One Hundred Four

*Domenico*

He sits there angrily pouting as he hears Enzo, Charlie and Samual getting ready to head out without him. He hated the fact that he couldn’t tag along. He had every right to be there to help and watch Moretti fall. Had every right to be there while he watched him die. After everything he had put him and his family through he felt the injustice of having to stay behind because of his injuries.

What the hell was he supposed to do waiting? Lying here on this stupid bed doing nothing but mope around driving himself crazy while they’re all out there risking their lives and getting the revenge he sought?

It wasn’t fair.

He wanted to go too and the more he thought about it, the more he was getting highly pissed off at the world. Just when he was convincing himself to get out of that bed, get dressed and follow them the door to his room softly and slowly opens.

Gia’s head pops back in and gives him a small tentative smile. “Care for some company?” she asks as they both hear the slamming of the front metal door, finalizing that he was truly left behind.

Sagging against the pillows he swallows hard to keep his emotions in check. “Sure why not.” He roughly states.

She walks in and shuts the door behind her before taking a chair that had been by Enzo’s bed and drags it over to his. Sitting down she looks everywhere but at him. He on the other hand stares at her with confusion and suspicion written all over his face. He had promised that he would protect her and that she could trust him with the truth. He just didn’t think the truth would be her being a Moretti, and a sister at that.

A part of him wished he hadn’t made that promise but at the time it was the only way to get her to really talk about what she was hiding. And it was definitely a big secret that she was hiding. Now on whether to believe her story or not was the real battle. She seemed quite genuine and truly scared of her family, but for all he knew it could all be an act.

The only way to keep the ball into his court is by keeping a close watchful eye on her. He couldn’t tag along with Enzo and the others but maybe he could do his part here with the sister of the man he wanted dead more than anything. Hell, maybe he could use her as leverage in case something goes wrong on Enzo’s end.

The more he thought about it, the more he was building a plan to use against Moretti. Regardless if she was telling the truth or not. This opportunity couldn’t be passed. But the more she sat there, and he stared at her profile, an inkling of some weird feeling began to settle within his chest.

He wasn’t liking the feeling at all.

Moving a bit uncomfortably he clears his throat a bit making her finally look up at him. He wasn’t sure why she decided to come back in here. Maybe it was because of what she had told him right before Enzo walked through.

“You didn’t tell him?” she suddenly asked.

Ah. Now he understood. He slowly shakes his head. “No, I didn’t. Enzo has enough on his mind right now with everything that your brother has done. He doesn’t need this to top it off. Besides, I can handle it myself.”

She quirks a brow at him with that last statement. “I’m not going to do anything if that’s what you’re worried about. I wouldn’t have told you the truth if I wanted to do any harm or get intel on any of you. I meant what I said about being a prisoner being in my own home.” She couldn’t help but scowl at him.

Now that he was really looking at her he could see the slight resemblance of the two siblings. While Dario held a dark aura about him she seemed to carry on a different light. Sitting up straighter he clasps his hands together and frowns at a new thought that entered his mind.

“Now that I think about it, I don’t remember ever a time that the Moretti’s ever mentioning they had a daughter.” He gently accused, watching her reaction.

He wasn’t disappointed. Her features turned one of stone with her lips thinned and her breathing jumpy. He looks down to see her tighten her fists on her lap and couldn’t help quirking a brow himself at her.

“I was never around for them to discuss about me. You should know how my father and brother are. They don’t take to mind of talking about me and my mother. We’re females and so we don’t matter when it comes to their sophisticated world.” She slightly bites out.

That was true enough and one he could actually believe. But he had a hard time believing that they would keep her hidden from all society. They didn’t with the wife and mother anyways. Everyone knew who she was even if she didn’t have much say in anything that they did. Titling his head to peer at her even more he asks,

“So, where have you been all this time then?”

She squirms in her seat for just a split moment before saying, “In Italy. For the last twelve years I have been at a catholic boarding school for girls.”

His eyebrows shoot up hearing that. Twelve years? Blinking he quickly asks, “How old are you?”

“Eighteen.” Was her just as quick response.

Eighteen? She looked no older than fourteen if he had to guess. She was small and petite and still had a baby face to her features. He wasn’t sure if she was telling him the truth of her age. Were they harboring a minor in their mist?

Rolling her eyes at him sensing that he didn’t believe her like everyone else, she pulls out her wallet and hands him her identification card. He gently takes it from her and stares down at the ID. Forever quirking that eyebrow of his, his other still slightly swollen but beginning to open up finally, he sighs seeing she was indeed telling the truth. And he could spot a fake ID without even needing to touch it he’s seen so many.

Handing it back to her he looks at her even more. He didn’t allow himself to think on it before believing she was just a child, but she was actually very pretty, even for a Moretti in his opinion.

“So, if you’ve been in Italy more than half your life then I guess you probably have no idea what’s going on, do you?”

She shrugs putting the wallet back in her pocket. “I learned on a few things while being home.”

“And how long has that been exactly?”

“Only a few months, but it was enough to be determined to get the hell away from here.” Her brows pinched as she said this making him a smile a bit.

“Guess you didn’t like how big brother and papa bear were treating you huh.”

She scoffs as she crosses her arms. “Not just me, but all women. My mother, she…” She sighs deeply looking a bit defeated. “Let’s just say now I know why they all seemed to have abandoned and forgotten about me while I grew up with the mean old hags.”

“Mean old hags?” he asks curiously.

“The nuns in the catholic school. And for the record I would rather deal and live with their barbaric ways forever than to ever step another foot inside my parents’ home.”

“That’s saying a lot.” He chuckles a bit, not caring that the action caused a sharp pain in his side.

“You have no idea.” She mumbles to herself.

Looking at her a bit more, he was realizing that maybe, just maybe, they had an advantage after all. If Gia Moretti was willing to help that is. With that conclusion set in his mind he decided that maybe he’ll get to know her just a bit more.