Chapter 41: Chapter 41
"Sonia?"
His eyes widens reflecting mine of surprise. Same voice, different face. His once soft features, curly hair now masculine and sleek back, a deep scar ran down his ear to his neck. Choking on a sob, I began to sniff. Lucien is alive. My brother is alive. Not holding the tears anymore, I began to cry into my hands.
"Do you two know each other?" Ella muse, confused.
Meeting his teary eyes. "I-i saw you die. You died." Sitting up, I needed to be sure my mind is not playing dangerous tricks on me. He may have grown bigger, look different; but I recognise my brother even after eight years. The Vatore's aura, his eyes, his smile. He possess it all.
Stumbling a little out of sheer shock, Santiago caught me in his arms. "Baby girl? Look at me." Soft masculine voice pleads. Hot tears stream down my eyes as he helps me sit down, his thumb wipes my tears away.
"Be careful with her please. She..." Shaking my head for her not to continue. She pauses as both men looks at her which she slyly chuckles humorlessly. No one can know I'm pregnant, especially Lucien.
"He is not supposed to be alive." Just then, the so-called Lucien came close trying to touch me. Flinching, I scream at him.
"Who fuck are you? Who sent you? Did you come to torment me?" This is too much for me to handle. Crying on Santiago's chest not caring about his now ruined shirt, he coo's trying to calm me down.
"Sonia. I didn't know. I thought you died that day." Solemn brown eyes meets mine, I could see the hurt in his eyes and it surely broke my heart.
"Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on here?" Ella's worried voice chirps in.
"Remember what I told you concerning the death of my family." Looking at Lucien then back at her. "This, this is my.."
"Brother." He completes my statement. Her pupils dilate looking wide at him before meeting my eyes again. The worried expression disappeared switching to one of pity. I didn't want to be pitied. It made me recall when I was little and all alone. The looks everyone gave me when they see me, the fear I look at everyone suspicious of anyone around me. That is the same look Ella's face held.
"Hey, it is going to be alright." Flopping on the empty seat besides me, she pulls me in for hug. Santiago and Lucien giving us our space.
"It's not. I just found out my dead brother is not so dead and I have been stupid to not search for him, any of them. Rather thinking of my own safety than to go to the memorial of my dead families." Sobbing my heart out. "I didn't get to say goodbye to any of my family. I ran away Ella. I ran, and see what happens; Lucien has been alive. My brother is alive." Crying uncontrollably.
"You need to talk to him, okay?" Placing a comforting kiss on my head, She joins Santiago as Lucien came back to the table, to me.
"I'm sorry." We say unison getting soft chuckles from us. It made me remember how we finish each other's sentences when we were little. We were the perfect siblings, never apart. Wherever I was, he was there and vice versa. Aside the Vatore's, most people argued we were twins due to the closeness.
"I shouldn't have ran away that night. I should have stayed back, I should have done something; anything." I began to cry again for the umpteenth time. He quickly pulls me in his embrace.
"Shh. It's okay. I failed as a big brother to protect you. I thought..." pausing. "I assumed you died or worse taken by those men."
"I saw you die Lucien. You died in front of my eyes. I begged the stars to bring you back to me."
"Hey. I'm here now. See." nodding, I dry my tears looking at my long lost brother.
"What happened? How are you here?"
"Soon after I took the bullet for you, I remember mum came in and that's when I thought I died only gasping awake coated in my own blood. I saw bodies everywhere, Dad, Aunt Diane, Uncle Hector and the rest of the family dead. In panic, I search for you and mum hoping you both may be alive someway. Losing hope when I heard footsteps so I escaped through the secret passageway. I lost consciousness again, this time waking up on the island of where a kind sir and his wife took me in." My heart broke into a million pieces.
"I'm sorry. I should have searched for you." Crying.
"It is not your fault okay. Hey, Sonia, look at me. I am here now."
"I felt so alone Lucien. I kept running but they found me. I did as mum instructed but they found me. I had to come back home, I had to at least try."
"I am here now." Smiling, he grins. " Can you tell me why she said I should be careful with you." How could I forget, it is Lucien for fuck sake. Nothing passes him by, not even a little mistook word. Same old Lucien.
Smiling. "It's nothing. I got discharged from the hospital so she has been very sceptical about my stress level." Giving my best lie. Like I said, this is the very worst time to tell him he is going to be an uncle and the father of the baby is the head of the Russian Mafia. He will never understand. We were raised up with old Italian blood, the old ways, no fraternizing with the enemy. I blindly did, I fell for the head of the Russian and in my womb is a baby we both created. How can I explain it all to him? He will think I betrayed the family's name. I will be a disgrace to the Italian mafia, soiling the Vatore's name for carrying a child who belongs to the Russian.
Simply put it this way; he cannot know about my baby; not now at least. When that bridge comes, I will tell him but for now I only pray his Vatore senses doesn't see the pretty white lie I tell him.