30

I woke up in a sweat. My heart was beating wildly. Was that a dream? Heart racing, I grabbed my cell phone.

10:25 Wednesday, July 13

Wasn't it yesterday when Chiara called me, or was it all really just a dream? I jumped up from my bed like mad and ran out of my room. I ran towards Alejandro's door. I opened it without knocking. Empty. "Mierda," I mumbled and slammed the door again.

"Alejandro?" I yelled as I ran down the stairs. I literally stormed into the dining room. When I got there, everyone stared at me in confusion. I gasped like mad and pushed my hair back from my sticky forehead. "Buenos dias," I laughed desperately. "Buenos dias," they replied, confused.

I quickly walked to my seat and turned my head to Ale. "Did I come home crying yesterday?" I whispered to him softly so only he could hear. He frowned in confusion. "What? Ángel brought you home yesterday," he replied, just as quietly. I exhaled in relief. "Thank God!" I half-roared.

Damn shit, that was by far the most real dream I've ever had. My heart was always pounding like crazy. Afraid that it might have been true? Was I really still worried about Domenico? "Would you like to tell us what the reason for your...what should I call it? behaving?" my dad asked. I looked at him in disbelief. Is he talking to me? Did my speech make a difference?

I quickly composed myself and searched for words. I can't really say that I dreamed of Domenico and that I probably worried. "Well, um, I had a very real dream," I replied, and my dad nodded. Apparently, that answer was enough for him. "It must have been a very bad dream," Ramón said. Okay, this is getting a bit too much for me. "Yep," I nodded, grabbing a bun. Will my family start talking to me again?

Will everything change for the better now?

Cayetana

Luckily the last week didn't feel so empty and miserable anymore. My family spoke to me again and it was slowly helping me to heal all the pain that Domenico had caused me.

You could say that everything was back to normal. And I was so happy, you can't even imagine.

Just finished me. Adriana and I wanted to go shopping later in the city. Finished with everything, I made my way downstairs, where I ran into my brother. "Where are you going?" Alejandro asked curiously while still walking on. I turned and took a few steps backwards. "Shopping with Adri," I replied. Ale immediately stopped, which made me chuckle a bit. Now he was not only worried about me, but also about her. In the meantime I've even gotten used to the fact that the two are a couple.

He narrowed his eyes warningly. "Take care of yourselves," he said and walked on. I had to laugh again. I left the property and headed for the garage. Adriana and I had agreed that I would pick her up and now I had to hurry a bit because I actually wanted to be there in five minutes.

-

"Punctuality isn't your forte, is it?" Adriana asked amused as she got in the car. "And my car isn't a tank," I replied as she slammed the car door really hard. But she always did.

"Sorry," she laughed lightly. Smiling, I just shook my head and drove off the Lopez compound. "I really missed that," she said, snuggling into the seat. I gave her a quick sideways glance before looking down the road again. "What do you mean?" I wanted to know. "Well, that we do something together. I mean, lately I've only been your alibi and we've never really done anything," she said. And he was back in my head. Domenico. There really isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him. But what bothers me the most is that no matter what I do, my stupid feelings won't go away.

A bad conscience came over me. I had totally neglected her. I was just blinded by love. "Lo siento," I murmured. In the corner of my eye I saw her wave him off. "Oh okay," she said. "No, Adri, it's not. I neglected you and it was because of someone who tricked me," I said guilty. "Hey! It's not your fault, got it, Madame?" she asked sternly. A smile crept onto my lips. I love her.

"I love you," I smiled and turned right. "Me too," I heard her speak. "Tell me," she began and looked at me sideways. "How are you actually?" she wanted to know. "I mean, with what's been going on lately. First the one with Domenico the super fucking dirty asshole and then the one with Ángel," she said. I had told Adriana about the night in Ángel's cabin in the woods and, unlike Alejandro, I told her everything. She seemed very upset at first. But she also knew I wouldn't have done it sober.

"All in all, I'm slowly getting better. Seriously. My family is talking to me again and I'm so thankful for that. The days they ignored me were hell. And about Domenico, well...my feelings for him are still there. I want to rip my brain out of my head and slam it against the wall with full force. He doesn't deserve my feelings," I muttered.

"But now let's not think about it! We want to have a nice day today, that's all that counts," I said resolutely while I was driving through New York. She nodded in agreement, smiling. Today I would have some real fun.

-

"The blue one," I said. She looked at me, taken aback. "Seriously? Not the red one?" she asked. Adriana stood in front of me with two dresses and once again couldn't decide. "I like the blue one more," I replied and looked through the things myself.

"Okay, then I'll phrase it differently," she began. I looked at her expectantly. "Which would Alejandro prefer?" she asked curiously. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "No! You can bend that," I said seriously, pointing my finger at them. "I'll never put myself in my brother's shoes while I'm shopping!"

She looked at me apologetically. "I really need your advice because Ale and I are going to eat later," she said quickly, narrowing her eyes. "What?" I blurted out. "Today is our day!" I protested. I don't want to share my best friend with my brother! "I know, but when Alejandro called me this morning and asked, I just couldn't say no," she said guiltily. Annoyed I snorted. "You mean you have to leave early?" She slowly began to nod. "Ale said he'll pick me up at some point, I don't know exactly when," she said.

Now I nod. "Okay, then let's enjoy the time," I said, because even though I was a bit disappointed, I was still happy that she had found happiness, albeit with my brother.

-

"And you want to stroll around town by yourself?" Adriana asked while she was at Ale. "Mhh hm," I nodded and looked at Alejandro. "Don't you steal my best friend more often in the future!" I warned, narrowing my eyes. Ale let out a laugh. "We'll see hermana," my brother grinned.

Adriana looked at me worried. "Are you sure you don't want to go home too? At least it's getting dark," she said worriedly. It was cute how worried she was about me, but she definitely didn't need to. "You don't have to worry. I'm a big girl and I've got my gun in the purse," I reassured her. Ever since the Domenico thing, I take a gun with me every time I leave the house. she snorted. "Okay, take care anyway," she begged me. "I will," I assured her.

We said goodbye and then they left. "I guess I'm alone now," I mumbled to myself before I started walking. There were a few more shops we haven't been to today. Who knows, maybe I'll find something nice.

I was about to cross the street when I heard something. I stopped abruptly. "Get away from me!", I heard someone yell very quietly. I looked at them questioningly. Despite the fact that it was so quiet, I knew that I had heard this voice before.

But where?

Cayetana

I pricked up my ears. Again I heard the voice I seemed to know. "Help!" I heard it muffled. My eyes widened in alarm and I ran in the direction the voice was coming from. "I know that voice," I murmured to myself as I walked slowly along the front of a store. "Please! Let me go!", I heard the whimpering woman's voice. She came from behind the store!

"That voice..." My eyes widened violently as it clicked. "Chiara," I murmured, quickening my steps. I quickly retrieved my gun from my pocket and sprinted behind the store. What I saw there sent a chill down my spine.

A tall and broadly built man had Chiara firmly under control and was kissing her neck wildly. She wriggled like crazy, but he covered her mouth. "Hey!" I yelled angrily and loudly cocked my gun. If there's one thing I hate, it's men who think they can take whatever they want.

I cursed myself for being involved in another De Santis drama. But this was something completely different. The man paused, but still didn't let go of her. "Let. her. Go. You bastard!" I growled. Angry, I aimed my gun at his leg and shot him in the calf. He groaned in pain and writhed in pain. "If you don't make the mosquito right away, the next one will go in your balls," I grumbled. It got my blood pumping to see that. Men who rape women should have their tails cut off mercilessly.

Hobbing, he made his escape. I slowly lowered my gun and looked at Chiara. Her shirt was completely torn, so she was literally just standing there in her bra and pants. With a quick wave of my hand, I stowed my gun back in my pocket and ran toward her. She was shaking all over and tears were streaming down her cheeks. In that moment, I pushed aside that she was a De Santis, and besides, nobody deserves that.

I gently put my arm around her. "Come with me," I spoke softly, pulling her with me. We walked slowly to my car. I didn't even pay attention to the people who gave us funny looks.

When I got to my car, I opened the passenger door and motioned for her to sit down. When she was seated I closed the door and went to the trunk. I fished a purple shirt out of the shopping bags and got in too. I looked at her. She was in complete shock. Her whole body was shaking like a leaf. Her breathing was very uncontrolled and her hand pressed to her left breast. "Hey," I spoke softly, gently stroking her shoulder.

"You're in shock and you're probably having a panic attack," I told her calmly. "Chiara, just try to breathe in and out, okay? You're fine, everything's fine. You're safe," I assured her calmly. "Imitate me," I said, breathing in and out slowly and calmly.

Moments passed and Chiara slowly calmed down. "Would you like something to drink?" I asked her. She nodded slowly. I turned around briefly and grabbed the bottle of water in the back seat. "Here," I said, handing her the bottle. "And here, put this on." I put the shirt on her lap.

"Thank you," she murmured softly after capping the bottle and putting on her shirt. I took the bottle and the other piece of cloth from her and put it on the back seat. I took a deep breath and looked at her questioningly. "Chiara, how could that happen?" I asked cautiously. The De Santis would never let her out alone. Chiara swallowed hard. "II...I snuck out. I just wanted to walk around town like a normal person. At home everything was getting to be too much for me. All the stress and all," she explained in a shaky voice. "How did you sneak out?" I asked. "I bribed a security guard," she confessed quietly. Ohwaia, that's someone's job and maybe, knowing De Santis, especially Domenico, loose his life.

I nodded understanding. "Didn't you take anything with you?" I asked her because I didn't see a bag or anything else. She shook her head. "No, I just wanted my peace, so I didn't take anything with me," she said.

I considered. I took a deep breath in my lungs before I spoke. "Do you have the phone number of one of your brothers in mind? Except for Domenico's" I asked her. I didn't want to release him again. Especially since I wouldn't like to talk to him, but if she doesn't have one in mind I'll have to for better or for worse. She slowly began to nod. Thank God. "Adrianos," she said.

"Perfect," I murmured, and pulled my phone out of my pocket, unlocked it, and handed it to her. She punched in the number and handed my phone back to me.

Adriano

"Your one too?" I asked my brothers as I poured myself another Scotch. Everyone nodded. "You know, if we go for the deal with the Drakes we'd actually get good sales," I said, pouring the brownish liquid into their glasses as I did. "I don't know," Domenico said skeptically. "I don't trust them," he said. "Neither do I," Leonardo interjected. I just shrugged my shoulders uncertainly. "Well, we'll see how Papa decides-" I was interrupted by my ringing phone. "Wait," I mumbled, pulling it out of my pocket.

An unknown number. "Hello?" I took the call. There was silence. My brothers all looked at me questioningly. I was about to hang up when someone started speaking. "Adriano?" I heard Cayetana's voice. I looked completely confused. "Cayetana?" I spoke, clearly confused.

Domenico sat up abruptly and looked at me questioningly. "Um, how do I start?" I heard her say desperately. "Your sister is in my car," she said. "What?" I asked in shock. "It can't be," I said. "Yes. She snuck out. Adriano..." she murmured desperately while my heart started beating faster with worry. "What is it?" I asked worried. "She almost got raped. Thank god I saw it," she said quietly. My body began to seethe with anger.

I jumped off the couch abruptly. "Excuse me?" I asked angrily. My blood boiled. "I put a bullet in the guy's calf. Adriano, she's in shock," she explained. "Can you bring her or should I come?" I tried to stay as calm as possible. If I can get my hands on that motherfucker...

"I'll bring her," Cayetana said. "Grazie," I said. Merda, after everything that happened, this woman is still like that to one of our family.