Page 25 of Days Of Valentino

“What kinds of things?” I ask.

“Things I’m not going to repeat. Let’s just say… some delusional fuck is obsessed with you, Liliana, and sees Travis as an obstacle to getting you,” Zio Romeo says.

I don’t have to remind him that it wouldn’t be the first time. A cold shiver runs down my spine at the memory.

“Can’t say I blame the poor fucker. I mean, it’s not hard to be obsessed with you, Lil.” Travis kisses the side of my head before letting go of me and walking farther into the kitchen. “I wouldn’t read too much into it. I’m not afraid of some lunatic with a hard-on for my fiancée,” he says while opening the fridge.

“We’re not taking chances with either of you. This asshole was stupid enough to threaten a Valentino, or at least a Valentino adjacent. We don’t take threats lightly,” Zio Romeo grinds out between clenched teeth.

“Valentino adjacent?” I repeat.

“Well, yeah, he’s not a Valentino. But he’s with you. SoValentino adjacent.” Zio Romeo smiles.

“Do we have any idea who this guy is?” I ask him.

“No, but it’d help if you gave me a list of names,” Alessandro chimes in, walking into the kitchen.

“Names of what?”

“Guys you’ve dated. Other than Travis, obviously.” My brother smirks at the look that comes across my uncle’s face. It’s the same look on Travis’s face right now.

“I don’t have a list. And if I did, I’m not handing that over to you or anyone else.”

“Why not? It’s not like it’s gonna be long. What? Two? Three guys?” Alessandro presses.

“I don’t need to hear this,” Travis grunts.

“Yeah, not something I wanna hear either, but I’d like to be able to find the fucker who’s obsessed with my sister. So, Lil, list.” Alessandro hands me his phone.

I take it and sit down on one of the stools at the kitchen counter. “Might as well get comfy. This could take a while.” I smirk at my brother.

“Fuck me.” He scrubs a hand down his face.

“How long exactly?” Travis asks.

I shrug. “How long is a piece of string?”

I’m totally just fucking with them at this point. My list isn’t all that difficult to type out. Five guys. I’ve dated a total of five guys before Travis. It’s not easy dating when your last name is Valentino and you’re female. While it’stoo easyfor the men in my family. They can do whatever they want without consequences. But us girls? We get watched. Any guy who gets close to us is threatened away. Usually at gunpoint.

After about thirty minutes of trying to keep a straight face while my brother, my uncle, and my fiancée all pace around the kitchen, I finally hand the phone back to Alessandro.

He looks down at the list, up at me, then back at the list. “That’s it?”

“Yep,” I say, popping my P at the end.

“It took you that long to write five names?” He shakes his head.

“No, but it was just too entertaining to watch you all freak out.” I shrug. “Now, I’m going back to bed. Try not to wake me up again.” My hand lands on my brother’s chest. “If you do, I’m telling Papa it was you who scratched his Porsche back when we were in elementary school.”

“That was you.” Alessandro smirks. “I lied to cover for you, Lil.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t know that. Who do you think he’ll believe?” I’m totally playing on me being our father’s favorite. I’m not. But it’s a running joke in our house that I am. He loves us both equally. My brother and I know that. Our father is just a little more protective over me with the whole being a girl thing. “Travis, I need you upstairs,” I say as I walk away.

It’s not long before I hear Travis’s footsteps sneaking up behind me.

Episode Eleven

There have been numerous times throughout my life where I wished for a brother. Thought how much easier things would be if I had a brother instead of a sister. Right now is one of those times.

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