"Earth to earth, sis..." Luca said in a playful sing-song tone, and it broke me out of my trance. "Lost you there for a second. Where did you go?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

My lips parted slightly, but the words clogged in my throat. I’m still weirded out by what happened in that library, and the creepy fact that I wasn’t alone the whole time before Dante stepped in.

That shadow... I thought it belonged to Luca since those two were always together. Then who was that?

"Well, aren’t you adorable?" Luca said as Boba caught his attention. "What’s his name?"

"..."

"Come on, he got a name right?"

He stretched his hand forward as if to touch him, but I quickly took a step back, holding Boba tighter.

"What do you think you’re doing?"

"Easy now, I’m harmless."

I find that very hard to believe. Should I remind him that he threatened my ass the second day in this manor?

At my accusing look, he flashed me a hesitant smile.

"I can tell my actions weren’t exactly reassuring in that aspect."

Ya think?

At the sound of sudden footsteps, his eyes snapped behind me.

"There you are!"

I discreetly threw a look over my shoulder to Dante, and somehow I hoped for the other person that had been in that library to follow through.

Dante closed the door behind him, and without so much as a word, he left.

"There he goes..." Luca sighed.

I half expected him to follow Dante, but he doesn’t.

"So where were we?" he added as if we were in some discussion to begin with.

"I was just leaving..." I mumbled as I walked, in hopes I’d just find my way out of here.

"You do realize that place leads to a dead end, right?"

I froze in place.

"Y-Yes, I do..."

"And that leads out back," he uttered once again when I changed direction.

Shit!

I closed my eyes, briefly muttering a string of curses before I faced him with a strained smile.

"I knew that too. I was just refreshing my memory."

"I’m sure you were..." he agreed with a snicker, folding his arms, the fabric of his white shirt taunting over his lean muscles. "What are you even doing all the way out here? A bit far away from your fortress, aren’t you?"

"Touring..."

His brow rose slightly. "Alone?"

"With Elliot... until I ditched him."

"Ah... you shouldn’t have done that." He eyed the door to the library briefly.

On cue, I did too, and it was almost as if something was gonna come out there.

"So... should I take over Elliot’s role for the tour...?" Luca asked unexpectedly, a wide grin spread across his lips. "Something tells me you still need some exploration."

Creepy.

"No thanks. I’m fine on my own."

"No, you’re not..." He brushed me off with a huff. "You don’t even know your way back. I’ll show you."

Luca moved, and when he saw that I didn’t make any attempt to do so, he raised his hands as if in submission.

"Don’t worry, sis-in-law... we have strict orders not to harm a single hair on your head. It’d be our funeral."

I fixed him with a pointed stare. That was the same thing he said at the arcade.

I lingered for a few seconds before I followed beside him as we strolled the hallway.

My curiosity got the better of me.

"Are those strict orders from Don?"

"Yep!"

My pulse quickened at his reply. I had no idea why it did that; maybe at the thought, it gave me some reassurance. Knowing the kind of person Zade was... I knew his brothers both respected and feared him.

"Hence why I can’t do anything..."

I shot him a look, and he laughed.

"Loosen up! Not that I still wanna..." he teased. "I think I’m starting to like you... more. Make sense?"

"No..." I replied flatly, not because I’m trying to indulge him, but he thought otherwise.

"Right? Dante hates your guts, but it’s okay, I like them."

Somebody... Help!

"Well then, sis... how are you enjoying your stay so far?"

"..."

"You’re not much of a talker, are you?"

Actually, I wish he’d just shut up, but that doesn’t seem to be in the books for him.

"You know what? I get it... You’re homesick."

"H-Homesick?"

"You miss home. Anyone does when they have no choice but to leave."

His words made a feeling sink low in my stomach. I have never thought about it that way ever since I came here. There has been so much anger and pain since day one, I hadn’t even thought to consider being homesick.

There wasn’t a home to miss. My father didn’t hesitate to sell me to Zade at the first glimpse of a dollar bill.

"I don’t..." I murmured.

I could feel his eyes burning on my side profile, but I didn’t look.

I cringed when I felt him touch Boba, and to my surprise, he scratched beneath his chin just where he likes it.

"You still haven’t told me his name."

"B-Boba..." I was forced to reply.

Boba purrs deepened as he continued petting him. Something tells me he was the one who brought a puppy that Cynthia mentioned when she told me Zade doesn’t allow little ones.

Boba caught his finger between his teeth, his paws resting against his arm as he chewed lazily.

"The name suits him..." Luca said.

"I’m guessing you have a soft spot for animals."

His eyes lit up in a way that made the browns lighter. "Am I in trouble?"

That was weirdly cute for someone like him.

"I can’t help it, the little menaces are adorable. It makes you wanna squish them to pieces with your hands."

My blood ran cold as I stepped away from him.

He scratched the back of his head. "That did not come out right."

"I think I’m good here..." I said, already leaving when I caught a familiar path.

Thank God!

"Wait, come on! I didn’t mean it like that."