45

Vienna

I growled in frustration, narrowing my eyes at the target. After two hours of Hank explaining it to me, I still couldn't shoot the target. I finally had enough and sighed.

"I can't do this." I groaned.

I stiffened someone suddenly grabbed my arms and guided them up. They then placed my hands on the gun and moved my arms. Whoever it was, made me pull the trigger. My eyes widened as the bullet hit the target, perfectly.

"That is how you shoot a gun."

I spun around to see Stefano leaning against the wall. I blinked a few times, trying to figure out what just happened.

"Why are you here?" I finally managed to ask.

He sighed, "I...what I said the other night...I didn't say it to be an ass."

"Oh, really? Why am I finding that hard to believe?" I mused.

"I know, I've been ass to you, but I just thought...it would be better for you if....you hated me."

I watched as he blushed a little and looked down.

"I'm an idiot." He mumbled.

"That, you are. But...hoe would it be better for me it I hated you?" I questioned.

He hesitated for a bit, his eyes glazed over with thought.

"If Angelo saw that you hated me then maybe...he wouldn't...hurt you." He said softly.

I tilted my head, for the first time, I noticed how uncomfortable he looked. He kept trying to keep me from looking him in the eye, he was shifting from one foot to the other and tapping on the wall. He looked as if he were panicking, his eyes darting around, seeking an escape route. Like a frightened animal.

I sighed, "Well, I don't exactly hate you, so that plan failed."

He looked up, the ghost of a smile was on his face.

"You didn't give me enough time." He replied.

I chuckled, "So, why the sudden change?"

"I..." he furrowed his eyebrows. "I liked having you as a friend."

I smiled softly, "Well, we can definitely work on that again. First step, getting you to be normal."

He frowned, "Normal?"

"I know you weren't this....scared of showing your emotions before you were shunned. Or...were you?"

"No, I loved showing people that I...cared about them."

I nodded, "Then, we'll work on that. But explain one thing, how come you're scared of being close to me, but you're perfectly fine with Hank? And don't use the whole Angelo thing as an excuse."

He gulped, "You're different...to me."

I watched as he looked away again. I frowned, from what I've been told, I thought Stefano De Rege would be this heartless man who killed for satisfaction. I was wrong though, the real Stefano De Rege is a broken man who doesn't completely understand love. Whether it's motherly love, brotherly love, friendship, or a romantic love. He doesn't understand any of it.

Just how many years has he locked himself away from everyone?

"Stefano, that will cause a fire." I sighed.

He looked up, "It will?"

"Yes. You can't just out two sticks, in flames, on the ground. The grass will catch on fire." I explained.

He bit his lip, "Angelo did this when his father told us to take care of-oh."

I frowned, "Take care of what?"

Stefano sat there with wide eyes, he swallowed and ran a hand through his hair. As he started to put the flames out, I could see the pain in his eyes. I slowly got up, confused by the sudden shift in his emotions.

"Stefano?" I asked, gently placing my hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah?" He whispered, his voice breaking.

"Are you okay?"

He clenched his jaw, his eyes never left the black sticks and grass. I could see the unshed tears in his eyes as he tried blinking them away.

"Hey..." I said softly.

Gently cupping his face, I made him look at me. He kept trying to escape my grasp, but I wouldn't let him.

I couldn't believe it when a tear escaped his eye and ran down his cheek. Stefano De Rege, the most dangerous man, was crying.

"What's wrong?" I questioned.

He swallowed, "N-nothing."

"Clearly, it's not nothing."

He sighed, "No."

"No?"

"I...." he trailed off as he started to panic.

I quickly calmed him down, my concern for him continued to grow as he leaned against me. He seemed withdrawn, his eyes were dull with sorrow caused by a few sticks on fire.

"Angelo did this when his father told us to take care of-

I furrowed my brows, Angelo set two sticks on fire after his father told him to take care of something. Why would causing a fire be a solution to whatever problem his father had?

Then it hit me, maybe the problem wasn't a what, maybe it was a who. From everything I've heard, murder was something Angelo's father did often.

I looked back up at Stefano, "Who did Angelo kill?"

He snapped his head up with wide eyes, "How did you...?"

"Angelo set something or someone on fire. He killed someone." I replied.

Stefano gulped, "My father's wife."

"Your what?"

"My mother cheated on Angelo's father with a co-worker. They were assigned a project, after a month or so, they went out for drinks. They got drunk and...had sex. Of course, my father regreted it and immediately told his wife. They didn't get a divorce, they worked through it, but he hated my mom." He explained.

I frowned, "Why did he hate her?"

"For having me."

I stared at him in shock, his father hated this woman because she gave birth to his baby? I understand that Stefano wasn't made from love, but that doesn't mean he should have been killed. If that is what Stefano is saying.

"So...he wanted her to kill you?" I asked quietly.

Stefano nodded, "I'm a mistake, he knew that. Both of them did. Surprisingly, it was his wife who talked to my mom and told her to have me."

He smiled softly, "She was likr another mother to me. She told my father that she didn't care I wasn't her's by blood. She still loved me as her own. She even wanted to adopt me, considering the fact my mother was afraid for me and that she couldn't have children."

I frowned, "What?"

"When Angelo's father found out, he also wanted me gone. He tried drowning me once, but Angelo saved me. Angelo and my mother didn't care that I was born because of a drunk one night stand. They still loved me. So, my mother was considering putting me in a foster home or something. To keep me safe."

"My father and step-father wanted me dead though. They didn't care that I was a child, that it wasn't my choice to be here. I wasn't worthy enough to live in their eyes. My father did eventually get over it, but he ignored me whenever his wife watched me. My step-father never did and made sure I was never happy."

I nodded, "So, your mother had a one night stand with your father and got pregnant. Your biological father wanted her to get an abortion, but his wife didn't. Then, Angelo's father found out and wanted you dead as well?"

"Yes."

"So...your father tried killing you?"

"Not exactly, just kept telling me I was a mistake and told my mom that she should get rid of me." He answered.

We sat there in silence, surrounded by our own thoughts. I looked at Stefano, finally seeing past that tough guy facade. He's truly lost.

"I should have run back and warned her." He suddenly whispered.

"I knew the fire wasn't out, I knew what Angelo was doing. I was...scared though. If I put it out or told someone, she wouldn't be dead and maybe my father could have loved me like a fatber should. But Angelo's father would have punished me...I was scared of his punishments."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "How old were you?"

"Five."

I sighed before pulling him into a hug, he immediately became tense, but I didn't care. He eventually relaxed, but didn't return the hug. Instead, he fell asleep, his head resting on my shoulder.

"You're not a mistake." I whispered.