my hand, standing up tall.

"Now, when I say run Isabella, you fucking run". Khalid spoke with so much determination that even I nodded. My family weren't cowards, neither am I.

I sighed out loudly, touching my damp chin. I brushed away the tears on my eyes, as I sighed out loudly. Four years has passed and there is still no Khalid to hold me and reassure me that life will get better. Baba was a good man and was punished for doing his job with passion. He was murdered by the family of someone he had arrested. The last months with my Baba were filled with running from one place to another. He would tell Khalid stuff that I didn't get to know. it was as if he was making sure that we wouldn't be lost when he would have to leave.

I heard the bed creak and I took a breath in and walked in the door. it was dark, but I could make out Lorenzo sprawled on his bed. He was still in his clothes and shoes, as if he had just passed out in an instant. I walked up to him and took off his shoes and set them aside. I looked at his tall and muscular figure and wondered about how I would drag him to lay up on the bed, instead of him nearly falling off. After a lot a dragging and pulling him, I was surprisingly able to get him in a good position. I unbuttoned his shirt and laid it on the large couch. his strong chest was on full display and even if I couldn't see it in the dark, it felt rock hard. I stood up from the bed and walked to the bathroom with a T-shirt of his. I stepped into the shower and felt the warm water wash over the memories I had fished up. I lathered up my hair in different mens shampoos and stepped out when I had taken a long shower. I got clothed down and unlocked the door as I stepped back in the room.

I gasped as I saw Lorenzo sitting on the edge of the bed. He had taken of his pants and was sitting in his boxers with his head in his hands. "You scared me" I said as I walked over to him. he pulled me to him and tucked me in bed before laying down beside me. He looked at me as I traced random patterns on his chest. "You smell good" he whispered in my ear as I looked up at him. I smiled at him and felt his hands roam around my body. he nuzzled his face in my neck and started leaving small kisses on my neck. "Don't be mad at Diego. He only wants what is best for you" I whispered, knowing that he could hear me good. My statement didn't seem to faze him by the way he continued his assault on my neck. He kept on kissing and sucking the same spot and I was sure that a moan would leave my mouth if I didn't stop him. I pulled him back so our eyes were on the same level. "Did you hear me?" I asked him. he smirked at my bossy tone before answering; "What about you?". "Huh?" I asked, confused by his answer. "What do you want for me?" he asked me, and I was sure I felt my heart flutter. "I-I-does it matter?" I asked frustrated by my stuttering. He smiled at me, like a full-on smile, and my heart warmed up at the thought. "You matter the most to me amore, so yeah. Your opinion matters" he spoke, looking straight in my eyes. I was dumbfounded at him and his confession. I looked around the room, not knowing what to say. However, I was stopped when his hand held my face and pulled it closer for a kiss. I was stunned at how slow and sweet it was, completely opposite to the previous one. He surely was different from how he was portrayed by people. He suddenly didn't feel like the "Mafia Lorenzo" I heard of when I had escaped to this neighborhood. "I want the best for you too" I muttered after the kiss as I pulled myself upwards to kiss his forehead. He hummed as my lips met his forehead and I heard him whisper something that eased my heart. "Then don't try to stop me about tomorrow amore. It is for my best". All the worry I had in my heart vanished and I pecked his lips as if to tell him that it was okay.

He pulled me closer to his chest and pulled my T-shirt to my waist. He caressed my legs and I was about to drift off to sleep when I heard him talk again; "Ey, amore" he whispered, to which I hummed with my eyes closed. "When I was younger, my father told me that the mansion would be the familias home". It was a long silence and I still had my eyes closed, but didn't answer back when he said my name. I was too tired to answer. Expecting him to fall asleep too, I was stunned to hear him continue. "He was wrong. The mansion never became my home. Fuck, what is home without familia, right? And I have none. So I have made up my mind amore, home is not a mansion. Home is where the heart blooms and I swear flower, after a long time.....it feels as if I have found my home"