plate breaking it.
“So, now I’m wondering what else you used to do when I was a kid. Why don’t I remember? What did Thomas do to me? What memories are locked inside me? Good or bad?” My eyes watered, and I scowled and blinked fast, choosing anger over sadness. Anger kept me strong. Sadness would tear me apart.
Kai, Mark, and Ren rose as one, picked up their plates, and headed downstairs. Adrian gave me a quick peck on the cheek and beat a hasty exit too. Faith remained seated beside me, muttering about cracks in the door and eating her food as if Lorenzo and I weren’t about to argue, as per our usual.
I glared at my brother, hoping he’d let something slip. “You made it for me in a bowl with a ton of milk and a hint of coffee. At least when I was little. When I was thirteen, you added more caffè .”
Still he said nothing. Why didn’t he say something?
“This doesn’t make any sense. Why am I mad at you about a stupid cup of coffee?” I pushed the glass at him and stood, toppling my bar stool. My appetite vanished as I battled emotions not tied to solid memory. I couldn’t even express how sick I was of not knowing.
“It’s all part of the programming,” Faith commented, voice flat.
My scowl deepened. Programming. Faulty memory. All weirdness led to Thomas.
“ Per favore, sorellina .” Lorenzo’s neutral tone gave nothing away, all business. “Finish your breakfast. You need it. We’ll talk after.” He picked up my chair, gaze averted.
I sat, sipped my coffee, and polished off my food in silence, all pleasure in the meal gone. He was right. I needed it. My irrational anger subsided and took with it my thirst for answers. All I wanted now was a long, hot shower.
Faith cleared the dishes and Lorenzo cleared his throat. “Come home with me. We can talk there. With Dom and Tony.”
“No.” I stalked to the hall, as if I could escape him and the truth. “I need to shower.”
His voice came soft, but I heard him. “Fine. I’ll wait.”
I wheeled around, blinking hard at the temptation of tears again. “No. I’m not in the mood to hear one more word about my supposed brain damage or the surgery that crazy man thinks he’s going to do to my head. Or the power you two think I have.”
“But our enemies—”
“I can take care of myself and have been for a long time. Right now, I just want to shower, so back off.”
Lorenzo strode over to me, but I waved him off. “Enough, Lo-Lo, just get out.”
He sucked in a breath, shock and pain fighting for hold in his expression. “What did you call me?”
“What, Lo-Lo ?” No idea why I’d said it, but his sudden intensity made me back away from him, afraid of what I’d stumbled upon.
He followed, clutching my arms. “Say it. Say it again!” Intensity scored his words.
Pain stabbed my head, my world went black, and I remembered how much I loved my brother.
~ * ~
“Lo-Lo, no! Don’t let them take me! Puhhleeease!”
“Come to me, cara mia, it is time.” Thomas’s voice grabbed my body as if it had arms to pull me away from Lorenzo.
I clung to my brother, desperate. “No, I won’t. You can’t make me!”
Thomas appeared next to us. “You see, Lorenzo? Already she gains the strength to resist me. We must do this now or never. If we do not, she will die.”
“I know,” Lorenzo rasped. My brother, my stoic brother, sounded like he fought tears. His arms tightened around me, safety, warmth, and security all in one embrace.
Cold, strong hands gripped my shoulders, tugging me free of Lorenzo. “Come, Carina.” Another voice. Powerful. Impossible to ignore. My uncle Zi. Lo-Lo released me and sunk to his knees like someone sucked the strength out of him.
Uncle Zi cradled me, gazing at me with the face of an angel. I rested my head against the dark curtain of his hair. My sobs subsided to hiccups.
Dom and Tony joined Lorenzo on the floor, crying. I whimpered at the sound of their distress, twisting to see
“So, now I’m wondering what else you used to do when I was a kid. Why don’t I remember? What did Thomas do to me? What memories are locked inside me? Good or bad?” My eyes watered, and I scowled and blinked fast, choosing anger over sadness. Anger kept me strong. Sadness would tear me apart.
Kai, Mark, and Ren rose as one, picked up their plates, and headed downstairs. Adrian gave me a quick peck on the cheek and beat a hasty exit too. Faith remained seated beside me, muttering about cracks in the door and eating her food as if Lorenzo and I weren’t about to argue, as per our usual.
I glared at my brother, hoping he’d let something slip. “You made it for me in a bowl with a ton of milk and a hint of coffee. At least when I was little. When I was thirteen, you added more caffè .”
Still he said nothing. Why didn’t he say something?
“This doesn’t make any sense. Why am I mad at you about a stupid cup of coffee?” I pushed the glass at him and stood, toppling my bar stool. My appetite vanished as I battled emotions not tied to solid memory. I couldn’t even express how sick I was of not knowing.
“It’s all part of the programming,” Faith commented, voice flat.
My scowl deepened. Programming. Faulty memory. All weirdness led to Thomas.
“ Per favore, sorellina .” Lorenzo’s neutral tone gave nothing away, all business. “Finish your breakfast. You need it. We’ll talk after.” He picked up my chair, gaze averted.
I sat, sipped my coffee, and polished off my food in silence, all pleasure in the meal gone. He was right. I needed it. My irrational anger subsided and took with it my thirst for answers. All I wanted now was a long, hot shower.
Faith cleared the dishes and Lorenzo cleared his throat. “Come home with me. We can talk there. With Dom and Tony.”
“No.” I stalked to the hall, as if I could escape him and the truth. “I need to shower.”
His voice came soft, but I heard him. “Fine. I’ll wait.”
I wheeled around, blinking hard at the temptation of tears again. “No. I’m not in the mood to hear one more word about my supposed brain damage or the surgery that crazy man thinks he’s going to do to my head. Or the power you two think I have.”
“But our enemies—”
“I can take care of myself and have been for a long time. Right now, I just want to shower, so back off.”
Lorenzo strode over to me, but I waved him off. “Enough, Lo-Lo, just get out.”
He sucked in a breath, shock and pain fighting for hold in his expression. “What did you call me?”
“What, Lo-Lo ?” No idea why I’d said it, but his sudden intensity made me back away from him, afraid of what I’d stumbled upon.
He followed, clutching my arms. “Say it. Say it again!” Intensity scored his words.
Pain stabbed my head, my world went black, and I remembered how much I loved my brother.
~ * ~
“Lo-Lo, no! Don’t let them take me! Puhhleeease!”
“Come to me, cara mia, it is time.” Thomas’s voice grabbed my body as if it had arms to pull me away from Lorenzo.
I clung to my brother, desperate. “No, I won’t. You can’t make me!”
Thomas appeared next to us. “You see, Lorenzo? Already she gains the strength to resist me. We must do this now or never. If we do not, she will die.”
“I know,” Lorenzo rasped. My brother, my stoic brother, sounded like he fought tears. His arms tightened around me, safety, warmth, and security all in one embrace.
Cold, strong hands gripped my shoulders, tugging me free of Lorenzo. “Come, Carina.” Another voice. Powerful. Impossible to ignore. My uncle Zi. Lo-Lo released me and sunk to his knees like someone sucked the strength out of him.
Uncle Zi cradled me, gazing at me with the face of an angel. I rested my head against the dark curtain of his hair. My sobs subsided to hiccups.
Dom and Tony joined Lorenzo on the floor, crying. I whimpered at the sound of their distress, twisting to see
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