All Chapters of Bound by blood and lies: Chapter 111 - Chapter 115

The darkness came like it always did, slow, creeping, suffocating. I couldn’t remember when I’d fallen asleep, or if I’d even wanted to. The last thing I recalled was lying on my back, staring at the ceiling, Matteo and Luca's arms wrapped around me.But this sleep… it was different.My body felt strange. Smaller. Lighter. My feet pattered against the grass, soft and cool beneath my soles. I looked down and saw small, stubby fingers. Chubby arms. I was… a child.Laughter rang out nearby. I turned to see a boy taller, maybe eight, nine or ten his shaggy brown hair catching the sunlight as he spun in circles with his arms stretched wide like an airplane.“Come on, Gio!” he called, his smile radiant and familiar. “Catch me!”Gio?I ran after him without thinking, my smaller legs wobbling with each step. My breath came in sharp bursts, but I laughed like I actually laughed. That strange, light joy bubbled in my chest like soda, fizzy and wild. The boy was fast, b

The mug in my hands was half-empty, the warmth fading with every second. But I was still holding it, like it anchored me to the ground. My fingers had stopped trembling. Barely. My heart, though—it wasn’t so calm.Luca glanced at Matteo, silently asking permission. Matteo gave a faint nod. Then Luca leaned forward, elbows on the table, eyes dark with something that was neither fear nor nostalgia but maybe both.“You want to know about the Moretti?” he asked quietly, his voice steady. “Alright. Here’s what we know.”The air shifted. Slowed. I held my breath.“Once,” Luca began, “there were three great families: Rossi, Ricci, and Moretti. Allies. Brothers in blood and ambition. Together, they were the Circle.”Matteo continued, “The original Circle. Not this patched-up mess that exists now. The old one? That ruled Italy. Not the streets, the entire fucking country. Even the government bowed their heads when the Circ

Matteo's POVHe flinched.Not a big movement. Not enough to scream confirmation. But just enough to confirm everything I needed to know.His eyes locked on mine, and suddenly, the kitchen, the damn house, felt like it was spinning off its axis. I stood frozen, heart hammering in my chest like it wanted to break free and run.He—he—was Giovanni.The boy who used to steal my snacks and hide behind his mother’s skirts.The boy who vanished like smoke when the Morettis betrayed us all.Eli was Gio.“What the f—” I started, but I didn’t get the chance to finish.Eli—no, Gio—lunged across the counter, clamping a firm hand over my mouth. His other hand grabbed my wrist, and his eyes were dark, urgent, terrified and locked on mine.“Shut up,” he hissed. “Please. Not now. Don't let Luca hear.”I blinked, startled. He glanced toward the hallway, his head jerking slightly like he was listening for footsteps.“Is Luca—?” he began.I shook