He wasn’t even supposed to be home today. Dad was rarely ever home, considering he had been filling his days with just about anything since he was forced into retirement.
I nodded. I didn’t need her to say anything more, and I didn’t ask why he was home. It didn’t matter because he was home anddrunk. And that was the worst time for me to be around him. I turned around and walked back out the door, my heart pounding in my chest. Tommaso was already gone by then, but that was fine. Valentino lived close by, so I could bike to his apartment if I needed to. And I didn’t need to pack anything, considering I had some of my things at his place.
I grabbed my bike and made the fifteen-minute journey there, pumping my legs as fast as they would go. I knew Dad didn’t notice I had come home, but there was still a part of methat thought he would call me back, so I needed to get away from the house as quickly as possible.
I didn’t think I breathed properly until I was safely inside his apartment. The sky was darkening by then, and I turned on the light, not too keen on sitting alone in the dark, no matter how safe Valentino’s apartment was.
I could feel my stomach growling from hunger. Valentino wasn’t home yet, and I didn’t know when he would be or if he would even come home tonight. It wasn’t like my brother had a consistent schedule.
I sat down on the sofa and took in the view of the apartment. I didn’t know how long I sat there for, but by the time I heard the lock unlatching, the sky had grown completely dark.
My heart pounded fiercely inside my chest from the sudden noise, and I looked over to see my brother opening the door…
And he wasn’t alone.
I blushed when the woman he had his arms around moved, leaned up, and kissed him passionately on the lips.
I opened my mouth to say something, anything to alert them that they weren’t alone, but the words would not come. All I could do was sit there and watch them like a complete weirdo.
It wasn’t that long before Valentino realized he wasn’t alone, but it felt like an eternity by the time he pulled away from the woman and looked at me with surprised eyes.
“Isa?” My brother wasn’t one to blush, but even I could see a tinge of pink on his cheeks. “What are you doing?”
I shook my head and stood up. “I’m sorry. I can go.”
“Who is this bitch?” the woman asked, sneering over at me. I winced at the venom in her voice.
Valentino shot the woman a hard look. “My sister. So watch your tone.”
The woman’s face froze.
I was really making a mess of things, wasn’t I? I didn’t like her tone either, but I was the one intruding, not her.
“I can leave?—”
I stopped talking when Valentino pointed at me and let out a small sigh. “You’re not going anywhere. Sit down.”
“She’s not?” the woman asked.
Valentino turned to her. “She’s not. I’ll call for a car to take you home.”
The woman opened her mouth, but no words came out. Then she shut it. Valentino exhaled and leaned down close to her, saying something in her ear that I didn’t catch. Whatever he said, it took away any argument she might have. She nodded, but she didn’t look happy.
I felt bad as I watched her pull away from Valentino and head out the door. But not before she shot me a dirty look.
I stared down at the floor, taking in the pattern of the rug Valentino had under his coffee table and sofa, jumping a little when the door slammed shut.
Silence followed, and I kept my gaze on the floor.
I should have stayed home. If I had stayed quiet in my room the entire night, Dad wouldn’t have known I was there… right?
Or at the very least, I should have texted Tino and told him I was in his apartment.
Footsteps sounded in front of me before a pair of black boots came into my line of vision. He didn’t say anything. Then a small sigh.
I looked up and met his eyes for the first time. His light-brown eyes were soft in the light, with not a hint of anger in them. Even if he did have our father’s eyes, they never looked like Dad’s, not really.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve texted you first.”
