Chapter 169: Unexpected Guests

SANCIA

Some people really should come with warning sign labels. I thought my eyes fix on the man sleeping beside me, something like ‘Beware Unhinged Psycho Here’ should be plastered right on Diavolo’s forehead; the man is seriously unstable.

His mood could fluctuate from zero to a hundred in no time. At other times, he could be uncharacteristically gentle, and the mood swing is doing me in.

The way we’d gone from yelling at each other to jumping each other should have alarmed me, but I wasn’t in a state of mind to get into it. I love him regardless of who he was, and I’m willing to give us a chance.

I stretched, and every inch of my body is deliciously sore. And I’m in such a good mood that I don’t even want to give that logical voice inside me a chance.

Lorenzo was still sleeping when I silently slipped out of bed, tiptoeing on my bare feet. I padded around the room, my heart warmed when I saw my clothes were perfectly washed and pressed. I took a quick trip to the bathroom before walking back into the room and dressing up.

I took another look at the bed. My heart thudded in my chest at the sight of him sleeping so peacefully. All that sculpted, gorgeous, tattooed upper body was on full display, except his lower half, his naked ass and thighs, which were covered beneath the sheets.

Even in his sleep, I could see the defined bulge hiding behind the sheets. With a last regretful sigh, I hadn’t expected, I turned away from temptation and slipped out the door and down to where he had parked the car last night.

“Hello, Signora.”

“Jesus,” I scream, almost jumping out of my skin. I whirled around, and there was a short man, probably in his late thirties, behind me just as I was about to open the car.

I narrowed my eyes at him. He looked familiar; it took a while for me to remember where I’d seen him. He was there, back at the hospital, when Diavolo was discharged, or rather, when he discharged himself.

“Would you like me to drive you back home?” he asked, bowing respectfully.

“That’s not necessary,” I replied with a polite smile. “I can drive myself, but thank you for the offer,” he nodded.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know your name. I’m Sancia,” I added, stretching my hand between us.

“Frederico, Signora.” He bowed but didn’t reach out to touch my hand. I nodded, opened the car door, and sat my ass down. A couple of minutes' drive, and I was back at the mansion.

I was still thinking about my night with Lorenzo, the delicious ache in my body, my head in the clouds, and as such, I didn’t notice the people waiting for me in the living room until I heard a soft, feminine voice call my name.

“Sancia!” a familiar voice shouts. I barely caught myself as Isabella wrapped her hands around me in a big hug.

I automatically hugged her back before slightly pushing her away from me. “Isabella, what are you doing here?”

Her face instantly fell. “We haven’t seen each other in two years, and that’s the first thing you want to say to me? Not how have you been, or I miss you.”

I sighed and forced cheerfulness I didn't feel into my voice. “How have you been, Isabella? I miss you,” I said, face blank.

“Now, what the hell are you doing here? Did Mama or Sergio send you? Where is he? Did you come here alone?” I glanced around, and my eyes fell on the tall figure seated opposite her.

“Hello, Sia.”

Antonio. Lorenzo was right; Antonio was in London. He’s probably been here for a while, and if I held any doubt that he was the one who attacked Lorenzo, that doubt is gone.

Rage so strong hit me square in the gut, and I had to remind myself of everything we'd discussed with Lorenzo not to throw myself at the bastard and strangle him to death.

“Hi, Antonio,” I whispered, more like gritted through my teeth. It took great self-control. I didn't know I had to force my face into a blank expression as I glanced at him.

“Why are you both here? How did you even find me? Did something happen?” I rambled.

“It’s Mama,” Isabella replied sadly. “She’s sick, Sancia.”

My heartbeat tripled, and I swallowed something bitter. “What happened? What’s wrong with her?” My voice was softer than I intended.

Isabella shrugged. “She’s sick, has been sick for a long time; she’s been asking to see you for years, we just couldn’t find you, not until her condition became serious and she was hospitalized a few days ago, that Sergio decided to tell us where you are.”

I swallowed as I found a chair and sat down; my legs suddenly felt weak. Isabella sat beside me while Antonio followed our cue and sat down in the opposite chair.

“Sergio always knew where I was?” I asked quietly.

Isabella nodded. “He said he wanted to make sure you were safe and didn’t want to disrupt your new life, which was why he never reached out.”

“And it’s why he never told us; he even stopped me from looking for you,” Antonio added.

I blinked back tears and smiled. I guess I should be grateful to Sergio for keeping this snake away from me for this long.

“When did you guys arrive, and when are you leaving?” I asked, suddenly.

“What do you mean when we leave? Are you not coming with us? And we just arrived, Sia. We were so impatient to see you that we came here directly from the airport,” Isabella said, a bit disappointed. “Don’t tell me you’re not happy to see us.”

I could smell the lie. I knew they’d been here for three days, but I flashed her a soft smile.

“Of course, I'm happy to see you, just caught me off guard. After everything that happens, I can't help but think there’s a reason you’re here.”

“Of course, there is; we want to take you home with us. I understand your reluctance, but we came in peace, Sancia,” Antonio replied.

“Home? Which home?” I replied coldly. “The same home that blamed Dario and me for everything? The same place and people who want to take my son away?” I was getting angrier as I spoke.

“Sancia…”

“Don’t say anything, Isabella, I'm willing to visit and check on mama, because despite everything, she's still my mother and I want her to be healthy and live a long life, but if you’re here to take me back, I'm afraid your trip is wasted, because I’m never living in that house again, this is my home now.”

“Sia, relax, it’s nothing to get worked over on. We don’t expect you just to leave everything and come with us, but your mother needs you, we all need you in our lives, and don’t tell me you haven’t missed us, because I won't believe you.”

“Antonio is right, Sancia, you don’t have to make your decision right now, just think about it, okay.” I open my mouth to say something, but she squeezes my hands. “Please.”

I kept quiet, but my decision was final. I won’t be going back to that house permanently. I didn’t tell them I was already going back to Italy because I have things to take care of, like the asshole beside my sister, or the fact that I’m going there with Lorenzo.

After all, it will ruin our plans. Right now, I don’t even trust my sister, much less the asshole I hate with all my heart.

“Sia, I don’t see Dario. I'm assuming he’s already asleep? How is he?” Antonio said.

“Yeah, I've missed him so much. I can't wait to see the little heartbreaker? How tall is he now?” Isabella added.

“Very tall, and Dario is fine.” I kept my answer short, but smiled to soften the bluntness.

Then, as though Antonio had just realized how late I'd come back home. “Is everything okay? You look like you had a rough night.”

I glance down at myself. “Yeah, I had a particularly long week, with school and my job, so today, being Friday, I decided to have a couple of drinks with my friends.”

“I can’t imagine how hard your life is with that bastard back in it. Did he contact you? Are you okay? Are you safe? I heard he’d lost his memories?” Antonio asked, pinning me in place with a penetrating stare.

And there it was, the trap. Antonio thought he held the upper hand. But I knew better.

Lorenzo had already warned me, and that gave me an edge; a half-truth should be enough to keep him from getting suspicious.