I watch Dario leave; walking further into the room, Alex continues to play. Walking to his bag, I take out his clothes and stand shocked. They are old, worn and grubby. "Hey!" Turning, I see Lucia. She walks over and sits next to me. "How are you feeling about this?" "Honestly, I'm fine with it. I'm hoping it stops Dario from asking for a baby." I laugh slightly. He seems to be ready to run into this. "He wants a baby?" She looks at me, shocked. "Yeah, here I was thinking it was the women who want babies and stuff, but no, Dario does." We both laugh. "He has been saying for a while he feels he has no purpose." Her words are quiet, and I stare at her. "I thought you knew? Marco had told me after you left, when he started fighting in the pits, Dario said that he felt like he had nothing and was contributing nothing to the world." I didn't know that. Now I feel bad. "That's why when Lorenzo started that place, Dario began teaching the kids and visiting them. Same with the children'
We spent the day shopping. It was more to distract Evaline from what was happening. She's too consumed by it all to relax. Shopping helped; she quickly forgot about the fact someone might want her dead. She's been laughing while helping me figure out what to get everyone for Christmas. I thought she would be resistant and distant with Alex, yet she has spent more time with him than I have. I walk to the bedroom and peer through the door. She's sat on his bed reading the book as he cuddles against her. It makes me consider what our baby would have been like. What's even crazier is to think that our baby wouldn't be a baby anymore. We were both young, so right now if the baby had survived, they would have been nearly eighteen. I consider it as I walk down and into the office. It seemed like yesterday, but realising just how long ago it was hurts. "Dario!" I look up at her as she stands by the door. Her smile gets even more prominent. She looks amazing. I barely leave her alone these
I wake with Dario wrapped around me. One of his hands is settled between my legs; the other is wrapped around my neck, ensuring I have no way to escape. "Little rabbit." I close my eyes, hearing him. It's the tone. It's the one that says he's about to get serious. "You said if I kept running and trying to push you out, you would kill me. Can I return that favour?" I laugh at his words. "I mean it." "Dario, what do you want?" "You!" My eyes roll. I know he wants me, but that isn't what he wants. "You have me." "All of you." "Then speak, Dario." He needs to say it. Not just a hint. "I want to marry you." My body stills. "You were engaged and going to marry Dale. You said you didn't love him, so why, after a few years, agree to marry him, and after a decade, you say no to me!" His words hurt me. I turn to face him. "It's compli-" My words are stopped by his hand. "Don't do that! Every time you said that, you used Dale as the excuse, so what is it now? Do you not love me enough
I look at her, and fear builds within me. I'm scared she will leave me. I don't care what she does as long as she stays. “Don’t leave me. You don’t have to marry me or agree to have kids. You can have other men; just don’t leave me.” Her hands stroke through my hair. “I only want you and don’t plan to leave you, Dario. I agreed to have a baby, remember?”She looks at me, waiting. She didn't choose. She felt she had to agree. “You didn’t want to though.” “I did. I’m scared something bad will happen again, Dario. Actually, I'm fucking petrified, I can't go through that again." Her head drops, lifting it. I look at her. "It won't." "You can't be sure. Even if you kept me locked in a room, something could happen. I'm sorry, I should have just told you. Dario, I want a baby with you; I'm just scared." I pull her closer to me. "I'm sorry. I know I'm hard work." I was convinced she didn't want a baby because of me. I felt like she agreed just to keep me quiet. "Dario." She looks up at
Dario pushes me to sit in a seat and faces me. He's looking at me like I'm about to blow everything up. I feel like I am. I didn't tell him everything, not because I didn't want him to know, but because I had no idea how or if he would handle this. Then, I just figured out things while he was getting Alex in bed. "Little rabbit, please." He looks at me, almost begging. "I didn't tell you everything. I stayed at a small holiday home without Dale for about six months. I have no idea where he went. Tim, or Mad Hatter as we know him, stayed with me." "You knew his fucking name!" "No! I told him I felt awkward calling him Mad Hatter, so he said to call him Tim, which could be his name for now. His name isn't Tim. It's just a name he said to call him, so I didn't have to call him Mad Hatter." "You don't know for sure, little rabbit, why the fuck did you live with him for six months!" "Dale was gone. I don't know where or why. He was just gone. Tim isn't a bad guy, or I thought. Dale h
I sit with Dario. His brothers and his dad are facing me. "You slept with him, just say." Marco laughs. "I did, but that isn't it. That time, I never returned; about a year into it, Dale had bought a holiday home. He sent me to it alone and told me not to leave as it wasn't safe. I stayed there for maybe six months. A few weeks after I got there, the guy showed up. He basically moved in with me." I see Carlos' mouth drop open. "He never stayed in one place!" "He stayed with me. Dale would send maybe one message a week saying I wasn't safe and to stay hidden. If I tried messaging him, it wouldn't go through. I told him I couldn't keep calling him Mad Hatter, so he said to call him Tim for now. That wasn't his name, I don't think. He confided in me, told me about his childhood and things, and I know I should have said, but I saw him as a friend." Which was stupid. "And now you don't? Why?" Marco looks at me, waiting. "Because now I realise he was trying to get information from me.
It's too quiet, and I don't like quiet, not in this way. Quiet in my head, fine, but this feels wrong. He's gone quiet. He's stopped sending messages out. He's ignoring us. He's planning, he's planning something, what is he planning? I pace the room. Today is Matteo's engagement party. Tomorrow is Christmas. It's too fucking quiet. Quietly, quietly, not a sound. I'm listening and listening. "Dario!" I turn, and Marco is staring at me. "You're singing." He holds out his hands. "We were waiting for you!" "I..." Something is wrong. Quietly, quietly, not a sound. I'm listening and listening. "Dario!" I glance at him. "Get out of your head, focus." I can't focus. It's too quiet. "Okay, tell me what is in your head. You keep singing quietly, quietly, so speak." "It's too quiet." It's too quiet. "Right, and I agree it is. It's unusual. He's gone quiet; he's not responding, but stay out of your head. It's been half an hour. How long have you been standing here pacing and singing in yo
Dario's arms stay around me as we dance. He started out fine, but in the past week, he's been slowly drowning and getting lost in his mind. I know he's constantly overthinking what is happening. Everything I try fails. Sex works while we're having sex, and then he's back in his head. It's taking so much effort to keep him here and with us. The last thing we need is for something to happen and for him to slip away in his mind and not wait for answers. So, I need to keep his mind off Mad Hatter or Tim, as they haven't been able to find anything. Marco even tried to send a message out for my dad in the hope he would reply and give us something, but it's been silent. I lean up and kiss his lips. "We haven't spoken about how many kids you want." I smile, and he looks at me so damn confused. "Babies, Dario, how many do you want?" "I just want you." My eyes roll. "You have me. We have Alex. I want to know about us making babies. How many?" He seems to be considering it. "I would be hap
I'm so fucking happy. This is the best Christmas ever. She's pregnant, Alex is officially ours, and she's marrying me! Tonight! I left her for a bit. Her dad is here, so they are talking everything out. I wanted to be there but knew she needed space to do it herself. I look across the chairs and other things. She wanted to come outside, but we banned her. She can't see this, not until later. "It's looking good." Lorenzo smiles at me. "Have you considered this, Dario?" Marco looks at me. "She said yes! She said she would marry me." She said yes. "I know, but I mean the whole surprise wedding; she said yes, but that doesn't mean now." "Yes, it does!" She wouldn't say yes if she weren't ready now. She's ready. She will say yes. She will love this. "Okay, calm down, you're too high." Marco chuckles, but I can't. I feel amazing right now. "How is it going with her dad?" Matteo looks at me. "No idea. I gave her space." I'm giving her space. "Matteo, he's staying at your house toni
I walked out of the room feeling sickened. Not so much that he had slept with my mother, more he slept with me purely because I looked like her. Like in his mind, I was her. I need to check on Alex. Walking into his room he's sat up on the bed looking at the book. "Read it?" He holds out the book, and I laugh. "Move over." I climb onto the bed, and he cuddles into me as I read it to him. Today is Christmas. I didn't realise, but Lucia had the baby on Christmas day! It's nearly three. I read to him, watching as he fell asleep. Slowly, my eyes slip closed. I wake feeling someone wrap their arms around me. Glancing behind me, I see Dario. I open my mouth to talk, and he shakes his head. "No. Leave it, little rabbit. Let's just sleep for a couple of hours." He holds onto me, and I fall asleep, with him and Alex cuddling me. I need to get answers later. I wake up in bed alone. Neither Alex nor Dario are here. Climbing from the bed, I go to our room and begin to get ready. "Little ra
So far, this guy hasn't been forthcoming. It's Christmas, and we're wasting time on him. Sure, we could just forget him and go to bed for as few hours as possible before getting up, but he's a risk. Alice came to get the baby, and Lucia is currently resting. So this needs sorting now. He's not someone who can be trusted alone, even with soldiers. "I never would have hurt her." I look up, confused. "Evaline, my plan was never to touch her or harm her. Weirdly, she is just like her mother. She's amazing." "How did you meet her mum?" I want to get her answers. "I had just taken down a target and was ready to leave when I saw her. I was twenty-eight, and she was thirty-nine. She was so different. She was so amazing I just went over and said hi, which is how it began. At that point, Evaline was born." "Did you see Evaline?" "No!" His head shakes. "I never did; we had been sleeping together for years. She wouldn't let me see Evaline. She spoke of her. He found out about the affair and
I look at Marco. He's heard nothing. "It's Christmas. Maybe just leave it until after today?" Lorenzo looks at me. "I can't do much, Lorenzo." I can't do anything without information that we don't have. "This is your first official Christmas with Evaline, don't fuck it up." Our dad looks at me, and I know he's right. The gunshot has us all jump up and rush out. I watch as a window smashes and smoke begins to flood the hall. "Get the women and kids!" Marco screams, rushing upstairs; I grab Luciano, Lorenzo grabs Alice, and I see soldiers follow Marco up to Lucia and Evaline. Carrying Luciano down, I sit him in the safe room. Rushing up, I see someone carrying Alex. "Put it on." I see something throw a mask at me. Placing it on, I rush up and see Evaline fighting to get to Alex's room. "Alex is downstairs, little rabbit, go." I watch as she disappears. Rushing through, I get to our room and see him. Throwing myself at him, someone grabs me and stops, and I watch them grab him. "D
I wake hearing a bang, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. I reach out to Dario, but he isn't there. The sound of gunshots has my body jump up and out of bed. Rushing, I get the gown and wrap it around my body as the windows in the room smash, and smoke begins to fill the room. I rush for the door and hear something. Turning, I look behind me and see someone jump through the window. Running out the door, I get grabbed. Screaming, I go to hit him. "Evaline, go with him!" Marco? I feel them pull me, but I try to get to Alex. I need to get Alex. Screaming, I fight against him. "Alex is downstairs, little rabbit, go." I don't get a chance to respond. I'm just pulled further away. As we reach downstairs, I'm thrown into a room and the door locks. "Evaline, thank god you're okay!" Lucia rushes and hugs me. I look around, Alice, Lucia, Alex, and Luciano are in here, and I believe it's James. I'm not sure which soldier it is. "What is happening?" I look around us. This room has no windo
Dario's arms stay around me as we dance. He started out fine, but in the past week, he's been slowly drowning and getting lost in his mind. I know he's constantly overthinking what is happening. Everything I try fails. Sex works while we're having sex, and then he's back in his head. It's taking so much effort to keep him here and with us. The last thing we need is for something to happen and for him to slip away in his mind and not wait for answers. So, I need to keep his mind off Mad Hatter or Tim, as they haven't been able to find anything. Marco even tried to send a message out for my dad in the hope he would reply and give us something, but it's been silent. I lean up and kiss his lips. "We haven't spoken about how many kids you want." I smile, and he looks at me so damn confused. "Babies, Dario, how many do you want?" "I just want you." My eyes roll. "You have me. We have Alex. I want to know about us making babies. How many?" He seems to be considering it. "I would be hap
It's too quiet, and I don't like quiet, not in this way. Quiet in my head, fine, but this feels wrong. He's gone quiet. He's stopped sending messages out. He's ignoring us. He's planning, he's planning something, what is he planning? I pace the room. Today is Matteo's engagement party. Tomorrow is Christmas. It's too fucking quiet. Quietly, quietly, not a sound. I'm listening and listening. "Dario!" I turn, and Marco is staring at me. "You're singing." He holds out his hands. "We were waiting for you!" "I..." Something is wrong. Quietly, quietly, not a sound. I'm listening and listening. "Dario!" I glance at him. "Get out of your head, focus." I can't focus. It's too quiet. "Okay, tell me what is in your head. You keep singing quietly, quietly, so speak." "It's too quiet." It's too quiet. "Right, and I agree it is. It's unusual. He's gone quiet; he's not responding, but stay out of your head. It's been half an hour. How long have you been standing here pacing and singing in yo
I sit with Dario. His brothers and his dad are facing me. "You slept with him, just say." Marco laughs. "I did, but that isn't it. That time, I never returned; about a year into it, Dale had bought a holiday home. He sent me to it alone and told me not to leave as it wasn't safe. I stayed there for maybe six months. A few weeks after I got there, the guy showed up. He basically moved in with me." I see Carlos' mouth drop open. "He never stayed in one place!" "He stayed with me. Dale would send maybe one message a week saying I wasn't safe and to stay hidden. If I tried messaging him, it wouldn't go through. I told him I couldn't keep calling him Mad Hatter, so he said to call him Tim for now. That wasn't his name, I don't think. He confided in me, told me about his childhood and things, and I know I should have said, but I saw him as a friend." Which was stupid. "And now you don't? Why?" Marco looks at me, waiting. "Because now I realise he was trying to get information from me.
Dario pushes me to sit in a seat and faces me. He's looking at me like I'm about to blow everything up. I feel like I am. I didn't tell him everything, not because I didn't want him to know, but because I had no idea how or if he would handle this. Then, I just figured out things while he was getting Alex in bed. "Little rabbit, please." He looks at me, almost begging. "I didn't tell you everything. I stayed at a small holiday home without Dale for about six months. I have no idea where he went. Tim, or Mad Hatter as we know him, stayed with me." "You knew his fucking name!" "No! I told him I felt awkward calling him Mad Hatter, so he said to call him Tim, which could be his name for now. His name isn't Tim. It's just a name he said to call him, so I didn't have to call him Mad Hatter." "You don't know for sure, little rabbit, why the fuck did you live with him for six months!" "Dale was gone. I don't know where or why. He was just gone. Tim isn't a bad guy, or I thought. Dale h