-Vincenzo-

"Wanna talk about it?" I asked, curiously while he gave me another odd look. "No thanks. .you're actually the only person I can't tell. Why are you being so nice to me?" Dante was sat on the opposite chair with a glass of whiskey in his hand.

I shrugged, grinning. "So I can't be nice to my little bro' once in a while?"

"No."

"Fine then, I'll -"

The door bursted open, "Vincenzo!" Looking up, I saw Valentina holding my nephew in her arms, her face flushed. Raising an eyebrow I asked, "what?"

"It's Mia."

-Mia-

All I saw was red.

I ignored the cheering around me, the whooping and the crowd around me and focused on my opponent.

I had her under me as I ripped her fake hair extensions out.

"Get off me, you psycho!" She shrieked, thrashing around pathetically. "Yes, psycho, that's what I am, whore!" I screamed back, punching her pathetic and ugly face.

I punched her again, ignoring the stinging pain in my fist. She screamed as she cried in pain. "How dare you do that to your own daughter! How dare you!" I yelled as I pulled more of her extensions out.

Someone grabbed me by my waist and pulled me up. I shrieked, screaming at them to let me go. I was dragged into a room that seemed to be an office with four men talking inside.

"Esci!" {Get out!}.

I instantly knew who's voice this was. "Vincenzo, let go of me!" The men left the room in a hurry, slamming the door behind them and he let me go. I spun around, raising my hand to slap him when he grabbed my wrist, sighing. "Don't, Mia."

I turned away from him, pacing to the other side of the room before turning around to look back at him. I was fuming. "Why are you so angry?" He asked. I scoffed.

"What's the longest that April's been at her mother's house?"

"Probably a month, why?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. I rubbed my knuckles only to hiss. Blood. "Mia, what's going on?" Vincenzo asked, serious.

"Your whore is abusing your daughter," I said, his face changing, "she let her friends kill April's grandmother - beat her to death. She seems to hit her whenever she's irritated and she 'forgets' to feed her or take her to school. Let's not forget that she let a man touch your daughter."

I had never seen Vincenzo look so scary or angry as he did at that moment.

I soon didn't feel angry anymore but frightened; scared of what he was going to do. He wasted no seconds and stormed to the door but I stopped him by standing in front of it. "Don't go to her," I said, almost sure he was going to shove me out the way. He looked at me, his jaw tightened.

"No matter what she's done, April will never forgive you if you kill her."

He let out a deep, scary laugh which made me shiver, "you weren't thinking of that when you hit her." I restrained myself from rolling my eyes. "I know," I said, calmly, looking into his eyes. "Vincenzo," I placed my hand on his cheek, hoping to calm him down.

"Trust me, you don't want to kill her. She doesn't need you, April does. That's who you need to see right now."

"It's my fault," he murmured, his hand over mine. I shook my head but he continued, "it's my fault she's got a bad excuse of a mother."

"No," I said, quietly. "If you didn't sleep with Bianca, you're beautiful daughter wouldn't be here. Think of her, Vince." He nodded, his face softening. "I still want to kill her with my bare hands." I shook my head, "let's just go see April, okay?"

He nodded again, leaning into my hand. "I love you, Mia."

I bit my lip, my body feeling warm. I pulled him into a hug, sighing.

I love you too, Vincenzo.

___

Valentina dabbed her eyes, sniffing. "Why didn't you kill the bitch?" Folding my arms, I shrugged, continuing to watch them talk. "That'd be too easy."

We were outside and Vincenzo was sat on a bench with April on his lap further away from us. She was sucking her thumb but Vincenzo didn't seem to mind. She had her head on his chest and they were talking quietly. I watched as she started crying and he hugged her protectively, whispering in her ear.

"I. .why would she hurt such a lovely child?" Valentina asked, her voice cracking. We were both leaning against the doorway, our arms folded as we watched them talk. "I don't know, Val, I don't know."

A hand touched Val's shoulder, she jumped slightly, turning to see Dante with a sympathetic look on his face. She gave him a hard look, shrugging his hand off her. "Don't touch me," she muttered, resting her head on her fist. "Val, come on," he frowned.

"Don't, Dante."

I rolled my eyes, "can you two stop? I don't know what's going on with you guys but just stand and watch. You're little niece has been going through a lot, stop arguing." Silence.

I sighed, turning around and going into the house. "Come both of you."
I led them into the living room, standing by the door, "sit on the couch."

"Bu-"

"Val," I said, my voice low. She rolled her eyes, sighing and sitting on one end couch and Dante on the other. Rolling my eyes again, I said, "together, in the middle." They did as they were told but kept a small gap between them.

"Hold on and don't say anything to each other."

I walked into the cupboard, remembering what I saw in a cardboard box on one of the shelves. I grabbed it and walked back into the silent living room.

I dimmed the lights and pulled out some scented candles, placing them in different places around the room. "Mia. .you don't have to-"

"Shut up."

I lit the candles before shutting the door and sitting with my legs crossed on the ground.

I guess I'm being a therapist today.

"Look at each other, deeply into each other's eyes and don't stop." Doing as I said I continued, "Dante, what do you love about Val?" He snorted and I gave him a 'stop it' look.

He turned back to her, her face neutral. "I love how she always knows what's best for me." She bit her lip, her eyes lighting up.

"Valentina, what do you love about Dante?" She smiled softly at him, "I love how he always makes me laugh even when I don't want to."

"Dante, what's been irritating you about Val, lately?" He frowned as her face went back to neutral. "I want to be able to think things through. I need her-"

"You're not talking to me," I said, "talk to her." I gestured towards Valentina.

"I need you, Val, to understand and just be patient. It's not as easy as you think," Dante said quietly. She looked down for a moment before looking back into his eyes.

"Val, what's been irritating you about Dante, lately?"

"I want you to talk to me and stop shutting things out," she told him quietly, her eyes teary. "I want you to be there for us and take things seriously sometimes. I just want you home." He reached over and held her hand, squeezing it as he looked into her eyes affectionately.

"Do you think you can both do what you want each other to?" I asked, gently. They nodded, their eyes never leaving each other's.

"Relationships aren't always easy. They're are always going to be bumps in the road, you just have to hold on to the steering wheel tighter and try and keep going," I told him, glancing between them, "you guys have three beautiful children. It isn't just about you two anymore - they are involved. You're a fami - hold up, is that a ring?"

I moved closer and picked up Val's left hand, seeing a diamond ring resting on her finger. "Oh, my God, you guys are married?" Valentina blushed, nodding, "yeah," she said quietly. I smiled widely, "That's great! How long?"

"Two years. Not long after you left," Dante said, giving me a pitiful look.
I shook my head, "wow, it's beautiful - you know what. .I'll coo about this later. Back into the trance," I shuffled away, sitting cross legged again.

"Right, I was saying that you guys are a family and you've always got to remember that. Families never turn their backs on each other." They nodded. "Anything you want to say to each other?"

Dante squeezed her hand again, "Val, I'm sorry. I'll stop working so much and think more about you and the kids. .whats best for us," there was a glint in his eye, something behind his words but I decided not to press on it.

"I'm sorry too, Dante," Valentina said, genuinely, "I sometimes need to give you space to think and stop pressing on things that you aren't comfortable with."

There was something behind each of their words, something that I felt they didn't want to share in front of me so I didn't ask about it.

"How much do you love her, Dante?" I asked and he chuckled softly, pulling a strand of her behind her ear. "More than words to say."

"How much do you love him, Val?" She smiled again, "so much that you can't even imagine."

"I love you, Valentina."

"I love you, Dante."

They embraced each other, cuddling and Dante kissed her cheek murmuring that he was sorry and she also apologised quietly also. I was smiling widely now, feeling warm and happy for them.

They kissed and I turned, beginning to blow out the candles. Once I was done, I turned back around to see Valentina under Dante, her bra exposed as they kissed. I groaned, waving my hand. "My work here is done." I left the room, closing the door.

I was happy for them, glad that they finally got out what they were holding in. Dante and Valentina were a lovely couple and should never have a reason to break up. They were perfect for each other in so many ways and deserved one another so much.

The front door closed and Vincenzo entered the house with April in his arms laughing. He kissed her cheek and put her on the floor. She waved at me before running up the stairs to go play with her cousins.

"Hey,"

"Hey,"

He touched the doorknob of the living room but I stopped him, "probably shouldn't let anyone in there for an hour or two," I said, smiling.

"Dante and Val?" I nodded as he chuckled, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Mia, thank you," my heart skipped a beat as he continued, "it was a good idea to go and talk with April. She'd never forgive me if I killed her mother." I nodded, feeling warm, "it's okay. Are you two alright?" He nodded, giving me a smile that warmed me even more.

"What do you want to eat? I'll cook dinner," I said, brightly as I walked into the kitchen with him in tow.

"Mia?"

"Yeah?" I turned and he kissed me, taking me by surprise. He pulled away, staring at me longingly. "This isn't professional," I said, wanting to kiss him again. He shrugged, "it stopped being professional in that office."

I turned around which was a big mistake because my butt rubbed against his crotch due to the fact that we were so close together.

Damn.

I cleared my throat, grabbing a knife and chopping board. He placed his hands on my waist, "so you like it like that, huh?" He asked, his breath fanning against my neck. I bit my lip, ignoring him as his body pressed against mine.

I wanted to lean my head against his hard chest, allow his arms to wrap around my body, let him hold me lovingly.

"V, stop," I murmured, chopping a tomato. "Are you sure, baby?" I loved it when he called me baby, baby girl, babe, love. It made me feel loved and special. It reminded me that I was his and he was mine - my love.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"I didn't like the way you left me the other day." I bit my lip harder, feeling tense. His hands went up and down my waist, his head in the crook of my neck, kissing it gently. I tried my hardest not to moan out loud. "S-stop," I stammered, wanting to face palm myself for my stupidity.

"You want me to stop?" He asked quietly as I felt my head go back, leaning into his chest. "Mmhmm. ."

"That's no answer."

I bit my lip so hard that I winced. Why couldn't I stop? I found it so hard. "Y-yes. I want . . N. ."

"No? You want me to keep going?" I exhaled slowly as his hands went underneath my dress, rubbing my thighs that were incredibly warm. I had pressed them together but they were then separated by his fingers as he rubbed the inside of them, dangerously close to my womanhood.

I missed this, his touch, his way with words. It felt so good but had to end, I just needed to force myself to stop.

"Vincenzo, stop!" I snapped, turning around and pushing him away. I felt cold and dropped the knife and food in my hands. He gave me a hurt look and I shook my head, sighing and looking at the ground.

"I'm sorry if I'm leading you on with these little kisses and touches but they need to stop," I said, looking him in his hazel eyes. "You loved - still love me, I get it. We were happy but you cheated on me and impregnated another woman. That's not something I can get over so easily. I don't want your hands on me."

"I want you to keep your feelings in and just treat me how you would treat other maids," I pinched the bridge of my nose, tears in my eyes. "We can't be friends," I said, my voice cracking. "It's not working. Just stop, okay?"

I whispered, "it hurts too much."

___

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