"What the fuck are you planning, Arturo?! I thought we talked about this!" Leo shouted as he barged into my office."I realized that people will find out anyway. Do you really think he'll be safe once we let him leave? They already saw him around us almost all the time," I calmly said as I lean back against the chair. Leo sighed in defeat as he slumped down onto the chair. "He can't live like this. He grew up with a normal life," Leo said."He didn't. Your mom constantly switched his schools and he's incredibly naive for his age. Do you really think he grew up with a normal life?" I asked."I don't mean it like that. I meant, not surrounded by the shit we do. I don't think he can handle it," Leo said. "Don't you think it would be easier for us to protect him when he's here?" I asked."Yes, it's easier, but he can't live the way he used to anymore and we're putting him closer to danger," Leo said, his jaw clenching in anger.We sat in silence for a moment, thinking about how Avery wo
I heard Leo getting out of the bathroom so I quickly put the picture down and went back to my seat. Leo sat beside me and grabbed a slice of pizza before shoving the whole thing into his mouth. I stared at the TV, avoiding eye contact and Leo must've noticed it. He tapped me on the shoulder and I looked at him and gave him a small smile."You okay?" He asked, his voice muffled with the food still in his mouth.My face scrunched up in disgust. "Don't talk with your mouth full," I said.Leo covered his mouth and held a finger up as he chewed his food aggressively before swallowing. "Sorry about that," he said before swallowing one more time. "I was saying, you look bothered. Are you okay?" He asked."Yeah," I said before facing away from him again."You don't seem like it. You can tell me," Leo said as he scooched closer to me.I bit my lip as I contemplated on whether I should tell him or not. Leo sighed and brought his attention back to the game after gulping down a can of soda. I to
Arturo's POV"Avery, please open the door," I shouted as I continuously knock on Avery's door. Leo briefed on what happened and it made sense as to why his house needed to be burned. Avery didn't understand why it had to be done and he was heartbroken seeing the house he grew up in burst into flames."Shit, I don't know how to explain this to him. He probably hates me now," Leo said, worry evident in his face."We can explain our side, but it would be hard for him to understand. We need to explain everything to him once he had calmed down," I sighed. "Call Tiago and we'll talk in my office," I said before walking to my office. Soon, the doors opened and Tiago and Leo came in. Tiago had a worried look on his face as he sat in front of the desk across from Leo."What is happening?" Tiago asked.Leo pulled out the velvet box from his pocket and handed it to Tiago. "What? Are you proposing to me?" Tiago asked, earning a smack on the head from Leo."Just open the fucking box," Leo grumb
Avery's POV"I'm so sorry for burning your house. It had to be done. I wouldn't do it if there was another way," Leo said."You're my brother," I said through the tears flowing down my face. "Yeah, I am," Leo replied with joy evident in his tone as he wrapped his arms around me. It still hurt that everything that I had was taken away from me, but knowing that Leo is my brother and that I still have someone other than myself, made me feel better. Leo rubbed my back as I cried on his chest. I can't believe that I truly have a brother. Leo pulled away and took my hand as he led me to the bed. We sat beside each other as he wiped the tears off of my face."Arturo said we might be half brothers," I said."Yes, we might be. We can't really know since mom is gone," Leo chuckled humorlessly."What does it mean for me?" I asked."I don't know. All you need to know for now is that I'll protect you no matter what," Leo said before placing a kiss on my forehead. "Dinner is about to start. If yo
I woke up the next day with Arturo nowhere to be found when Leo came into my room to bring me some breakfast. We ate on the couch like the night before and the memories of what happened last night entered my mind and I almost choked on the pancakes I was eating. "Are you okay?" Leo asked as he handed me a glass of water."Y-yeah," I mumbled before taking a sip of water. "Where's Arturo?" I asked."Just out for work. He'll be back soon," Leo replied. "What do you want to do for your birthday tomorrow?" Leo suddenly asked.I whipped my head toward him, looking confused. "How did you know my birthday?" I asked."We did a background check on you," he casually said."Do you do that to everyone who stays here?" I asked."Yep," Leo replied.That makes sense, I guess."So what do you want to do?" Leo asked before shoving a spoonful of pancakes in his mouth."A carnival," I said.Leo looked at me for a moment before nodding. "Have never been to one before?" he asked."No. Mom didn't allow me
"Happy birthday, baby," Arturo whispered in my ear as I woke up."Thank you," I said before pulling him into a kiss. Arturo chuckled against my lips before kissing me back. I pushed him on his back and straddled him as we kiss. I slipped my hand under his waistband but he grabbed my hand, stopping me from making any further move. I pulled away from the kiss, pouting at Arturo, making him chuckle. "We need to take a shower first. It's already twelve in the afternoon. We have to get ready if you still want to go to the carnival," Arturo said.I sighed and got off the bed and went inside the bathroom. Arturo followed behind me and helped me undress. I tried covering myself, still feeling shy despite Arturo already touching me more than once. Arturo start to undress in front of me and I quickly turned away, not trusting myself to react calmly after seeing him naked. I stepped into the shower and Arturo stepped in behind me.Arturo grabbed some soap and started washing me all over my bod
Arturo's POVIt's been fifteen minutes and the two still haven't come back from the restroom and I was starting to get worried. I got out of the car and ran to the restroom area to look for them, but I was immediately met with a large crowd gathering by the restroom. I pushed through the people blocking the way to the restroom and found Leo laying on the ground with the paramedics tending to him. I cursed under my breath and immediately ran to his side.His face was beaten black and blue and he looks like he was barely breathing. The paramedics asked me to stand aside as they lifted Leo into a stretcher. I tried looking around for Avery as I followed Leo as he was being carried to the ambulance, but couldn't spot him. My heart dropped as soon as I realized that something may have happened to Avery and I couldn't get ay answers until Leo woke up."Sir, we're sorry, but you can't get in the ambulance with us," one of the paramedics said."Was he alone when you found him? Was someone els
Avery's POV The sound of the door opening awoke me from my sleep. I was about to get up, but memories flashed of what happened earlier so I kept my eyes closed and laid still. I felt the bed dip beside me and my heart felt like it was going to burst from beating so hard out of fear. "I know you're awake," a deep voice said behind me. I still didn't move, fearing that the man might do something to me as soon as I opened my eyes. "Elio," he called out. My whole body tensed, hearing that name once again. My mother was the only person who called me that. She never told me why she called me that name. All this time, I just thought it was an endearment. "Ah, so she did call you that," the man chuckled. "Come on now, get up so we can talk," he said softly. I took a deep breath before opening my eyes. The sun had already risen and it was shining through the windows. I took a deep breath before slowly sitting up on the bed. I still didn't look at the man, I kept my back towards him.