Meekly, I walked towards the chair in front of Leo and sat down. "So, you called me?"

"Yes, What happened to you back in the car?" His voice was soft, surprisingly.

"Oh, I just had a weird dream."

"What kind of a dream?" I scooted closer to his desk and plopped my arms on it. His eyes followed, my every moment.

"But now that I think of it, I think it was not a dream but memories." He raised a brow.

Copying my gesture, he plopped his arms on the desk and locked his palms. "Explain briefly."

"So, at first I saw that the car in which we were traveling just now was on fire and you guys were nowhere to be found. I was alone in that car, and on top of that it was on burning inflame."

He fisted his palm together but relaxed them and stood up. "Come her Allegra." He motioned me to sit down on the couch beside him.

I walked towards the couch and collapsed down. "Allegra, we would never leave you alone in these kinds of circumstances. Heck, we would never leave you alone in any circumstance." He held my palm in his gently. Caressing my knuckles with his finger, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh, I know. It's just I was startled when I didn't found any of you inside the car so I panicked in my dream. And after all, it was just a dream." I tried to lighten the mood.

"No, even in your dreams, you need to believe that we would never leave you." His voice held determination.

"Okay, I promise." I smiled at him.

"Is there more?"

"Oh, yes. Okay, so this is pretty weird but I saw myself in a room which was on fire. There was a big cupboard in the corner of the room just opposite to the door." His grip tightened on my hands.

"There was a person in that room. He was trying to open that cupboard with all his might. But couldn't. Maybe the cupboard's door was stuck because of something."

"Later on, his eyes went to someone on the couch, which was sitting in the middle of the room. It was a baby." Just as I finished my last line, Leo's grip was tightened to the point that my hands had gone pale.

I adjusted my hands and held his. Rubbing soothing circles on his palm. He hasn't looked up at me yet.

"More like a baby girl. She was glad in a blue button-down and peach shorts. She was so cute, you would have gushed over her small pigtails at the top of her head. Oh my god. Anyway, that man picked her up and was about to maybe throw her at the wall but later didn't. I don't know why though, might be her daughter. LOL, then why would he bring her to the crime scene and according to me, throw her at the wall." I laughed at my theory.

"Leo?" I called out softly. From his reactions, my second guess was right. They were not dreams but memories.

I scooted closer to him but still was unable to get into a comfortable position. So, I rose, right in front of him, and wrapped my arms around him.

Yes, I initiated the hug.

I dropped my knee on the couch between his thighs and put my face in his neck.

Even though he was sitting, he was still very tall for me. His posture, like always, was very straight.

He stiffened under my hold but, after few minutes he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in his chest further. His hold was very tight against my body.

After few minutes, I decided that it was enough hug time for a day.

I tried to pull back but he tightened his arms more. "Stay, I want to- no you can go. And call Antonio. he must be in the kitchen."

"Are you.....okay?" Okay, I hate asking these kinds of sappy questions.

"Yes, and if you ever get weird dreams" he hesitated, "Can you tell me those?"

For the First time in my entire existence, I've seen Leonardo Valentino hesitating.

"Okay. If you say so." I gingerly opened the door and stepped out when Leo asked, "Allegra from Monday, you will be starting school. Do you need anything?"

"Well, besides maybe stationary, I don't think so." He nodded and shooed me away.

I made a face. Is that how you treat your beautiful sister?

As if he heard me, he said to leave already even if you think you are beautiful.

Giving him a mocking smile, I walked in every direction to find the kitchen.

I turned left around the corner and saw Antonio mixing something inside the pot. "Toni, Leo is asking for you in his office!" I called out and was about to walk back to the other boys when he said, "Allegra, do you have 2 minutes?"

"Um, yeah?"

"Come here. " He sighed and sat down on the stool at the counter. I sat beside him and swirled the chair once before Antonio stopped it with his palm on its top.

"Listen to me." I nodded. "First of all, I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day."

I raised a brow, "It's okay."

"I never wanted to yell at you but call it my instincts to scold everyone who misbehaves with their elders."

"You're right, and it's okay."

He grabbed my hand and caressed my knuckles just how Leo did back in the office.

"I saw you going to that room at the back of the mansion." I gulped. How?

"When?" I asked him, softly.

"Today."

I nodded and rushed to explain when he interrupted me. "Allegra, I don't know why you went there but I want to tell you that whatever lies in that room shall remain there. Or else everything will come to an end; the end of every empire."

I didn't understand a single thing that came out of his mouth. "Antonio, my brain failed to register everything that came out of your mouth just now. But I want to tell you something. I don't know what lies in there, but whatever it is; is going to cause us a fortune."

Antonio gazed at me intensely. Few emotions flickered in his eyes when he suddenly pulled me in a hug.

I don't know how I said that, but judging from everything obvious around that room and from Antonio and Leo's reaction I can confirm that, it's something big.

"You don't understand, Alle." His voice was pained.

"Can you promise me one thing Alle?"

"What?"

"Never go there again." Just as he finished saying that, his phone started ringing.

Leo called him to ask why wasn't he there yet to which Antonio replied that he is on his way. Saying this, he walked away. Probably, to the office.

I couldn't help, but be curious about his words. What exactly lies in there?

_____________.

For the past half an hour, I'm watching my brothers playing WWE on PS4.

I'm bored beyond words. "Can I play with you guys?"

But all I got in return was 'Not now Allegra.' 'Its an important game.' 'That team is going to lose points if you play.'

Grumbling, I walked inside the room opposite to this.

It was the same room in which I woke up. I picked up my bag which, was lying on the floor. Shuffling with the zipper, I thrust my hand inside and grabbed my swimsuit.

It was black with its straps making a cross on my back.

I threw a sarong over it and walked out of the room. I opened the door where Matteo and others were. "I'm going out."

They were too occupied in their game that they failed to notice my existence at the door.

Huffing, I walked to the front door and tug it open. Two very bulky and tall men clad in black jeans and black button downs with shades covering their eyes were standing at either side of the door.

When they noticed me, they quickly placed themselves in front of me with their palms at their front.

"Uh hey?" I do know who they are. My brother's bodyguards.

"You can't go outside miss." One of them said.

"And why can't I?"

"Mr. Valentino said so."

"Why?"

"It's for your protection."

"Listen here and listen clearly. You both are going to walk me to the beach and stay there looking out for me. And if anything happened to me, my brothers are going to shave both of your genitals."

Disgusted expressions passed across their faces. "So, technically, if you guys are there with me, not letting anything harm me then like that, you are not going against his words, right?" I hollered happily.

They both looked over at each other and then at me. Nodding, they made way for me.

Quite happy with the situation, I sped over the Beach with a skip in my step. "By the way, wasn't it supposed to be a private beach?"

"Yes, but Antonio told us later that our private beach is getting renovated."

"Our?"

"Oh, I mean your's and your sibling's."

"Just kidding, you guys are family. So it's yours also."

I grinned, "Okay, do you guys have girlfriends?"

Their faces weren't blank like every typical bodyguard in movies or books, Therefore, I could detect little smiles of happiness on their faces. "I do. And he is married."

"First of all, tell me your names."

"I'm Giovanni, and he is Paulo."

"Hey, one of my cousins is also named Paulo," I exclaimed quite cheerfully.

"Yes, we know."

"So, you have a wife? Tell me about her." I asked Paulo while walking slowly to match their pace once the beach came into my view.

"She is beautiful. Some people might not find her beautiful as she is a black woman-"

"I mean they are right."

He turned around so fast and glared at me. "What? You don't think your wife is extremely pretty and not 'only pretty'?

His eyes instantly softened. "Yes. That's true. For me, she is my everything. Sometimes I feel like I can't breathe without her."

"Awe, you guys are so cute." I couldn't help but gush over them. You could see his eyes held every tender emotion while talking about her.

"What about you Giovanni?"

"Oh, we have been in relation for like 5 years now. We have decided to get married later this year. Like Paulo, she is my lifeline. I found her in one of our enemy's basement."

While telling me all this, his eyes were glassy. "Beaten up and deflowered."

I gasped. I really can't imagine anyone going through that. The pain they would feel every time they would close their eyes, was unimaginable.

"But she is okay now. She is a fighter. Though she is very reserved but loves me either way." He smiled.

"Of course. A fighter only gets a fighter in return." Saying that I shrugged off my sarong and walked towards the waves.

___________.

|Happy Reading|

I kept my promise, I'm uploading early with pretty long chapter. Thank me later <3

I cant thank you guys enough for all the love you guys have been showing me. :(((

I was literally smiling too much while writing this so, my aunt asked me Who got you smiling like that. <'(- _-)'>

ILY<<<<<33333