Page 129 of King Of Order

The teasing vanished.

‘Scusa, fratello,’ Lorenzo called out his apology.

‘We get it, Rio,’ Alessio said, his voice quieter now. ‘We’re worried about you. We know this isn’t easy.’

‘We’ll come to you,’ Lorenzo added in a growl. ‘We’ll get the plane ready and be with you by morning.’

‘I don’t need you to—’

‘Too bad,’ Alessio interrupted. ‘We’re family. You’re not doing this alone.’

I closed my eyes, the tension in my shoulders loosening a fraction. This was how it had always been. We fought, we argued, but when it came down to it, we always had each other’s backs. Always.

‘What she doesn’t need is you clowns milling about staring at her like she’s in some sort of circus show,’ I muttered, rubbingmy temples. ‘Give me a few days, weeks for her to get better, then I’ll let you know, and you can haul your asses here.Per favore.’

‘Fine,’ Lorenzo conceded. ‘Hang in there,fratello. She will improve, and when she does, please tell us.’

I hung up, letting out a slow exhale.

I glanced inside the villa, where Mrs. Venetio was adjusting Chiara’s bedclothes, ensuring she was comfortable.

I wanted to rage at someone, anyone, even at the shadow of the looming Vesuvius.

Yet I couldn’t permit this to break her—or us.

I’d face this battle like all others throughout my life.

This time, it wasn’t just the family legacy on the line.

It was myleonessa, the woman I was falling hard for.

She didn’t speak for days.

Not a word.

She lay in bed, still, cocooned under the covers like the world outside ceased to exist.

Mrs. Venetio brought her trays of food—simple meals that should’ve comforted her—but Chiara would not eat unless I fed her.

At the worst part of the catatonia, her eyes dilated even more, and she had some death grip on things she got hold of.

She made random shifts and slow movements, like circling the pillow with her finger, clutching a blanket, and refusing to let go.

It was dreadful, and I became traumatized, rooted beside her at each moment.

Each passing minute stretched into eternity, and the knot of worry twisted tighter in my chest.

I slept restlessly, waking every so often to check on her and make sure she was still there and breathing. But each sunrise was the same.

After taking her medication, she’d stay curled up, eyes distant, unmoving, and her heart spirited to a place where I couldn’t reach.

By the time the fifth day rolled around, I was at my wit’s end.

Mrs. Venetio was a saint, doing everything she could to keep her comfortable, but I could see the worry in her eyes, too. It wasn’t only me.

That morning, as I stood by the window, staring out at the sea, trying to find peace in the waves, I heard a shift behind me.

It was subtle, a tiny sound, a brush of bare soles on the ground. It was enough to make my heart jump. I turned, and there she was, emerging from the covers for the first time in days.

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