Deadly Nightshade by Sem Thornwood

Chapter 5

Alessio

The Vasiles’ lake house was as beautiful as I remembered. It held so many good memories from our childhood.

Unfortunately, we stopped coming here at some point. The last time I was here with my siblings and The Vasiles was three years ago. After that, I came twice to Salvatore’s parties. Those were good parties. Too much booze, music, and too many girls. Yet, it didn’t give me the happiness this trip gave me.

Maybe it was the nostalgia. Perhaps it was Isabella. Most likely, it was both.

We all took our standard rooms. We had our own rooms since we were kids. Mine was next to Isabella because when we were choosing our rooms, we wanted to be close to each other. At the time, no one said anything, but now I could feel Salvatore’s tension anytime I was near Isabella. It fucking pissed me off, but I didn’t react. I’d be dammed if I ruined her birthday in any way.

We didn’t try to cook. We made a bonfire and ordered pizza. Antonio gave a long lecture about how pizza is not healthy, and all of us made fun of him for it. He didn’t budge. He was used to it.

Isabella ate her pizza with such delight. She once told me she hated mealtimes, but with us, she always ate her food with joy. So, I assumed the meals at her house must be tense. I wished they weren’t. I hoped she could be as happy as she was now. Making Mia laugh, giving Antonio a hard time, and refusing all brother-alpha behaviors of Salvatore. From the smiles she threw to me occasionally, I knew she was truly happy. I wanted to stop the time then just so she can be happy like this forever.

After pizza, we had some marshmallows on the fire. I didn’t like it much, but Mia especially loved them. She loved everything sweet, really. Antonio, Salvatore, and I had beers. Salvatore said girls are “Too young to drink,” but in reality, only Antonio was legally allowed to drink. I offered to give one to Bella in a coffee mug, but she refused. Mia, on the other hand, wanted a sip openly. Antonio gave her his own bottle. She took few gulps even though Salvatore’s protests. She said “Delicious” after her first sip, but I could see she was trying so hard not to grimace.

She was pissing Salvatore off so much. I only wished she stopped that when they were married. Being scared for my sister’s safety all the time was not a good future plan.

Antonio was the first one to depart. When he didn’t have to handle business at night, he always slept early. He was trying to keep everything 100% healthy in his life. He was a maniac in every sense.

Isabella sat on the sand and put her head on my knee. Salvatore tensed, but I didn’t push her away. His actions really pissed me off. Maybe it was good that Mia pissed him off. At least she was doing it when I could save her from him.

“Out of beer,” Sal announced. I couldn’t hear their previous conversation because I was having the most challenging time stopping myself from brushing Isabella’s hair with my fingers. Still, I felt that the real reason he left was something Mia said.

I looked at Bella. Her eyes were closed. Then I looked at my watch. It was midnight. Mia was lost, so lost in her thoughts to realize. I softly brushed a strand of chocolate color hair from Isabella’s face and whispered, “Happy Birthday, Sweetheart.”

She didn’t open her eyes immediately, and I became sure she was sleeping. Still, her lips pulled into a little smile. After she stretched her head on my knee, she murmured, “What?”

“Do you want me to take you to bed?”

She only nodded. I softly pushed her head away from my knee and pull her into my arms. Her hands hold onto my t-shirt, and in her sleepy state, she nuzzled a spot between my neck and my chest. Her head went up like she was searching for a piece of naked skin. I couldn’t help but smile. When I straighten, I found Mia looking at us smiling. Even though her expression was happy, I could see the longing in her eyes. I wished I could erase that longing from my sister’s eyes. If I was not hugging Isabella to my chest, my insides would probably burn with anger towards Salvatore.

As Isabella clung to me, I turned to the house. It reminded me of the old days. She’d always get sleepy early, and I’d always take her to her room. I was not always able to carry her in my arms, but it was definitely better than dragging her into her feet.

The smile I couldn’t help disappeared when I spotted Salvatore coming out of the house. His face twisted with something raw when he saw me carrying Isabella.

When he asked, “Is she okay?” A little bit of my anger left my body. I could understand him being worried for her, but I just couldn’t take him seeing me as a danger to her. I’d kill anyone who wanted to harm her, and he needed to understand that.

“She fell asleep like always. I’ll put her to bed.”

His emerald eyes flashed with worry. There was also some anger. With Salvatore, every emotion was twined with some anger. “I’ll do it,” he said and leaned to take her from my arms.

It felt like a knife to the heart. “Salvatore,” I warned, but it didn’t affect him. He wrapped his arms around Isabella and took her from me forcefully.

She made a sad sound, or I hoped.

Before turning to the house, Salvatore’s gaze found me. “Don’t do this, Alessio. It is not going to end well.”

A sinister and challenging smile pulled my lips. “We’ll see.” One day no one will be able to take her from me. I’ll make sure of it.

Salvatore, Antonio, and I woke up early in the morning. It was nice to work out in the morning chill. I thought about doing laps on the lake but then decided against it since we were spending the afternoon swimming.

After a run around the house, we stayed in the backyard facing the lake, doing the rest of our workout. The morning was silent, peaceful. Then there was a little giggle. It was almost not there, but when I threw a side glance at the house, I saw Mia and Bella sitting on Bella’s balcony watching us.

My mouth twitched, but I held my smile. I might have flexed my muscles a little harder because Bella was watching. I tried to ignore them mostly, but they giggled more. Normally I would find two teenage girls watching us work out shirtless pretty funny, but this was different. For once, one of the girls was Bella. Also, there was the reality of one of them being my baby sister and probably watching Salvatore with a hungry gaze.

I saw Salvatore’s jaw tighten when their giggling again filled the air. Probably he was thinking the same thing. Antonio, on the other hand, didn’t seem the mind it at all. The side of his lips curled as he turned to the balcony, his hands occupied with tying his long black hair. “Isn’t it a little cold, ladies?”

With that, Salvatore, and I, too, turned their way. Both of them were wearing nightgowns too thin for the weather. They giggled again, and I realized Bella’s cheeks were red. I didn’t know if it was watching three shirtless men or the cold weather.

She shouted before Mia could. “If it’s cold, try putting on a t-shirt.”

Antonio smiled, and even though his coldness, it was a playful smirk. “I wouldn’t want to ruin your fun.”

He didn’t say it in a smug way. He was never liked that. Even though he was taller and more muscular than Salvatore and me, he never seemed to mind that. His brain was too occupied to care how handsome he was. Still, I knew he was aware of it. I always thought it had something to do with his attitude as well.

Mia wrinkled her nose. “Finish it already. We are hungry.”

“Then prepare breakfast,” Antonio shouted back.

“It’s Bella’s birthday, and I am using my BFF privilege. You guys are preparing breakfast.”

All of us murmured, “Okay.” Then Salvatore added. “You guys are wearing something that doesn’t look like it came from a fairyland before coming downstairs.

They giggled again and disappeared. We decided to take a shower and then do some omelet. Except for Antonio, our cooking skills were shit. So, our plan was to let Antonio do all the work and take credit for it. For our luck, Antonio didn’t give a shit when we do that.

Since I was not planning to do any work after my shower, I didn’t hurry downstairs. I dressed up in a t-shirt and sweats very slowly. I took the white box from my bag and knocked on the door beside mine.

“We are coming in a minute,” Mia said.

“It’s me,” I announced. “Can I come in?”

This time Isabella answered in a heartbeat. “Yes.”

I opened the door slowly. Both of them were out of their nightgowns. They were not wearing anything fancy. We never dressed up in the lake house. There was no point. Still, they were not in gym clothes or anything like that. Mia was actually wearing a sweatshirt dress. Isabella was wearing some green cargo pants and a white sweater which looked terrific on her olive skin.

I stepped inside the room, leaving the door ajar. Showed the little box in my hand. “Wanted to give you your present.”

We planned to give them after the cake, but it was a personal present. I wanted to give her in private. Mia must have understood because she jumped from her spot on the bed. “Oh, I should check something.” Then she left.

I had a feeling she was standing in the doorway in case of Salvatore, and I was grateful for her.

Isabella’s breaths were faster than usual. It made me feel a good amount of satisfaction, and it heightened even more when I took a step towards her. Because her breath hitched. When I stood in front of her, she said, “I am sorry.” My forehead wrinkled, and she explained, “For last night, for Sal. He acts like an asshole.”

He was, but I didn’t tell her that. “He is only worried for you.”

“He should learn that you will never hurt me.” There was a hint of doubt in her voice. It made me feel like my insides were crushing. She shouldn’t have a doubt about that. She should know that I would slay a nation for her smile. She should know what she meant to be. She should know she is mine, and I will always protect her.

Sadly, there was no time to tell all of this. So, I simply said, “I won't.” Then held out the white box. “Want to open your present?”

Her dark eyes lit up with excitement. It was always a magnificent sight to behold. The meaning of my gift danced in my mind with those eyes. They were the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

She nodded slowly. “Please.”

I gave the white box to her. Her slender fingers slowly opened the white ribbon around it. Then she opened the box. Her eyes widen with the sight. She took out the golden hair comb and inspected it. There were two of them, and both of them had the purple flower and black fruit on them. The goldsmith I found really did a good job.

When her eyes found mine again, she whispered, “Belladonna.”

She once told me her mother called her Belladonna because of this plant. That was seconds after she saved my life. I didn’t know if I’d really taste the poisonous fruit, but the heads up was good. First, it seemed weird that her mother would call her with the name of a toxic plant. I honestly thought that was something to do with her eyes. Her eyes looked exactly like those black cherries.

She didn’t tell me the reason for it, but I had a pretty good guess. It was just obvious. She was like those fruits. Sweet but toxic. Getting near Bella Vasile was too dangerous, but to taste that sweetness, I would risk getting the poison.

“Where did you even found this?” She asked and pulled me out of my thoughts.

“I have it made.”

She wrapped her arms around me, startling me. Her hold was tight around me, so I hugged her the same way. Her presence in my arms just felt so right. Actually, nothing ever felt more like mine.

Mine.

No matter how many men I have to kill.

She was mine.

“Thank you,” she whispered, but I couldn’t answer. Her softness in my arms and the heat of her breath on my neck was enough to make me drunk. She was more intoxicating than any alcohol or drug, and I was already an addict.

When she pulled away, I felt the chill on every spot of my skin. Luckily, her smile was still keeping me alive.

She stepped towards her mirror to put on the combs, but I stopped her by wrapping my hand around her wrist. So small, so breakable, so beautiful. “Let me.”

She put the comb on my palm and turned to the mirror obediently. I brushed her silky hair away from her face. Twisted a brown lock and put the first comb. Then the other. When her hair was pushed back by Belladonnas, I gathered the rest of her hair and pushed them to her back. Her dark eyes found mine. Her breathing got rapid. I couldn’t help it. I leaned down and left a loving kiss on her swan-like neck. She shivered with the first touch of my lips. I wanted to kiss every part of her just to feel my effect on her again.

After she gathered herself, she turned to me. So close that it would take nothing for me to lean down and brush my lips to hers. And by God, I wanted nothing more in my whole life. I couldn’t help but look at her plump lips. She swallowed when she realized my gaze, and then hers dropped to my lips. She licked her bottom lips nervously before speaking, and it made me go crazy. “Alessio, actually I want…”

She couldn’t finish her sentence because Mia’s heavy footsteps filled the air. It was followed by her clearing her throat. Bella immediately stepped away from me with some kind of sadness. Some sort of longing.

I knew the same feeling was mirrored in my eyes too.

I could only stop looking at her after Mia came into the room, inspected us, and said, “Oh, those combs are pretty.”

I was so angry at my sister at that moment, but when I saw Salvatore coming inside after her, my anger vanished. She was keeping watch outside of the room. Mia was a better sister than I deserved.

When Salvatore was inside, his eyes lingered on the scene beside him. His jaw tensed when he looked at Bella. Probably because her cheeks were still red. Yet, he said nothing. Nothing but, “Breakfast is ready.”