AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s this I hear about Romeo slowly wearing you down?” Max asks with a knowing smirk. He’s dirty from head to toe and has specks of blood on his arms. “We need to stay strong together,” he teases.
I’m recognizing this look on him. Romeo does most of the farm stuff, but Max works in the butcher shop.
“Shouldn’t you be on your brother’s side?”
He pauses with a look on his face that says I’ve gone crazy. “You’ve seen this place. The only type of entertainment is the two of you.”
My eyes tear up for no good reason. Romeo comes stomping in and takes in the scene in front of him. “What the hell did you do to make her cry?” He’s looking furiously at his brother.
Max looks like a deer caught in headlights. “I’m going for a shower,” he says abruptly and scurries away, leaving Romeo and me alone. The need to be strong in front of Romeo is fierce, and I hate that I’ve shown him any vulnerability.
When I raise my eyes, looking at Romeo, more emotions than I would like to admit hit me. The way he’s walking cautiously toward me with what looks like concern is overwhelming. We don’t do this. We banter and pick fights. It’s safe while I still don’t know who I am. I can’t protect myself if I open my heart to him.
He wraps his strong arms around me and holds me, not saying a word. My head rests on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. The only other sound is the shower running, causing the old pipes to protest.
“What’s wrong?” he murmurs. His hand is rubbing small circles in the middle of my back.
“I don’t know who I am. Nothing is familiar.” I feel lost. I’m homesick for a life I can’t remember. “I wish I could remember our fight. I can’t understand my actions. I don’t know how you can forgive me for driving drunk and crashing your car.”
His chest rises and holds for a second before deflating. “I thought you were going to die. The whole time I held you in my arms, I prayed you were strong enough to make it. That was the only thing that mattered to me. What matters is that you lived.” He speaks softly but passionately. In my heart, I know he’s telling the truth. “We need to focus on creating new memories. It will be us against the world from now on.”
My heart speeds up. There’s a part of me that wants to let go. To stop thinking about the past I can’t remember and focus on the future. The thought is terrifying.
Romeo must be able to feel the rapid speed of my heartbeat. “One day at a time, Gia. I won’t let anything happen to you. You may not feel it, but you are mine. I protect anyone and everything important to me.”
What if it’s him I need protection from?
The sound of tires sounds through the open windows, and Romeo takes a step back. His rigid posture returns. His eyes have hardened. “Stay in here,” he commands.
Romeo stomps back outside, closing both front doors, blocking my view of the farm. Going to the kitchen window, I peer outside from the corner, trying to hide from view.
Romeo looks to be arguing with another guy. I would put him about ten to fifteen years older than us. “I’m starting to gather you like trouble,” Max says from behind me. It has me instantly falling to the floor.
He chuckles at my reaction and extends his hand to help me up.
“Who is that guy?” I want to ask why Romeo obviously hates him. My body is on alert from their stand-off, and in my mind, the other guy instantly becomes the enemy.
“That’s Coy.”
The name draws a blank. Surprise, surprise.
“He family?”
“You already know the answer to that.” I don’t deny that. The other man doesn’t look like them. “He was our oldest brother’s best friend.”
“Why don’t we like him?” The protective side I didn’t even know I had flares up.
“We?”
“I thought it was us against the world? Did I read that all wrong?”
“No, not at all. Everyone’s always said you’re the most loyal one,” Max says but stops abruptly. At the end of the sentence, it feels like he regrets admitting this trait. I can’t help but want to know more about myself.
“What do you mean I’m loyal?” I question, my attention now more on him than the two men outside. This could be a breakthrough for me.
Max looks around sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck before meeting my gaze. He takes a deep breath, sighing before answering, “It means when you love, it’s fierce.”
He’s right. I have nothing to back up his claim, but deep down, it calms me. I feel proud of the fact. “Am I a good person?”
