Page 2 of In Ruins
“Okay, moonlight.” I sniffle into the phone.
“God, I hate that name.” He groans before I hear a slight chuckle.
“I know,” I tell him, a smile forming on my face. I know how much he hates it, but it’s always been our thing.
We came up with nicknames for each other when we were little. Anytime I was sad, he used to tell me that I shouldn’t be.He didn’t want his sunshine to ever feel that way, since I always brightened up his world. That’s when I started calling him my moonlight. Telling him that he needed to be my light in the dark whenever things got scary, because living with my father, how could they not be? He hates it, but still lets me call him that.
He stays on the phone with me as Paul maneuvers the car to avoid getting hit by the assholes still chasing us. When Luca had installed the shatter-resistant glass in the cars, I had thought it was overkill, but now I’m glad for it because I don’t want to die.
“I see you guys, sunshine! Everything’s going to be okay now,” Luca says into the phone. I hear the sound of more vehicles approaching. I lift my head and look through the front windshield and see six cars coming at us full speed.
They make an opening, and we pass through the middle before they close up again, cutting off the ones that were following us. Paul is a really good driver because while I was talking to Luca, he managed to put quite a bit of space between the enemies and us.
Gunfire erupts a moment later, and it sounds like an all-out war. Instantly, a wave of relief hits me, though I’m worried about my brother. I don’t want him to get hurt, but I know he can take care of himself. Just knowing that he’s here for me makes me instantly feel safe.
Adrenaline courses through my body as Paul continues to drive us home without stopping. I don’t know why this is happening, but I do know it will lead to more bloodshed. The only thing I’m hoping and praying for is that none of the blood spilled will be my brother’s.
I don’t knowhow long I’ve been in my room, anxiety-riddled and pacing the floor, when my brother finally walks through my door. I quickly rush over to him and see blood on his shirt.
“Oh my God! Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Did you find out who those guys were working for? And why were they after me?”
“Not yet. But I’m going to.”
“Wha—” I start, but he stops me.
“No questions. I’ll sort this out. Don’t you worry.”
He never tells me anything about what he does for my father.
“Fine. I’m not going to ask. I’m just glad you’re back home safe,” I say, pulling him in for a hug and squeezing the life out of him. We didn’t know it at the time, but that was the day life would irrevocably change for me.
“Why aren’tyou dressed yet, sis? You need to get moving. We don’t want to anger Father now, do we?” my brother asks from behind me, as I’m pulled from my thoughts of that day. It feels as if that was a lifetime ago, and lately, it’s been weighing heavily on my mind.
Everything changed that day. It’s hard to believe it’s only been six months since it all happened. Father was beyond angry when he heard what happened. Naturally, he blamed me as though being chased by one of his rivals was my doing. I learned who was behind it a few days after the ordeal was over.
Luca fought with him, telling him that none of this was my fault, but in the end, it didn’t matter. The damage hadalready been done. According to my father, it was some kind of kidnapping attempt by the Andrettis that somehow turned out to be my fault. I wasn’t briefed on the details of how they found this out, but something about the story seemed fishy. It’s true that the Andrettis and our family, the Belluccis, hated each other, but they’ve never attacked us before, as far as I know. There has been some kind of rivalry between the two families that dates back years, and of course, Father never offered any details on the matter.
I think he’s full of shit and is the only one who even cares about this so-called rivalry, keeping it alive and burning. I don’t know much about the Andrettis, but what I’ve overheard paints a different picture. According to the gossip, Leonardo Andretti and his son, Enzo, couldn't care less about what my father does. They don’t do business together. They’re busy building their own empire, which is worth at least ten times, if not more, than my father’s. I think the feud is all in my father’s head.
So, with everything I know about them, I’m pretty sure they weren’t the ones after me. My father is an egotistical asshole, and I’m certain there isn’t a shortage of people who he’s pissed off.
After that day, Father decided that it was too risky to send me back to school, so he forbade me from ever going again. He said he didn’t need the added stress of worrying about me. He said it was best for me to remain at home. I’d be homeschooled from then on.Father actually being concerned about me was laughable.
Even though Luca protested on my behalf, my father's mind was already made up. Since he is the head of our family, his word carries the most weight, so my brother had to listen to him. Luca set up the tutor to come to the house, and I was being homeschooled. Now I’m wishing I’d appreciated the boredom at school more, because it was better than being home.
Sometimes, it feels like I’m under constant surveillance. I don’t know if I’m paranoid or not, but it seems like the guards always look at me with pity in their eyes. My access to the outside world is now restricted. I’m not allowed to leave without an escort or at all, depending on how my father is feeling that day. Then there’s the emotional turmoil and physical abuse I have to deal with.
I had no illusions that my father did any of that because he was worried or cared about me. Hell, I didn’t delude myself into thinking that he loved me. No, this was all about keeping the commodity—me—alive, intending to use me one day.
The only person who does anything for love in this house is Luca. He wants to keep me safe. That comes from a place of protection rather than seeing me as a possession to be used as a bargaining chip whenever the time is right. He’s always been my shield, and I’m very grateful to have him in my life.
I turn to look at my brother, a smile on my face. At thirty, Luca is twelve years older than I am. He's never once made me feel like a nuisance, even when I used to follow him around when I was younger. In fact, he's the only person in this world who makes me feel as though I’m loved.
I don’t know if he's constantly around to help compensate for the fact that he gets to do the fun stuff, while I’m locked away inside the walls of this mansion, or if he genuinely wants to spend time with me. I mean, realistically speaking, how many guys usually want to hang out with their sister?
