Page 36 of Did My Heart Love Till Now?

Trudging down the hallway, I peeked in the rooms to admire the décor again. Once in the master bedroom, I grabbed the remote and threw myself onto the bed lazily. Taking a deep breath, I powered on the display and flipped through the stations until I came to a movie.

At some point, I must have fallen asleep because I remembered nothing about the film. I rolled over, glancing at the clock on the bedside table. I gasped. “Oh no!” I crawled off the bed with haste, straightening clothes. I had been asleep for four hours!

I ran around, double checking everything before I left. I examined the windows to make sure they were locked then sprinted down the stairs and out the door. The lock! I spun around and opened the door. Grabbing the doorknob on the other side, I twisted the lock and closed it once again.

The unmistakable sound of a cigarette lighter igniting behind me caused me to jump. Startled, I spun on my heels, exhaling audibly. Nick! Suddenly, my throat went dry. I gulped.

In the shadows, my brother was leaning his shoulder on the brick building, one foot crossed over the other. Cigarette between his lips, he inhaled deeply. A cloud of grey smoke sifted through his lips as he removed the vice and pinned it between his fingers at his side.

“Nick, I—” I couldn't even finish my own sentence. Truthfully, I didn't even know what I planned to say. Before I could think about it too much, he spoke first.

“Why bother?” He shrugged then spit on the ground next to my shoe. Lifting the cigarette to his lips again, he breathed it in. Rolling his body, he leaned his back against the wall, shaking his head as the grey cloud of smoke floated from his lips. “I bet you’re wondering how I knew you'd be here?” He flicked the long ash off the cigarette and rolled his eyes, staring at the coffee shop across the street.

I shuffled my feet, shifting my weight. Should I run? Should I lie? Defend Gavino instantly? I was frozen in place, at the mercy of my elder brother. After admitting defeat to myself silently, I clasped my hands together in front of my body as I watched him smoke for a few moments. He was making me suffer in silence and was loving every moment.

“Get in the car, Fia.” He nodded his head once toward his Ascari-blue metallic Audi e-tron GT.

I shook my head. “I have my own car—”

“Give him your keys.” Glancing around me, he lifted his chin.

“What?!” I spun on my heels to see one of my dad's men, Tommy, standing oddly behind me. I was not sure how he had managed to sneak up on me so quietly. I respired, reaching for my bag, then realizing I didn't have it. I brought my hands to my face. “Oh no!”

Nick snorted. “You left your keys inside?”

I swiveled around to him. “I left everything inside!”

Nick dropped his cigarette to the ground and leaned forward, grabbing my elbow and yanking me to the side. His grip was so tight I felt a tingle in my funny bone.

“Where did you leave your stuff?” Tommy glanced back and forth between Nick and me.

Nick gave him a single nod. “Do it.”

A low chuckle rose in Tommy’s chest as he turned to the door and kicked it open with one powerful blow.

I jumped. “Stop!”

Nick shook my arm, holding me tighter. “Fia, stop.”

“Don’t fucking call me that!” I wiggled my body trying my best to get out of Nick’s grip.

“Burn it down.”

“The couch, the couch!” I cried. “Don’t burn it down, please!”

Tommy took one look back at Nick. They seemed to have a quick, silent conversation before Tommy disappeared inside carrying two white bottles of something he had taken out of his back pockets. I jerked my arm once more, freeing myself.

“Nicky, please don't tell dad!”

Jaw clenched tightly, he remained silent. He only stared ahead at the open door. Minutes later, Tommy appeared in the doorway with my bag in one hand and my keys in the other. The instant he handed it to me, Nick pulled a lighter from his jeans pocket and a plastic bag with a wet rag inside it from his jacket pocket.

“Do you have anything else in there?”

I shook my head silently before realizing what he was about to do. “Wait, oh my God, no!” I grabbed Nick's arm, shaking it as he opened the bag.

“Hold her.”

Tommy pulled me back and wrapped his arms around my ribcage.

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