I lean back on the chair as my eyes fall onto her face. A spitting image of our mother.

Dark brunette hair, bright brown eyes, but not just that. She even has the same features. Same eye shape, brows, nose. It really is like my mum is in her somehow. Elena even acts like her.

Before she was born, my mother made me promise to always protect her; I've been doing that, all until the day she got kidnapped.

My jaw locks as I look at the scratch on her face. God knows what they did to her. She was only taken for a day but one day is a lot of time for them to do whatever they want.

I get snapped out of my thoughts once I hear a few knocks on the door before it slowly opens, revealing Azaría standing there with a worried look.

"How is she doing?" she asks.

The thing is, why does she care? I can clearly see the concern on her face and hear it in her tone. But why does she care so much about Elena when she's never even met her until today?

"Azaria," I start, standing up, "I don't usually say this a lot but thank you. Really. You saved her and for that, I owe you."

I can't be some dickhead right now. She saved my little sister, helped me carry her to the car and then stayed in the backseat with her just in case something went wrong.

"The first thank you Niccolo has ever said," she chuckles, "and it's a thank you that you don't even need to say. Honestly, don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it?" I scoff at her words. She's acting like she did nothing but it was quite literally the opposite.

"Okay maybe I do want a little something," she says with a small smile on her lips.

"Ask," I encourage, knowing I could probably buy her whatever she's going to ask for.

"I can tell you didn't trust me before. If it continues like that it won't work well, you know that. But do you trust me now?" she asks.

Well, that wasn't money or anything to do with me buying her something. She could have asked for anything and she asked for that.

"I do," I tell her. I do trust her. She proved herself more than enough times, it's the least I can do.

"So we're good?" her voice sounds hopeful and there's spark in her hazel eyes as she looks up at me.

Just as I was about to respond. Someone else does it for me.

"Please don't tell me I've waken up to be a third wheel," Elena mumbles, letting a low chuckle out.

I turn to look at her and she has a big grin on her face. Even when she's in pain, she can't stop smiling or making jokes.

"I'll leave you two," Azaria says and quickly leaves the room.

"She's new," Elena mutters and I let out a chuckle. "Not really. She's been doing jobs for me for years but she just joined," I explain and she lets out an 'ohh'.

"And you never told me about her?" she huffs.

"I met her a few weeks ago, El," I laugh at her reaction. "Why is it a big deal anyway?"

"She's so badass," she grins, "and the only girl you let me talk to besides Maria is Gia. I can't deal with this many XY chromosomes."

"XY chromosomes?" I repeat her words and she nods her head instantly. Well, her and Azaria would definitely get along.

"Come on, you love Anna she helped me raise you. Oh and Gia is like an older sister to you, no?"

"Yes but those are two girls, Niccolo... two," she rolls her eyes. I guess she's somewhat right.

I let out a sigh, wanting to ask her a question I know she's not gonna want to hear. "Just ask," she mumbles as if she can read my mind.

"What happened in there? I need to know what they did to you."

I know how they got her. Maria and her went to a bakery. Somehow the people that took her, knew where she would be. Knew who she was even.

"Can we..." she starts but pauses, fidgeting with her fingers, "you know, talk about it later?"

I know she just woke up but that's the only thing that's been on my mind. I wanna fucking kill the people that were behind all this.

"Yeah," I force myself to say as I stand up. "But I'm here now. Okay, El? This shit won't happen again, I can promise you that."

"You trained me for this since I was little, Nico," she shrugs. "I can handle it."

I don't care if she can handle it. She's sixteen. Sixteen. She doesn't have to deal with this. The training was just a precaution.

"Handle it my ass, you're still that baby who cried when she couldn't have that doll everywhere with you," I tease and she gasps loudly.

"We shall not speak of that moment," she grumbles. "You're lucky I didn't know you when you were a toddler, I would make fun of you so bad."

"Yeah?" I cross my arms at her unthreatening words.

Just as she was about to reply, the door knocks before it opens slightly, revealing the doctor.

"Now why is my favourite Alvera lying hurt on the bed instead of Niccolo?" she asks and Elena starts laughing. Ouch.

Dr. Dana was a good friend of our father. She practically saw us growing up, especially since I always got hurt on missions but mainly because she was taking care of my dad.

Something I don't want to remember.

"Don't worry, you'll be able to leave this bed once I make sure you're good and give you your pills, that you have to take, Elena."

"I will," she laughs. "I'm not stupid like Niccolo, don't worry."

Why are they ganging up on me? They know if this was anyone else, they'd end up with a bullet through the middle of their eyes.

I scoff at my sister's words but before I could leave the room, Dr. Dana stops me. "Can we talk outside real quick?"

I nod my head skeptically before stepping out with her. It better not be some bad news.

"There are no signs of any sort of sexual assault," she informs me and I let out a breath of relief.

"Good," I mumble out, more to myself than her. I didn't want that shit happening to her because I couldn't be there to protect her.

"Niccolo, there's something else," she says and I furrow my brows, indicating for her to continue. "You have to visit him."

I slightly shake my head at her words. "Soon," is all I say before heading down the hallway.

There's already so much shit going on and I don't have time for that right now.

"How is she?" I hear Azaria ask, making me look up. She's standing there now in grey sweatpants and grey tank top with her hair up.

The sweatpants are hanging low -dangerously low- revealing her tanned hips and stomach.

"Doctor is checking up on her right now," I tell her and she nods her head with a smile. "That's good," she replies softly.

"How are you doing though?"

I furrow my brows at her words. "What do you mean?"

She lets out a chuckle in response. "You're acting like no one has ever asked you that before, Col. I said, how are you doing?"

Is it crazy that no one has actually asked me that before? And I sure as hell didn't expect it from her.

"I'm good," I tell her. She nods with a small smile but doesn't reply. Oh, right. I have to ask her that too. "You?"

Her smile grows and she laughs. Wait- was I not supposed to ask?

"Why are you asking if I'm okay? Nothing happened to me. I'm just glad your sister is alright and we got everything sorted out."

I nod my head, a little confused, and as I was about to respond, I hear my sister's voice from the other end of the hallway.

Oh my days, what is she doing up?

And why is she looking at me with that look she does when she wants something?

"Nico," she grins, heading in my direction. "Doc says I'm all good so can we please go do something? I can't lay in bed all bloody day."

She needs to rest. But she did get kidnapped so how the fuck am I supposed to say no to her?

"I actually have to show you something," Azaría speaks up, before turning to look at me, "if it's okay with you?"

"Please, Nico," Elena begs. "Can you seriously say no to me right now? And not to mention I haven't seen you in like a month."

"Alright?" I question rather than state as my eyes glance between the two of them.

Please God, tell me that they are not going to become some crazy duo.

Elena's grin grows once she hears my reply. "C'mon, show me," she urgently says to Azaría who laughs at her reaction.

"Right this way, Ms. Alvera," she replies, heading towards the stairs.

I have to admit. I'm quite curious. What does she have to show Elena that she hasn't seen before? She lives here.

"She's giving me a 'welcome back from being kidnapped' gift, but not you?" Elena whispers to me with her arms crossed, but when Azaría turned back to look at me with a small smirk I know she heard.

"Who said I haven't?" I shrug and her eyes light up. I most definitely have not.

"Let me guess," she says, "Hermes bag? Or wait, those heels I've been wanting for ages?"

She practically just did the work for me. I'll make sure to get her those soon. I always give her a little gift when I come back to Italy. Safe to say it won't be little this time.

Once we walk into the living room, Elena gasps. The coffee table was full of all sorts of snacks, the couches all have blankets on them, and the TV is on Disney Plus.

As we walk in more, I realise there's a cake on the table too. It has 'Elena 1, enemies 0' on it. What in the world?

"How did you do all this?" I lower my head to whisper to Azaría. "I have my ways," is all she says with a simple shrug.

I guess my question is wrong because it's not how she did this, it's why?

"Thank you, Azaría," Elena smiles at her before turning to me. "Now I'm finally gonna force you to watch Black Panther so you can see how good it is!"

"I can't watch," I tell her and her face slowly drops. "I have stuff to sort out, y'know?" I ruffle her hair and she pushes my hand away from her.

"Fine but then you'll js be missing out," she grumbles before plopping onto the couch and then making a wincing sound, forgetting that she's still injured.

I shake my head slightly with a low chuckle but before walking out I give Azaría a quick nod as a thank you.

"He leaves the country, I can't see him. He's in the country, I still can't see him. It's bullshit," I faintly hear Elena say as I'm about to walk up the stairs.

Gosh, this house echo's so much.

I know I'm busy a lot but the stuff I need to sort out is for her. That's what dad used to tell me when he was always busy though. I don't want to make her lose both of us.

I hesitantly turn around and walk back into the living room. "Missing us already?" Azaría teases.

"Figured I'd finally watch Black Panther and see why it's Elena's favourite movie," I shrug as I sit down on the other end of the couch from them.

"Nico, I'm telling you you're gonna love it," Elena exclaims and she presses play on the movie.

"She's right," Azaría agrees. "And the next movie your ass is watching is definitely Creed."

What is up with her and that movie? I'm sure it can't be that good.

"She's literally me a few years older. Where did you find her?" Elena asks and Azaría laughs in response.

Oh, God. They're definitely going to be come a duo.

"Let's just watch the movie, yeah?" I sigh, leaning back onto the couch.

I take a quick glance at them. They're sharing the same blanket and Elena has her legs over Azaría's.

This is the first time she's even met Elena yet she's acting like this? Acting so nice.



What the fuck?

Why haven't I watched that movie before? That shit was so good.

"Guessing by the look on your face, you loved it, huh?" Azaría chuckles.

I turn to face her and my eyes fall onto Elena who's asleep, her head on Azaría's shoulder.

"She's asleep?" I question and Azaría looks down at her. She replies with a soft hum.

Hows Elena already so comfortable with her? Although I was sceptical at first and didn't want to believe it, Azaría seems like a genuine girl. What she did today for my sister just proves it.

"She's so cute," Azaría smiles. "And she's just like a mini you."

I let out a chuckle. "God, I hope not." That wouldn't be a good thing. At all.

Sighing, I stand up and walk over to them. "I'll take her to her room." Elena is practically a princess in this house. I know for a fact she wouldn't wake up just to walk upstairs and go to her room, which means I have to pick her up. She's done this ever since she was a kid.

Azaría's jaw drops a little bit before her smile grows and she looks up at me with some type of look. "What?" I scoff.

"Nothing," she mumbles, the smile still on her face. What?

I choose to drop the conversation, knowing she probably wouldn't budge. With one swift move, I pick Elena up. Looking at her, memories of when she was young flood my mind.

To be honest, when my mother told me I was getting a younger sibling, I was pretty pissed. But I love Elena. I practically raised her, watched her grow up.

"Night, Niccolò," Azaría says as I was about to leave the living room, wrapping the blanket around her tighter.

"Goodnight, Ria," I mutter back.



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