Chapter 12

"A Promise of Blood"

Valeria's POV

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Waking up in Ren Moretti's mansion—for the second time—was beginning to feel like some weird fever dream. The bed was still too soft, the air smelled like money, and I was still in his oversized t-shirt that screamed not mine. I hated how comfortable it was.

I stretched gingerly, my side protesting the movement, but hey, at least I wasn't bleeding anymore. Sophia Moretti was a miracle worker, no doubt about it. The woman could probably reattach a head if you asked her nicely.

Still, being stuck here in Ren's gilded cage wasn't exactly my idea of a vacation. I was on edge, constantly aware that Ren was lurking somewhere, waiting for a chance to pry into my business.

Speak of the devil.

"Morning, Darling."

This darling is doing things to me. A way to chase away butterflies? Anyone?

His voice slid into the room like melted chocolate—smooth and rich and entirely too tempting. Ren leaned against the doorway, wearing that damn smirk like it was custom-tailored to his face.

"What do you want, Moretti?" I asked, glaring at him from the bed.

"Just checking on my favorite patient," he said, strolling into the room like he owned it. Then again, he probably did. "How's the stabbing wound? Still planning to use it as an excuse to avoid thanking me?"

"Thank you?" I scoffed. "For what? Kidnapping me? Trapping me in your mansion of questionable taste?"

"Questionable taste?" He looked offended, which, frankly, was adorable. "This house is a masterpiece."

"It's a shrine to 'look how rich I am,'" I shot back, folding my arms.

He chuckled, stepping closer to the bed. Too close. His presence was all-consuming, and I hated how my pulse reacted to him—quick, erratic, and entirely uncalled for.

"You're deflecting," he said, his voice low. "I saved your life, Vee. That earns me at least one thank you."

"Fine," I said, my tone flat. "Thanks for not letting me bleed out in some dingy alley. Happy?"

"Ecstatic," he said, though his smirk didn't quite reach his eyes.

Before I could respond, he reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. His fingers lingered for a fraction of a second too long, and I felt the heat of his touch like a brand.

"Careful, Moretti," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. "I might start to think you actually care."

"Maybe I do," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Oh, hell no. We were not going down this road.

"You can pretend all you want darling, but you're not as tough as you act," he said, his voice low, almost teasing.

"Oh, honey," I said, leaning in just enough to match his tone. "I don't pretend anything."

His eyes flicked to my lips, and for a split second, the world went quiet.

"Vee!"

The shout from the hallway shattered whatever was happening, followed by the unmistakable sound of small feet barreling toward us.

Ren groaned, pulling back as the door flew open.

"Vee!"

Two tiny whirlwinds, better known as Leo and Luca, launched themselves onto the bed.

"Whoa, boys!" I said, laughing despite the sharp twinge in my side. "Careful, I'm fragile!"

"You're not fragile!" Leo declared confidently.

"You're a superhero!" Luca added, wrapping his little arms around me in a fierce hug.

"I like this narrative," I said, ruffling their hair. "Superheroes are way cooler than patients."

Ren cleared his throat, looking at the twins with what I assumed was his best stern big brother expression. "What did I say about barging into rooms?"

"Don't," Leo said automatically, looking sheepish.

"But it's Vee!" Luca argued, as if that explained everything.

"She needs rest," Ren said firmly, though the amusement in his tone kind of ruined the whole "serious" act.

"Fine," Leo grumbled, climbing off the bed.

"Can we see you later?" Luca asked, his wide, hopeful eyes impossible to resist.

"Absolutely," I said, giving him a wink.

The twins scampered out of the room, leaving behind an amused Ren and a very flustered me.

"They've got good taste," he said, standing up.

"In superheroes?"

"In people," he said with a smirk before heading for the door.

 ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

About an hour later, I was met with a much calmer visitor: Sophia Moretti. She entered the room with a tray of tea and what looked like soup.

Her sharp eyes softened as they landed on me. "Vee," she said with a small smile. "I wasn't expecting to see you like this."

I blinked, caught off guard... and embarrassed. "You... remember me?"

"Of course," she said, setting the tray on the nightstand. "Lily talks about you all the time. And we met the other day. Now, let's check on that wound."

She had the same no-nonsense warmth as a mom who could patch you up and ground you in the same breath.

"You're ridiculously good at this," I muttered as she inspected the bandages.

She chuckled. "I've had practice. Ren wasn't exactly the most careful child."

"Mom," Ren said from the doorway, his voice laced with mock warning. Why is he following his mom around? Mamma's boy much?

Sophia just smiled, unbothered. "I'll bring you something more filling later. Rest, Sweetheart."

As she left, I found myself relaxing, though I didn't trust the feeling.

 ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Dinner was... an experience.

The dining room was massive, with a table long enough to fit a small army. The Moretti family was already gathered, a whirlwind of chatter and laughter that made the space feel alive.

Lucifer Moretti, Ren's dad, was the exact opposite of what I expected. With his broad shoulders and gruff demeanor, he looked like he could bench press a car. But the moment he opened his mouth, I realized he was just a giant teddy bear.

"Vee!" he boomed, his grin wide enough to light the whole room. "Welcome to the family circus!"

Before I could respond, he wrapped me in a bear hug that left me both startled and slightly breathless. "Uh, thanks?" I managed, patting his back awkwardly.

"Lucifer, let the poor girl breathe," Sophia said, though there was no real bite to her tone.

"She's family now," Lucifer declared, releasing me with a laugh. "Any friend of Ren's is a friend of ours."

I was ushered to a seat between the twins who insisted that I sit there in order to heal properly under their watch. Whatever their logic was. 

In front of me was Dante and Marco, the former giving me a small smile and the latter barely looking up from his phone.

"You've got guts, surviving this lot," Dante said quietly, his tone laced with amusement.

"Thanks," I said, smirking. "I think."

The twins, predictably, were glued to my side, peppering me with rapid-fire questions about everything from superheroes to bakery recipes, which I didn't know shit about. That's for Lily.

Speaking of Lily, I had called her earlier to let her know I was in good hands. The moment I mentioned Sophia and the twins, any lingering doubts she had vanished. "If anyone can handle you, it's them," she'd said. Apparently, the universe agrees that I'm a full-time project requiring supervision.

"You're their new favorite person," Dante said, watching the chaos unfold.

"They've got good taste," I replied, stealing a glance at Ren, only to catch him watching me with an intensity that sent a weird jolt through my stomach.

What the hell was he thinking?

The meal was a blur of food and laughter, the kind of warmth I hadn't felt in years. But even as I found myself relaxing, there was a shadow hanging over it all.

Because as kind and welcoming as the Morettis were, I couldn't forget who they really were.

And Ren... Ren was the biggest mystery of all.

-----

˗ˏˋ Author's note ˎˊ˗

Heyy (✿◡‿◡)

Isn't this family adorable? I'm so tired of the male lead having a shit family. So here we go. 

Please Vote and comment to make another insignificant human happy (^◕.◕^)

Question of chapter:

What's your favorite flower?

Daisies!

See you next Sunday!

You din't need approval of anyone darling, it's for insecure people. Do you <3

*hug*

*blushes*

*hides*

Byeeee

Izel

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