CHAPTER ONE
"Your birthday is next week, what are you going to do?" my younger brother, Gabriel, asks as he pours a bag of Cheetos into his mouth all of us staring at the movie playing on the large screen. And by all of us I mean myself, Gabriel and Ivan- my older brother's best friend."I do not plan on doing anything. I am turning twenty, no big deal" I shrugged as I put a spoonful of nutella into my mouth."That thing is going to give you serious stomach pain and you will be writhing in pain." Ivan, my brothers best friend scolded me as he eyed the jar in my hands. He was the one that literally made me obsessed with it.I rolled my eyes, putting another spoonful of nutella into my mouth, "mind your business.""We could go to the club?" Ivan suggested as he stood up from the couch beside my brother and then sat beside me.I gave him the side eye as he lifted my blanket and then extending it on his thigh. "What are you doing here?""Sitting near my favourite Bianchi sibling of course." He whispered into my ears."My older brother is your favourite sibling.""No, he is my bestfriend, you are my favourite.""Hmn I see.""But don't tell him I said that. He will kill me."I laughed out loud, Ivan chuckling, while Gabriel shushed both of us and then increased the volume of the movie he was watching.We became silent, my gaze trained on the movie playing in front of me while I could feel Ivan eyes on me. Suddenly cold hands were on my thighs making me jerk, my nutella jar almost falling.Eyes wide I turned to him, "what the fuck are you doing?" I whispered. Gabriel could not hear us anyway, he was knee deep in his Disney movie."Nothing." He smirked."Take your hands off my legs. Gabriel might see.""There is a blanket covering both of us," he eyed the blanket, "I doubt that."I rolled my eyes at him but resumed watching the movie. My brother and I were making comments here and there while Ivan just sat beside me, all quiet, his hands mindlessly roaming on my thigh. I nudged him with my shoulder taking him out of whatever trance he was in,"What are you thinking about?" I licked my spoon and I could feel his eyes tracing my movement.He gulped and shook his head, "nothing.""You're lying.""How can you tell that I am lying." He chuckled."Because I know you." I looked up into his eyes, "I know you, Ivan so that means I know something is bothering you."He was a quiet for a little while, until he spoke, "I'm fine. You don't have anything to worry about.""Are you sure?" I probed, scraping the remaining nutella left in the jar and the putting it in my mouth."hmm hmm." He nodded and then gave me a small smile before grabbing the spoon in my mouth and licking the remaining Nutella off it.My eyes grew wide as he licked the spoon clean and then handing it over back to me."Ew, you guys are weird. Just fuck each other already." Gabriel groaned as he rolled his eyes at both of us, grabbing his phone from the couch and then standing up.I could feel my cheeks heating up at what he said but still managed to pull it off like it didn't affect me."W- what?”I spluttered, no one is fucking anyone."Little sis, I can literally feel the sexual tension oozing out of both of you." He placed his hand on my head, roughing my hair up, "just do it and get it out of your system." He said, looking over at Ivan."I do not want to fuck your sister." He exhaled loudly as he stood up from the couch. This talk was making him uncomfortable, making both of us uncomfortable.Well, we both know that's a lie."Oh shut up. I have literally caught both of you eating each others face off and you were too caught up in each other to notice." He smirked at both of us shocked faces, "you are not as sneaky as you both think you are.""Did you tell him?" Ivan asked as he tensed up."You mean tell your best friend that I caught you eating his little sisters face off? No." he grinned, "but he is going to kill you once he finds out about it and knows that it has been going on for weeks." He dragged his finger across his neck, making the “kill” motion.I breathed out a sigh of relief and I could see Ivan relax a little."He won't find out." I glared at my brother."He will, later on. That guy knows everything.""What do you want?" I rolled my eyes as I threw myself on the couch. I know he wants something, that's why he has been insisting on my older brother knowing. Fucking snitch."A month of knives lesson from you plus a movie night without him." He nudged his head towards Ivan.Well, I was not expecting that. What type of deal is that?"The guy always interrupts our movie nights and he doesn't even watch them. I need some time alone with my baby sister." He explained himself when he saw the expression I had on my face."I am older than you, moron.""Three weeks of knives lesson." I bargained. The guy is fucking unteachable but he keeps on bugging me about it."Two.""Two and a half weeks." He squinted his eyes at me, daring me to reduce the duration again."One week.""Two and a half." He insisted.Now I have to deal with him for that long. Two and a half weeks of him whining about not getting how to throw a knife the right way."Deal.""Good. Now I will leave you two to making googly eyes at each other." He saluted and then left."We don't make googly eyes at each other." Ivan muttered underneath his breath, looking confused, making me giggle.I stood up from the couch and then walked towards him, "are you ready to leave?""Do you want me to stay?" he asked, pulling me closer by my waist, "Just say the word and I'll wait.""As much as I would want that my brother will soon be home and like Gabriel said I think he might be suspecting already.""Wouldn't want to feed his suspiciousness now, do we?" he smirked, placing a soft kiss on the side of my neck."Hmm Hmm." I pulled him closer by his shirt as he continued laying soft kisses on my neck."Okay, you have to go now before this escalates." I laughed pulling away from him after some time."Okay." He chuckled but still pulled me against him to give me a kiss."I'll miss you." I muttered under my breath as I walked him to the door releasing my hands from his."I know." He winked, a smirk on his face as he made his way out of my house.I frowned at him, "fuck you.""Soon princess."I shook my head at him, the corner of my lips lifting up in a smile I was trying to hide. I watched him enter into his car and then drive off.You know the way everyone has that one person who makes them smile no matter how they are feeling? Ivan is that person for me. He might not know it yet, but he is."Is your boyfriend gone already?" I heard my brother say, his loud steps echoing round the whole empty house."He is not my boyfriend." I rolled my eyes."Okay, friend with benefit." He shrugged."Shut up." I snapped."I'm only speaking facts." He said as he opened the door to our refrigerator and poured himself a glass of orange juice. I watched him as he downed the entire cup in one go before pouring another one. "I don't want him to hurt you that's all. I am older than you, that means it is my duty to watch over you.""I am older than you moron. I don't know why you keep saying that." I heard my phone make a notification sound. I removed it from my back pocket before checking the text that entered, it was from Ivan:I miss you already.I grinned."It's him isn't it?"My smile faltered, "he won't hurt me, I can take care of myself."He exhaled loudly,"I can take care of myself, you know that.""I know." He responded with a tight lipped smile.CHAPTER TWOSomeone once said your twenties are your selfish years. It's a decade to immerse yourself in every single thing possible. Be selfish with your time, and all the aspects of you. Tinker with shit, travel, explore, love a lot, love a little and never touch the ground. And that's exactly what I am going to do today. Today I turn twenty.The first thing I see when I open my eyes in the morning are two large ballons with twenty written on them and underneath it is a small note. From Ivan, the back says.I peeled it open with a grin on my face, Twenty looks good on you my Idalia. I know, I know, I haven't seen you yet but I have seen you on other mornings though and if how you look on other mornings is how you look right now, then I am right. Happy birthday to my favourite person. See you tonight my love.I folded it back neatly and then placed the piece of note under my pillow. I entered into my bathroom and brushed my teeth before leaving downstairs for breakfast. As I descend
CHAPTER 3It is evening already and I am preparing to go to the club like we have all planned , when a knock sounded on my door. "Come in." I called out as I applied my mascara gently onto my face. Gabriel entered into my room, one hand behind his back, a smile on his face. "I come bearing gifts." He grinned as he revealed what he was holding behind his back. I collected the black cloth from him but felt something familiar in it. I opened it and it was a set of knives. Three black knives with my name engraved on each handle ranging in sizes.I ran my hand through it, a smile on my face as I picked one up and threw it against my door. "Woah, easy there." He chuckled nervously. "Sorry, I'm just excited." I squealed."So, I'll take it that that means you love it?" I nodded repeatedly a grin on my face as I went to pick back the knife I threw at the door, running my hand over the several knife marks that are practically decorating the door now."Thank you." I grinned, placing it ba
Chapter fourAfter a lot of drinks and dancing with the girls I finally wake up and I am actually on my bed this time. The last time I had too much to drink, I slept off on the staircase- don't ask me how comfortable I was, I wasn't. I grab my head, wincing in pain with the amount of pounding that is going on in my head. I sat up and looked around, looking to my left I saw a cup of water and an advil. I grabbed the water and the drug and downed it in one goal. I grabbed my phone and saw a text from Ivan"I'll come pick you up later. Our flight is by five pm." I put off my phone and threw myself on my bed, groaning into my pillow before sleeping off. I woke up about an hour later and then Markell my way into my bathroom to brush my teeth and then do my skin care. I wore one of Ivan's t shirt I had with me and then made my way downstairs. Just as I predicted the cook already left my plate of food on the counter. I put the meal inside the microwave, while waiting for it to heat up I
CHAPTER FIVEBy the time we got to the airport I was almost dozing off, we brought out our bags and made our way to the jet that was waiting for us already, I thought we were going to take a commercial plane actually. Fun fact, I have actually never been out of the country before, and one night myself and Ivan just caught ourselves talking about different things. He asked if I could travel anywhere where would it be and without thinking so much, I answered, "Greece." "Why Greece?" He asked. I shrugged, "No particular reason. Just Greece." "Okay, then Greece it is." He replied and not knowing what that meant I decided to keep quiet as we continued to stargaze. But now, I do understand what he meant by that. "You tired?" He nudged me with my duffel bag in his hand. "A little." I wriggled a yawn. "It's okay. You can take a nap when we take our seat." I gazed around the inside of the plane im awe, everywhere was furnished perfectly and it was literally shiny, I swear. I do come fr
CHAPTER 6After we are done eating and the waitress already came to pack up our plates, the sun was already setting and a lot of people were still outside, walking their dogs and shit. "Before we leave I need to go use the toilet." I told Ivan as I stood up from my seat and then made my way into the toilet. I entered into one of the stalls, did my business and then flushed. I came out of the stall to meet another lady in the bathroom. "Hi." I greeted her. "Hi." She smiled back at me. I was about to leave the bathroom when she asked me a question, "sorry, do you by chance have any tampon on you?" "Oh yeah sure but I have to grab it out of my purse in the shop." I pointed back at the shop. "Thank you." She sighed in relief, "you are a life saver." I quickly exited the bathroom and back to our table to grab the tampon. Ivan was on a phone call and he was whispering hushed oh but sounded angry. I lifted a questioning eyebrow May him but he waved me off. I grabbed my purse and went
CHAPTER 7After spending about half an hour at the party, Ivan practically dragged me out of the house, saying he needed his sleep. That was an obvious lie, the guy never sleeps. Always works like a maniac, just like my elder brother.Immediately after entering the house, Ivan locked the door and made sure it was properly locked before we both went upstairs to where the bedroom is. I dropped myself on the bed with a loud grunt. "Do you need to use the shower before me?" he asked as he removed his shoes and placed them neatly beside the bed."No. It's okay, you go in first." I replied but my voice came out muffled since I was face flat on the bed. I heard him chuckle before entering into the bathroom and then after some minutes the shower started running. I was almost about to fall asleep when an idea popped into my head. I quickly stood up from the bed, and undressed, picked up a white towel, wrapping it around my body. I mentally prepared myself for what I was about to do. I mean sh
CHAPTER 8FIVE YEARS LATER (Present time)"You know if you keep bugging father about going to the warehouse with me or any of the guys, he will hasten his process on finding you a husband." My older brother Dante stated as he continued working on his laptop, his chair swirling left and right. The warehouse isn't working on exactly a warehouse it's just code for like a huge basement that isn't actually underground."You know about that?" I scrunched up my nose. "I know about everything. I am the oldest." "What, and you agree with it?""Agree with what?""Finding me a suitable husband." I air quoted around the husband. "We are not in the 18th century anymore.""The world we are born into is." he shrugged. "I will make sure it is not an asshole he gets for you. I promise." he promised."Back to the main topic, you can just sneak me in. He doesn't have to know about it." "He will skin me alive once he finds out his princess has been to the warehouse." I rolled my eyes. "You're exagg
CHAPTER 9My father called an emergency meeting with the rest of the people working with him and presently the house is filled with a whole lot of people wearing black suits and black tie. My father's main guards made sure none of the other people wandered into the main house but still, my personal guard won't stop being a pain in the ass, "Miss Bianchi, I think it is advisable for you to be in your room at this time of the day." he said in a monotone voice as he followed me behind my back. Copper is a tall bulky white man, with a bald head and he is always on a suit with sunglasses at all times, mainly when we are outside."I am perfectly fine and I can take care of myself if something happens," he grunts, "and I am sure nothing will happen." I looked back at and gave him a smile as I opened the refrigerator and poured myself a cup of water."Besides, you do know I know how to fight right?""Yeah, but I do not think you would be able to take two large men of my size on your own."I