Dangerous In Black (four)

Twenty

Alejandro

News that Sai wanted them dead had spread around the compound as Alejandro was growing angrier by the minute. Sai was getting on his nerves and not to mention the fact that Rome had been avoiding him for two days now. He'd apologized more than he could count but he just didn't understand why. That was the million dollar question and what exactly did he have to do to fix it.

He hated seeing her so sullen and her leaving every time he'd come around didn't help at all. Although, Alejandro knew where she was most of the time, he couldn't find it within himself corner to her and demand she tell him what was wrong, not too mention, now, she spent most of her time with Laya, who'd become Rome's designated protector, even while being eight months pregnant, Laya would still fight him if it came down to it.

Currently, Alejandro was in the gym alone. He'd wanted to be alone, ever since Rome had left their room without so much as a word. He sighed, gripping the gun in his hand before shooting the targets with brute force and the precision he'd been taught since he was a boy.
"Mind if I join you?" Alessando asked.

Alejandro nodded towards his younger brother who took the spot beside him and grabbed a gun.
"You're here, all alone?" Alessando muttered.

Alejandro huffed, "I'm always alone,"

This made Alessando scoff, "Not since Rome has been here,"

Alejandro bit his lip, "What do you mean?"

Alessando shrugged, "You're an asshole Alejandro, no buts about it."

Alejandro rolled his eyes, "—but Rome makes you less of an asshole, I'm saying this in the nicest way possible," he paused, "— and don't make me regret telling you this,"

Alejandro turned to him, "Ugh, I feel like I'm breaking girl code or something....."

"But you're not a girl....." Alejandro deadpanned.

"Shut up! But they were talking in confidence and I was there!" Alessando snapped, "So I feel like I'm breaking Rome's trust— but I'm helping you so,"

Alessando paused again, "Even if you did eat the last slice of cake yesterday!"

Alejandro rolled his eyes, wanting his brother to get on with it.

"She's not mad at you, you lump and you giving her space is only making it worse,"

"B—but she's avoiding me?" Alejandro stammered.

Alessando shook his head, "She thinks you're avoiding her,"

"What, that's not possible!"

Alessando folded his arms, "With girl logic, anything is possible,"

"Point is, her father blatantly admitted to you that he didn't care about what you did to her, he's always treated her horribly, I think you know that and Rome has the scars to prove it."

Alejandro, he hadn't seen them, but he knew they were there.

"Her father always made her feel worthless and she thinks you've realized how worthless she really is by her fathers easy dismissal of her."

Alejandro's jaw went slack.

"She thinks you don't want her,"

That's couldn't be farther from the truth, now more than ever did Alejandro want to take a bullet through his skull.

"Good god, I really suck at this," Alejandro groaned.

The statement made Alessando chuckle, "Yes! You're terrible," he said smiling slightly, "—but you're learning and Rome, she really really likes you,"

Alejandro's heart galloped in his chest.

"Thanks fratello" (brother) Alejandro said as left the room to go looking for her.

~*~

Alejandro cursed, for the first time in his life, he wished the compound wasn't so big. He'd been looking for her for ten minutes now, Alejandro sighed before his eyes settled on a small figure, a few feet away from him; Rome. She was walking, alone down the path, her mind seemed to be elsewhere as Alejandro hastened his speed to catch up to her.

"Rome," he said softly.

At the sound of his voice, she stopped in her tracks, her heel slowly turning to face him.
"Hi," her voice seemed fragile, her usual excitement to greet him gone.

Alejandro didn't know what to say, how did he begin? He wasn't used to this.

"Tesoro, tell me what's wrong,"

Rome bit her lip at his request.

"I'm always here if you need to talk, you know I am and I'm sorry if I made you feel like you can't talk to me, but you can about anything— so tell me what's wrong, please."

Rome's emerald eyes suddenly became glassy, "it's just he— my father....." she sniffled.

Alejandro reached out and engulfed her into his arms, her small body sagged against his and he felt her completely relax.

"All my life, he's treated me like I meant nothing, and for once I wanted him to want me, to want me safe but he doesn't care, he doesn't even love me." She sobbed, "— and I'm sorry for being a brat about it and not talking to you and.... and..."

Alejandro kissed her head, "Hey, hey, we're talking now,"

She nodded eagerly.

"After my father just tossed me aside like some used toy, I— I thought you'd think I wasn't worth it a—and end up leaving me too," she whispered.

Alejandro cupped her cheeks in his hands, "I promise you, I will never leave you willingly; I am nothing like your father and I'm not going to let you go, not in a lifetime."

Rome kissed him firmly on the lips before pulling away slightly, "Thank you, for making me feel special."

Alejandro kissed her forehead in response before they made their way back into the house.