52
"I don't care about my fucking problems." I cup her cheeks and make her look into my eyes. "You're my sister. Your problems are my problems. It's my job as a big brother to protect you and it hurts me that you're just telling me this now."
"He was your friend, Leo. Your bloody friend. You should have stopped father when you could." Fat tears began pouring down her face again as her eyes turned red. My heart sank into my heart as I watched my sister break right in front of my eyes. She has always been the strongest and the fiercest one in our family, but seeing her in this state just makes me wonder how much unsaid pain she has bottled up and the sadness that she suppressed in that heart.
I pull her into my chest again and run my hand down her back. "I'm so sorry for everything. How could I be so ignorant to your suffering?" If I wasn't too engrossed with Verona's departure, I would have seen my baby sister's sorrow and pain. I couldn't help a tear escape for my sister. This woman scares everyone with her strength and wrath, but watching her like this today just shattered my heart into million tiny pieces. Who would have thought Arabelle Bonferroni to endure such behavior towards her? "I'll kill that bastard for all the pain he had caused everyone. You have my word." I wipe my lone tear as I pull her away. Brushing her tears, I look into her eyes. "He'll pay. I promise you that, Belle." I kiss her forehead and embrace her again.
We found solace in the eerie silence as she nuzzled further into me and continued crying when Gus flew in. "Sorry, I couldn't stand it anymore." Belle pulls away as we both look at the door watching Gus and Wren standing with their brows furrowed in sympathy. "Belle..." Gus frowned and walked towards her. "I'm so sorry." Sweeping her off the bed and into a hug, he squeezed her as usual making me chuckle a little. "I have never seen you cry." His voice shook with distress for his sister as he released her and looked into her eyes. "I promise you that I'll rip him apart myself and feed him to Hades and Satan."
"Please do," she laughed, wiping her tears away.
Wren walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a kiss on her forehead. "He won't get away with it. We'll make sure of it."
She playfully nudged him and pushed him back. "I'll kill each one of you if you kiss me again or tell anyone about me crying." We all laugh in unison as I lift myself from her bed and stride towards her.
"Now that's the sister we all love." I snake my arm around her shoulders and slightly pull her into me. Gus and Wren huddled around us, joining in for the group hug.
"Family first," Gus smiled wide and rocked left to right with all of us. "I'm going to have so much fun when I carve Astor's body up. I never liked him anyways; nobody did. I don't know what you saw in him, big sister. That ugly asshole won't see a foot coming up his ass." We all laugh at him as we pin our heads together like a football team devising a plan. We stayed that way for a while as understanding and relief passed over us.
"What the hell?" A voice came from the door, startling us all at once. "I know I'm the youngest one here and you all are in your twenties but that doesn't mean I'm not your sister. Why was I not invited to this party?" Lina's brown eyes glared at each one of us as she stepped further into the room. "I know I'm very scary but I need answers right away." She placed her hands on her hips and stared at us intently without blinking.
Gus laughs and rushes over to her, lifting her off her feet. "Little sister, you're getting heavy," he threw her onto the bed like a dirty diaper.
"You asswipe!" She yelled at Gus as she fixed her hair and got off the bed making everyone burst into a fit of laughter.
"Lina, language." I say and laugh at her reddened, furious face.
"Whatever, Leo." She rushed towards Belle and put her arms around her waist. "Why are you crying?" Lina's voice was low and shaky as she looked up at Belle and noticed her old sister in clear distress.
Belle lowered herself and lifted Lina's face to look at her. "Nothing you need to worry about, little birdie. Our idiot brothers here made me laugh so we are good now."
"Did she just call us idiots?" Gus raised his brow in fake disappointment.
"I believe she just did." Wren cocked his head back and let out another laugh.
Belle chuckled and hugged Lina again. "You don't have to worry about anything. Your older sister is fine and your brothers will take care of everything." She tightly hugged her and held her close.
"Another group hug!" Gus yelled and tackled our sisters to the ground. Wren followed Gus and jumped on them like a monkey. "Leo, don't be too uptight. Come join us!"
I roll my eyes and remove my suit jacket. Here goes nothing then. I join in on the fun and jump on them, possibly suffocating the fragile ladies under Gus and Wren. "Get your fat asses off!" Belle and Lina yelled in unison as we all continued to laugh. It had been so long since we all had fun. In fact we had never been like this and it felt good to just enjoy being with them, letting all the tensions fade away for now.