Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

Rico pov*

My headaches doubled when I opened my eyes from my sleep, the loud music playing downstairs wasn't adding to my hangover, it felt like I had been hit by something.

Or I was, not in my head tho.

“I can't, not with you” The pain tenfold remembering Maria's words, I don't know what hurt more, her rejection or me thinking everything was ok for me to kiss her.

Not with me, I kept thinking about what she meant by that. She can do it with anyone else, the thought filled with so much anger, and seeing her that close to Shaun yesterday makes it worse.

The emotions I was feeling were immense, anger at myself for trying to kiss her even though she was hurt and not emotionally stable, hurt by her words, and lastly jealousy about yesterday.

I felt so stupid about everything, I wasn't supposed to try to kiss her, I hated her but yet just one temptation, how beautiful she looked even when she was hurt, how nice she smelled even tho she used nothing, that was all it took for me to forget my anger and hatred toward her only to get rejected.

Foolish, and I'm here. I can't recall what happened last night clearly, how many glasses did I drink? I groaned and tried the position myself in a sitting manner when the door suddenly opened.

Blonde hair, green sleepy eyes, a well-defined cheekbone slanted down to a straight jaw, thick muscles like that of a bodybuilder, well-tailored suit with God-like syndrome, an annoying bastard who occurred to be my only cousin Leonardo entered the room.

“Where the fuck did you put your phone?” he asked with his arrogant grin, he took a seat next to the couch beside me with his leg crossed and was glazing at me with questions.

“I'm busy,” I told him rubbing my forehead.

“You don't look busy tho, you look messy. Did you drink?” he glanced at the books on the table in front of us. “Yes, you did,” he answered himself while I shook my head.

I don't have time for this.

“Why are you here?” I asked but his phone rang before he could give me answers.

“Yes, I'm here. Not sure if he is in a position to talk, you see for yourself” I have no idea who he was talking to but I can guess what they were talking about.

“Rico” Julia yelled out from the phone when Leon switched to video call and put it on speaker.

I swear my head throbbed more from her shout, I gave Leon a deadly glare and mouthed I was going to kill him before collecting his phone to talk to my younger sister.

“Speak doll”

“I have been calling you since yesterday night, why didn't you pick up? Do you know how worried I was, I had to call Leon from DC to come check on you, imagine stressing that sweet soul just for you” Julia snapped while I groaned, not mentally ready for this, but when was I ever ready for her, even her birth was something I didn't expect.

I glanced at Leonard and he was proud of himself, this wasn't the first time he and Julia had ganged up against me, it had been his favorite thing since we were young, tho I find it childish it can be stressful sometimes especially when Julia is angry.

“I was busy, Julia. And the last thing I expected was your call since you decided to not answer my call for the past three weeks” I said in my defense but as usual it won't give me the escape that I wanted.

It is always one thing after another for Julia, and it always ends with her getting what she wants. Not that I care, she might be annoying but I love her so much, and as long as it pleased her, I will do anything for her.

She was the best thing my mom gave me before her death, beautiful black eyes just like my mom, dark brown hair like mine, snotty nose, and stubborn behavior, she is a sweetheart to others but never to me.

“If not picking up my calls was your revenge, it is childish and it sucks. I was worried about you and Leon”

“Don't be doll, I'm fine” Leon speaks while I roll my eyes. He always finds a way to annoy me, and using my nickname for my sister is another way to do so.

“If anything happens to me, you will have seen it on the news. And heard from Father or Aurora, so don't worry too much, and as for Leon, I might just kill him myself” I gave a murderous glare but the bastard wasn't scared instead he was excited.

“Don't even dare, you can't kill my favorite cousin” Julia pouts on the phone as she clamps her hands together begging and Leon joins her acting like a total fool.

So exasperating.

“I will tell Aunt to make you another”

“She is too old for that, dumb ass, plus she will need her ex-husband to make one as fine as Leon”

The bastard smirked, enjoying the praise for my sister. Ok, I had enough. “Tell me the reason you called or I end the call”

“Fine,” Julia said and got into a serious mood. “I heard you got married, tell me why I had to find out yesterday from Mom and not you”

Julia had grown so fond of Aurora and called her mom instead, I could have done too. But somehow it feels wrong, it makes me feel like I betrayed my biological mom, and even though I don't hate dad for remarrying or loving Aurora, and Julia for replacing her with mom.

Aurora is a sweet person, even though she betrayed me by helping Mia escape, I don't hate her. She is family and that is all, I adore her just not in the way Dad and Julia do.

“Probably because you didn't pick up for the past three weeks and ignored everyone”

“I was busy with class, I have a dance class and piano lessons to take also, I'm sure you know that since your men follow me around, it is tiring”

“That's for your safety if anything happens to Dad or me. You get to take over the family”

“I know…. And I hate it when you talk like that. So back to the topic, who is the woman that is crazy enough to accept Rico Russo as her man”

“I'm curious also” Leonard cut in, picking up some berries from the tray on the plate.

Not so many people are aware of my marriage with Maria, we haven't made it official yet, and somehow it upset me. I want everyone to know she is mine, mark her so no man especially men like Shaun will think otherwise.

It took everything in me not to give him another scar yesterday, Maria's words had caught me off guard, it wasn't sincere but it pleased me.

“Aurora didn’t tell you that much,” I asked ignoring Leonard and focused on my sister instead.

“No, Dad interrupted before she could. So who is it?” She questioned as her eyes beamed anticipating my answer.

“Mia”

“Mia? No last name”

“Maria Jose Vitalio or rather Russo” I answered and she froze like she didn’t hear what I just said, while Leonard spit the alcohol in his mouth and I scoffed at his behavior.

I guess he was shocked which is something rare.

“Which Maria, another one, not my own Maria right”

I returned my focus to my sister and groaned at her words, Maria is mine, not hers but I didn’t say anything. I know how close they were when Maria and I were together before everything fell apart.

Did I regret it? Yes, it took her away from me after all. Will I do it again? Yes, even if it makes her hate me and destroy us, I will do it again to save her.

“How did you get married to Maria, I thought she ran away, what did I miss?” Leonard spoke but I ignored him, he didn’t get the message and came to sit next to me instead. I gave him a deadly glare but he still didn’t get the message.

“Leonard is right, how did you end up with her?”

“You both must have a death wish, she is married to me and that is all that matters”

‘Right?’

“Leon, get me the fast flight over there immediately”

“Why bother yourself, I will send a chopper to you this instant”

“You are my favorite person ever next to my moms” she coed and Leonard smiled like a lost pet.

He is trying so hard to take my place, I was about to stop their madness when Enzo suddenly barged in breathing heavily.

“We have a problem”