Chapter 9 (Aliyana)


    “I don’t want to wear a pink one, I want red like Camimi,” Mischa squirms in Deno''s arms as he holds


    the red dress with one hand and her with the other as she goes to war with his shirt and arm.


    “What wants, don’t get,” He is fooling no one with that stern look he is giving the girl. Sitting here


    watching the two, I am still stunned that Marco has a kid. I wonder who is the mother, she looks a lot


    like him but also nothing like him at the same time. They have the same color eyes and that is about it.


    It almost seems too untrue to be true. But here the child is in the flesh.


    I itch to get the kid and help Deno, but I am also enjoying watching the soon-to-be Capo squirm. She is


    two handfuls and a half. When I introduced myself, she was very shy and went to hide between


    Leonardo’s legs. I haven’t had a chance to speak to him alone and give him my unspoken warning


    about hurting my sister but by the way, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her, I am hoping I won’t need to.


    I find it funny how I spent years wanting him, and convincing myself he held Jupiter in his palm that just


    the thought of talking to him brought me to a jabbering mess. Yet, after one kiss, well, maybe a few


    more kisses from his older brother I forgot about him, and any feelings I conjured up vanished. It didn’t


    die, because for something to be dead it would have to be real and the feelings, I had toward Leonardo


    were not.


    The heels on the floor alert me to the arrival of yet another person who belongs to Marco. Admittedly


    she showed no hostility toward me since we arrived. But, I notice my sister avoid Cami. I want to


    know why.


    “Aliyana, will you be joining us on the boat? You are already dressed.” She smiles and it is genuine,


    which makes my secret wanting of her to be a bitch a bit dramatic.


    “Yes, I’m just waiting for Deno to get Mischa into a jacket.”


    “OH, let me help,” She walks over to Mischa who mistakenly flings her arm on Cami’s face.


    “Enough, if you don’t put that jacket on you can stay behind, now say sorry to Cami.” I am surprised


    by the tone but more surprised by the person it ising from, Xander.


    “Sorry, sorry, sorry,” Mischa screams before she starts howling. Wow, she has a pair of lungs on her.


    Deno doesn’t seem to care about Cami who is obviously at a loss to still reach for the now screaming


    kid or leave.


    I go up to take the kid, as Deno warns me to not touch her as he tries to put the pink jacket on her. I


    ignore him and grab her from behind which he lets me do, and take her to the counter where I leave


    her on the top. Noticing she might fall, I smile at her,


    “You know the pink totally matches your hair,” I wink at her and she quietens but looks at me.


    She doesn’t say anything and I take that as a queue to put the jacket on her properly. I don’t move to


    take her off the counter but stare at her as she stares at me. Yes, kiddo, I was once just like you, spoilt


    by my daddy.


    “Wanna jump and I catch you?” She instantly smiles and like all kids that naughty her mood changes


    as she throws herself and I catch her just in time. I turn around and see 5 sets of eyes looking at me in


    shock.


    Guilia walks in rolling her own and grabs an apple, “You guys forgot we have the twins?”


    “Twins?” Cami asks


    “Yes, our brother and sister. I’m dying to go on the boat.” I say and leave them with Mischa on my hip.


    Marco is standing in the passage and unfortunately, I can’t avoid the man in his own house.


    “Mischa, you want toe to me?” He askspletely ignoring me. Well touché.


    “No, I like Yana.” The name causes an ache in my chest to think Ren knew about her and never


    mentioned it. Was he really my best friend?


    “Okay, then let’s go, the boat is all stocked and locked.”


    “With hot chocte,” His smile is slow and he makes a zipping motion to his lips and Mischaughs as


    he winks.


    He stares at me for a moment and I know after meeting Cami it can’t mean what I want it to be.


    “You look better like this.” His words take me by surprise and I watch him turn and walk toward the


    direction he came from.


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    “Standing here isn’t going to get you to the boat, Principessa,” Xander says from behind me and I turn


    with MISCHA to see the others are still talking in the kitchen.


    “Don’t you have a post to go to?” I ask him.


    “Yes, on the boat next to you.” He winks and Mischa giggles and I can’t help it, but I smile before


    turning around and going to the direction Marco went.


    I hear, Xander follow close behind me.