𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄

XXI

M

The next morning.

It was quiet.

Not the comfortable and peaceful quiet that Damien and I often enjoyed when we basked in one another's presence. Instead, it was an awkward silence; the type of quiet that felt loud and uncomfortable. I could practically hear my heart racing in my chest.

I gnawed on my lower lip as I sat by the island in the kitchen. My eyes remained glued on my plate of breakfast that I had barely touched. I couldn't eat, not with how nervous I was.

Mindlessly playing with the scrambled eggs on my plate, I set my fork down and reached over to pick up my glass of water before daringly lifting my gaze up to glance at Damien.

He sat opposite me with the Devin Times sprawled out in front of him and his phone in hand but I knew he wasn't looking at either of them because his eyes were already on me.

I lowered my gaze back to my plate wordlessly.

This was worse than awkward.

After what happened at Gio's birthday yesterday, I hadn't said a word to Damien. I needed the time to process my thoughts and as a result I practically avoided Damien like the plague.

We hadn't talked and I regretted it, only because I wished for him to answer the many questions I had running rampant in my mind. He tried on multiple occasions to try and talk with me but I wasn't ready to face what little truth he would tell me in order to alleviate the tension.

Everything that happened yesterday opened my eyes and I came to the unfortunate realisation of what I already knew deep down. I didn't have to be told that this was no fairytale, I knew that but what I was naive to were the traditions of Damien's family—more so the Famiglia that he seemed hellbent on shielding me away from.

The sound of my chair moving back against the ground caught Damien's attention as he watched me pick up my plate.

I could hear him sigh heavily and it made my heart clench.

As I emptied the contents of my plate into the bin, I set it in the sink before I began to quickly wash it. With the awkward blanket of silence, I turned on the faucet with shaky hands, using the sound of running water to cover the sudden tension. From the corner of my eye, I could see Damien rise up from the stool with his empty plate in hand.

Setting it on the counter, he moved to stand behind me where he rested his hands on my hips gently.

I stopped myself from leaning back into him, instead choosing to focus on drying the plate I had finished washing in my hand.

"Mina..." his low husky voice sounded, sending shivers down my spine. My body was betraying me as usual.

"What did I do that's got you upset?" He questioned, running his hands down my sides. "Talk to me."

After drying my hands, I rested them down on the counter. "Nothing.." I said quietly, my tone chipped.

"It can't be nothing because you've been ignoring me." He sighed. "Just talk to me, bambina.."

I bit the inside of my cheek. "There's nothing to talk about right now." I murmured before stepping out from his hold, knowing I'd crumble if I stayed any longer in his grasp.

I avoided his gaze as I reached for my bag on the island table before making my way around him when he followed me, only to be stopped when he gently tugged me back by my wrist.

I looked down at his loose grip which firmed after he stepped closer towards me, closing the gap between us.

"Don't lie to me, Mina-" he sighed, holding me close to him. I lifted my hand to rest on his chest, just over his heart.