Married to the Capo

Chapter 10

Eva

At around past midnight, after finishing my series I quickly made my way downstairs to the kitchen in search of some ice cream before bed.

To my surprise, I found Lorenzo sitting on the island stool, his shirt partially unbuttoned and his eyes slightly bloodshot. It was clear that he was drunk.

I let out a soft gasp, my eyes widening at the sight of him. He was not home the whole day. He did not notice me at first his eyes fixed on the bottle of alcohol i don't know which because i don't drink.

"Lorenzo, I didn't realise you were home," I said, my voice soft yet tinged with concern.

He looked at me his eyes taking me in. His gaze lingering a little longer on my breasts.

I was wearing a satin short pajama set.

Lorenzo's eyes locked onto mine, his gaze intense. "Eva..." he slurred, his voice low and husky. He beckoned me with a sloppy gesture, his hand wavering in the air. "Come here..."

My eyes narrowed slightly, but I padded towards him."Lorenzo are you okay"I asked my voice laced with concern.

Lorenzo's eyes roamed over me, his gaze burning with a intensity that made my heart race. "Just come here," he repeated, his tone husky and commanding.

I approached him cautiously, my eyes fixed on his gaze. I stopped in front of him my hands playing with my pajama top. Lorenzo, you're drunk," I stated gently.

Lorenzo's gaze didn't waver. "I know," he slurred."But I want you...close."

My heart raced as his hand reached out, his fingers brushing against my waist. The touch sent shivers down my spine. "Lorenzo, maybe we should-"

"No," he interrupted, his grip on my waist tightening. "Don't go. Please."

My resolve softened as I looked into his eyes, seeing the vulnerability and longing there. I hesitated, then stepped closer in between in legs, my body inches from his.

My heart raced as I gazed at Lorenzo's upturned face, his eyes filled with a deep longing. I felt the warmth of his breath on my skin, sending shivers down my spine. Without thinking, I reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair out of his face, my fingers grazing his cheek.

Lorenzo's eyes fluttered closed, his face tilting into my touch. He drew in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slowly.

My hand lingered on his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin and the vulnerability in his eyes.

"I'm here," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I'm not going anywhere."

Lorenzo's eyes opened, his gaze locking onto mine. He looked at me with a deep intensity, as if searching for something more.

His gaze held mine. "Bella, today's a difficult day for me," he said, his voice low.

My eyes narrowed, my expression softening. "What is it, Lorenzo?"

He paused, his jaw clenched, as if struggling to reveal his emotions. "It's my sister's sixth death anniversary," he stated, his tone flat, but his eyes betraying a deep pain.

My face filled with compassion. "Oh, Lorenzo, I'm so sorry. I had no idea." Of course I did not know this. I didn't even know he had our have any siblings.

His gaze dropped, his usual mask of indifference slipping back into place. "It's fine, Bella. I just...I needed to tell someone."

My hand reached out, my fingers brushing against his arm. "I'm here, Lorenzo. I'm listening."

The small gesture and my gentle words seemed to crack his armor, his eyes flashing with a hint of emotion before he regained control, his face returning to its usual impassive state.

His eyes bore into mine, his gaze heavy with guilt. "I'm responsible for my sister's death," he said, his voice barely audible.

My eyes widened, shock and disbelief written across my face. "Lorenzo, what do you mean?" I asked, my voice soft and gentle.

Lorenzo's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with pain. "I can't...I can't tell you the details, Bella [Beautiful]. Just know that it was my fault. My mistake. My responsibility."

My hand tightened around his, my fingers squeezing in support. "Lorenzo, you're tearing yourself apart with guilt. You need to share with atleast somebody if not me, no matter how hard it is."

Lorenzo's gaze dropped, his eyes fixed on the floor.The room fell silent, the only was of Lorenzo's heavy breathing.

Lorenzo's eyes remained fixed on the floor, his voice barely above a whisper. "I haven't slept in years, Bella. Not really. The nightmares...they never stop."

My grip on his hand tightened, my heart aching for him. "Nightmares about what happened?" I asked, my voice gentle.

Lorenzo's nod was almost imperceptible. "I relive it every night. The sounds, the screams, the feeling of helplessness...it's all still so vivid."

My eyes filled with tears, my mind unable to comprehend the depth of his pain. "Oh, Lorenzo, I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

Lorenzo's gaze remained fixed on mine, his eyes devoid of emotion. "You're wasting your tears on me, Eva. I'm not worth it."

My tears continued to fall, my voice shaking. "Don't say that, you're worth it, Enzo."

His eyes widened a bit. I don't know why but maybe just maybe because of the endearment that i returned to him .

He took a deep breath. His expression didn't change, but he reached out and wiped my tears away with a gentle touch. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes in the silence between us.

In this version, Lorenzo maintains his stoic demeanor, but shows a glimmer of humanity through his actions, rather than his words.

I reached out, my arms longing to comfort him. "Lorenzo, may I hug you?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

Lorenzo's expression remained cold, his eyes avoiding mine. "No, Eva. Don't."

But my arms wrapped around him anyway, pulling him into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Lorenzo. I'm so sorry for your pain," I whispered into his neck.

For a moment, Lorenzo's body remained stiff, resisting the embrace. But then, something seemed to give way inside him. His shoulders relaxed, his arms slowly lifting to wrap around mine, holding me close.Lorenzo's his body surrendered to the comfort of my hug.

Lorenzo gently pulled apart from the hug, his eyes opening to gaze at me. "Eva, you need to sleep," he said, his voice soft but firm.

I shook my head, my eyes pleading. "I'm not leaving you like this, Lorenzo. You're hurting and drunk , and I want to help."

Lorenzo's expression remained stoic, but his eyes betrayed a hint of vulnerability. "You can't help me, Eva. No one can. Just go to sleep."

My grip on his arm tightened. "I'm not leaving you alone in this state. You're drunk Enzo. Come on, let's get you to bed."

Lorenzo's resistance was weak, his body language betraying his exhaustion. I gently tugged him towards the bedroom stumbling upon the stairs and he didn't resist, his feet moving mechanically beside mine as I held him around his waist.

As we reached the bed, I pulled back the covers and nudged him gently before removing his shoes. "Lie down, Enzo. You need rest."

Lorenzo's eyes met mine, a flicker of gratitude visible before he masked it. He lay down, his body sinking into the mattress, his eyes closing as if surrendering to me.

I brushed his hair from his face. And left the room closing the door behind me.

I can't believe what I just saw. The man I thought I knew, the one who's always so ruthless,strong and stoic, broke down in front of me today. The pain in his eyes, the guilt, the shame... it's like I'm seeing him for the first time.

My heart aches for him, for the weight he's carrying, for the secrets he's keeping. I want to help him, to be there for him, but I'm scared he'll push me away.

But today, for a moment, he let me in. He let me see the real him, the vulnerable him.

I know he's not ready to open up, to share his burdens with me. But I'm willing to wait, to be patient, to be here for him whenever he needs me.

Because today, I saw a glimmer of hope. A hope that he can heal, that he can learn to trust me, to trust himself again.

And I know that I'll be here, waiting for him, whenever he's ready to take that step.