《Selena Arabella Calos》

"Do you always wear a suit?" I ask Daniel, struggling to finish the last of my food. Daniel is making me eat a whole serving of Shepherd's pie with Caesar salad. I don't think I've eaten that much at once since I was sixteen.

He continues to stare at his laptop screen. "Most of the time, yes. I have grown up wearing suits."

That makes sense. Every time I have seen him outside of that place, he's always wearing a suit.

"Isn't it uncomfortable?" Even Jax and Father don't wear suits outside of work, meeting and formal events.

"Not really. I feel comfortable in suits. I mean, I don't wear a suit on the days I'm not working."

"Did you have work today?"

He manages to look away from the laptop screen. "Yes, I had to go to the office today."

"And you were against me even getting up from bed. That's very hypocritical of you."

He narrows his eyes. "No, it isn't. You sustained more injuries than I did and were considerably weaker than me. I am also the CEO and have been away from my company for close to a month, so I had to be at the office as soon as we got home."

"Why aren't you there now? It's the afternoon. Don't you have meetings to attend?" I ask him, and he shrugs.

"I'm doing what I have to from home. I couldn't leave you alone like that. What would you have done if I wasn't there when you woke up?"

So he's prioritising me over his work? That's a first. No one in my life has ever done that for me- not even Jax. When Jax has to work, he doesn't let anyone distract him from it- except if someone is dying, but that is the only exception. He probably learnt that from our parents, who, as far as I know, weren't there for me on my second birthday. If my parents weren't as wealthy or had as much power and influence as they do, I'm sure child protective services would have taken me away before I turned five. But then, if my parents weren't as wealthy, they might not have treated me the way they did. They might have even loved me.

"Why would you prioritise me over your work?" I ask him, and he blinks in surprise.

"I- why would I not?" He asks me in a confused tone.

"No one else ever did," I reply indifferently, then look down at the plate of food.

I don't understand why he's confused. For that matter, I don't even understand why he cares so much for me. If my parents, the people who are naturally supposed to love and care for me, don't, then how can he? Why does he love me when he can have anyone he wants?

I hear the scrape of a chair against the floor, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. I don't turn to look at him even when I feel his presence behind me. I can't. He'll see through my anxieties and insecurities, and I can't let him. I've already allowed myself to be too weak in his presence. He can't know about my insecurities too. He'll think of me as weak and pathetic if he does, and I can't have that. I just can't.

Slowly, so I don't become dizzy, Daniel spins my chair around so that we can look at each other, only I don't. I stare at the floor, not wanting to look at him. I cannot allow him to see through me any more than he already has.

A moment later, Daniel slides a finger under my chin, tilting my head back and stares into my eyes. I look away as fast as I can. He's trying to read me again. He wants to know what I'm thinking. I cannot allow him to do that.

"Look at me, Selena," Daniel whispers. His voice is quiet yet authoritative, and I almost give in to him. "Now!" He snaps in a slightly louder, harsher voice and this time, I listen.

I thought he would be mad, but he is not. Instead, he looks at me expressionlessly, studying me, trying to decipher my thoughts.

"I love you. I will always prioritise you over anything else," he says with finality. But he didn't need to say anything for me to believe him- his eyes told me what he felt. For the first time, I could read him probably as well as he could read me. He hides the same insecurities as me, except he hides them well. His eyes look lost and desperate. He doesn't know what to say to make me believe him, but he's sincere, and that's all that matters.

"I love you too," I breathe. His eyes flicker to my lips, and I take a sharp breath.

He brings his face closer to mine, so close that our lips are almost touching. "I- you...," he pauses and closes his eyes for a moment. "You need to finish your food," he says, backing away from me.

I stare at him wide-eyed, both in surprise at what just happened and in anger. That's twice in one day that he's done that!

"I told you I won't kiss you until you are off the painkillers," he says when I continue staring at him.

I snap out of my daze. "Why?" I ask him, slightly angry.

"When you're on painkillers, you're not thinking clearly. And that blurs the idea of consent. What you might be feeling now or how you might react now may be entirely due to painkillers. If I do kiss you right now, your consent would not be clear."

He's right. Both of us know that he is. And I love him more, taking my consent so seriously- both the first time he kissed me and right now. But that does not mean that an irrational part of my mind isn't angry at him for teasing me twice in less than three hours.

"Finish your food, Selena," Daniel tells me.

I shake my head. "I can't. I'm full."

He looks at me sharply. "I don't care. You need to eat properly. Either you will finish eating yourself, or I will make you."

I laugh shortly. "How exactly do you think that will go?"

He doesn't smile or laugh but continues looking at me seriously. "That can go either of two ways: one, I can feed you, and you will not fight back-"

"I thought you said consent was important to you," I interrupt, with a slight smile on my face.

He narrows his eyes at me, but before he can continue, his phone rings. "You should be done by the time I'm back," Daniel warns me, then leaves the room to answer the call.

I roll my eyes but start eating again. I know from experience that he wasn't lying when he said he'd make me eat. He has done it before, and I'm sure he'll not hesitate to do it again.

When Daniel comes back, he looks at my plate and sees that I'm done eating. "Look, that wasn't too hard, was it?" He asks me, a small teasing smile on his face.

I glare at him. "I hate you."

"Why are you fidgeting?" He asks me, completely ignoring my previous remarks. Rude.

"I'm not fidgeting," I reply, tapping my fingers on the countertop.

He looks at me wryly. "Of course you're not. Please remind me to contact Oxford and tell them they put down the wrong fucking definition in their dictionary."

"Daniel, quit being rude to the poor girl," Elena, Daniel's mom, says as she enters the kitchen.

"I wasn't being rude."

"Sure," I mutter under my breath, but Daniel hears me and sends me an unamused look. What?

"Why are you nervous?" Daniel asks me and I roll my eyes. He's so damn stubborn.

"I'm not nervous," I reply, making him sigh.

"She's probably excited about seeing her family after such a long time just as they were excited to see her," Elena adds before Daniel can come up with another cheeky remark. Daniel scoffs, but Elena sends him a look that makes him stay quiet. "I just talked to your mother, tesoro; they'll be here soon," Elena tells me, and I smile nervously.

She's wrong. I'm not excited to see them. I'm bloody scared. They'll think that everything that happened was somehow my fault. They're going to be furious at me for allowing myself to be so weak. That's why they aren't here yet.

"Thank you," I tell her. "Is my brother here too?"

Jax is the only one that can stop my family from blaming me for anything, and I need him to be there when I face our parents. I don't think Father will say much, but I can't say the same about Mother. She's ruthless, especially when she is being manipulated by dearest Grandmother. God, I have to face that bitch too. Lord help me.

Daniel nods. "Jax was here a while ago, but he had an important meeting that he had to attend. I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Oh, thank heavens.

-

"Baby sister," Jax rushes in the room and pulls me into a tight hug.

I immediately stop breathing and start panicking. I feel trapped. I can't breathe. Suddenly, I feel like I'm back in that horrible place again. I can feel the bag over my head and the arms of a stranger around me, crushing me. They're too tight. I can't breathe. I can hear screams. I need to escape. There's something against my neck, and then there's pain. I-

"Selena," Daniel suddenly whispers in my ear, pulling me back to reality. I'm not there anymore. I'm safe. I can breathe.

Jax steps away from me and looks at me with panic in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't think-" he starts, but I shake my head.

"It's okay," I reassure him. But I don't know if it is. I should have no problem with hugging anymore- especially my brother, who has kept me safe most of my life. Why did I panic? Have I gone insane? Oh my god. My parents will hate me more now.

"Selena," Daniel whispers again and turns me around to look at me. "You need to breathe properly, cara."

"I am."

He shakes his head. "No, you're not," he says, then slowly takes my hand and puts it over his chest so I can feel his heartbeat. "Your heart should be beating at the same pace as mine, but it's much faster."

He's right. My heartbeat is much quicker than his. So much so in fact that I've started feeling dizzy.

Daniel slides a finger under my chin and tips my head back, so I'm looking at his face. "I'm going to need you to copy me," he says, and I nod. He starts inhaling and exhaling slowly, in a way that is meant to help with how breathless I'm feeling. I copy him, and after a while, my heart rate comes down, and I stop feeling dizzy. But the feeling of dread hasn't gone away. I still haven't got out of that place.

I didn't think that physical contact could affect me like this. It hasn't before. It hasn't even affected me that way with Daniel... but I guess that makes sense. Over the past month, only Daniel's touch has been non-threatening. I'm used to his touch but scared of everyone else's.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, looking at Jax when I finally manage to calm down. "I didn't mean-"

"You don't have to apologise. I understand. You've been through a lot. I should not have done that, especially without warning," Nik says, walking closer to Daniel and me.

I can see the regret in my brother's eyes, and I feel guilty. I'm causing him pain, and I hate it. I don't want anyone to feel guilty or be in any pain because of me. I move towards Jax and give him a small hug, moving away before he can hug me back. It's all I can handle right now without panicking.

Jax smiles at me. "I missed you, sorellina."

"I'm not little anymore," I argue, but I have a small smile on my face.

"You're little to me," Jax gives his standard reply. At least some things are still the same. Maybe everything can go back to the way it was.

"I missed you too," I reply to his earlier words, and his smile widens.

"I'm going to quote you on that one day."

"You don't have any proof that I said that, so you can't," I reply, sticking out my tongue.

He laughs. "And then you ask me why I call you little."

I roll my eyes but say nothing. I really missed being able to talk to my brother. He may be annoying, but I love him more than I love almost anyone else in our family.

"Francis wants to talk to you," Jax says to Daniel, who raises his eyebrow.

"Why?" Jax glances at me before looking back at Daniel. What? Why did Jax look at me like that? I look at Daniel, but his face is expressionless, giving nothing away. "Right, yes. Is he still at my office?"

Jax nods. "He is. He had a meeting at two, but I think he'd be free by now."

Daniel walks over to me, gently squeezes my shoulder and kisses my forehead. "Are you going to be alright?" I nod at him. "See you later, cara."

-

"So... you and Daniel?" Jax asks once he has caught me up on things I've missed while I've been... away.

"What about us?" I ask, trying not to sound too suspicious.

Jax narrows his eyes at me. "You know what I'm asking."

"Nothing is going on between us."

Jax rolls his eyes. "Of course," he mutters sarcastically, and I send him a look. "When you were unconscious, he never left you alone- unless he absolutely had to. And you, if he wasn't there with you, even in your unconscious state, you would ask for him."

I blink in surprise. Why didn't Daniel tell me that?

"So don't tell me nothing-"

"I love him," I interrupt Jax before he can continue and he doesn't look surprised.

"I know," he replies. "Um, I don't know if I should be asking you this, but what about Alexander?"

Holy hell. How did I completely manage to forget about Alex? I haven't thought of him in a very long time, and I feel guilty now.

"He asked me out. Sort off. Before I, um, disappeared. He asked me to go to our parents' charity gala. And I agreed. Did they have it?"

Jax looks down apologetically and nods. "Mamma argued that not having it would just make Marcello think that we're weak."

I'm disappointed but not surprised. Scratch that; I'm not disappointed either. What else should I have expected from my parents?

Honestly, at times, I think I'm adopted. There's no way biological parents could love one child so much and hate the other one. It's just not possible. Unfortunately, I had a DNA test done, and it proved my theory wrong, so there's that.

"Your friends tried to contact you, but obviously they could not. So, Mamma told them that you went away for a break and you didn't want anyone to know where."

Alex is going to think that I stood him up.

Oh, my Lord. My friends are going to hate me for leaving without telling any of them.

"Would you like me to tell them that you're back?" Jax asks me, and I shake my head.

"No. Not yet. They'll know that something is wrong with me, and I'm not ready to face them yet. I need a few days to... feel a bit like myself again."

"Okay."

"I also need a few days to come up with a way to tell Alex about my feelings."

"Do you love him?" Jax asks, tilting his head in curiosity.

"Are you of all people really asking me that?" I ask him, raising an eyebrow. He rolls his eyes, knowing exactly what I am talking about. Years ago I had a teeny tiny crush on Alex and Jax found out about it, then told me all the reasons Alex and I would be a bad idea. As I got older, I realised how right Jax was.

"You have a tendency to not listen to anyone," he retorts and I hit him with a cushion. He narrows his eyes at me then hits me with two cushions.

"Jerk," I mutter and he smiles.

"I didn't ask him if you're dating him. I asked whether you love him."

"I don't think so. At least, I don't love him like I love Daniel. I don't know. It's difficult to explain my feelings for Daniel," I say, then rest my head on the sofa. "I think whatever tiny feelings I may have had for Alex may have been an illusion. People expected us to be together, so I forced myself to feel something for him. But with Daniel, everything is so different. It's like the most real thing I've ever felt. And despite how we met and fell in love with each other, it just feels magical. It's not easy, but it's magical."

Jax smiles at me. "I'm glad you finally found someone who makes you feel like that."

"Aren't you supposed to be telling me all his faults and why I shouldn't date him?"

"No, I think you are mature enough to make your own decisions."

I raise my eyebrow. "Since when? Two months ago you literally forbid me from going on a date with that guy from Trinity."

"That was because he was creepy!" Jax argues. "Also, I know Daniel well. And despite some of his very glaring faults, I think he can make you happy and that's all I've ever wanted from you."

I can't help but smile at that but before I can say anything, Francis walks into the room.

"Hey, Selena," Francis says, smiling.

"Hi!" I reply.

Francis looks at Jax. "Jackass."

"Perdente," Jax replies, smiling. "Didn't you have to help Daniel..." Jax glances at me then clears his throat. What's with him today? "... work?"

Francis rolls his eyes. "I did, but you know him, he wanted to be alone."

"Right."

"So what were you guys talking about?"

"My sister dating your brother."

"We're not really dating. We've just kissed."

Jax narrows his eyes at me. "You what?"

"I thought you just said that I am old enough to make my own decisions?"

"I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at that asshole."

I look at Francis expecting him to defend his brother but he just shrugs. "I may not support Jax's reasoning, but it's true- my brother is an asshole."

I roll my eyes. "He told me that you called him that a lot."

Francis smiles. "And what was your reaction?"

"I was unimpressed. That's such a basic insult. You could do a lot better."

"I guess-"

A maid comes into the room. "Mr and Mrs Calos are here for you, Miss Selena."

My calm and relaxed demeanour vanishes. I suddenly feel panicked and anxious. They're going to blame me.

"Please inform them that she'll be there soon," Jax tells her, keeping his eyes on me. When she leaves the room Jax comes over and kneels beside the sofa I'm sitting on. "It's going to be okay, Selena. I promise that they're not mad at you," he says, trying to reassure me. It doesn't work. He doesn't know them as I do.

-

Jax, as I had predicted, was wrong. When we walked into the room, both my parents and Grandmother were there.

Father just stood by the side, his face cold and impassive as ever- which is actually a better reaction than I had hoped for.

Mother, on the other hand, rolled her eyes, "Honestly, darling, you should have looked in a mirror before presenting yourself to others."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, were the first words Mother spoke to her daughter, who she was seeing for the first time after she had been kidnapped and tortured for a bloody month. Mother really sets the example for how all loving and caring mothers should act with their children.

I hear Francis huff at her words, but he remains quiet, probably knowing Mother's behaviour will only worsen if he intervenes.

"If not that, you could have at least changed your clothes," Grandmother adds, and I want to scream.

Why can't they leave me alone? This is why I didn't want to see them. I knew they'd act like this, goddamn. Why did they even come here? Was it just to insult me?

"Nonna," Jax warns, and Grandmother raises her eyebrow at him.

"I'm speaking the truth, Ajax."

"Maybe now is not the time to say whatever you'd like," Jax suggests in a calm and even tone.

Mother narrows her eyes at Jax. "Don't be rude to your grandmother for no reason."

"I'm not being rude. I'm simply giving her a suggestion."

Grandmother glares at me. Bloody great. Somehow this will be my fault. "It's-"

"Perhaps, now isn't the best time for family quarrels, Mamma," Father intervenes, looking irritated, and I blink. Did he just shut her up for my benefit?

"I think Selena has taken enough advantage of Elena's hospitality. Maybe she should come back home with us," Mother suggests, but her words don't sound like a suggestion; they sound like an order.

"Absolutely not," Daniel says, coming into the sitting room before anyone else can support Mother. I blink. Did he change his clothes? I think he did. Unless I'm mistaken, he was wearing a black suit before, but now he's wearing a dark grey one.

Mother narrows her eyes at Daniel. "You do not decide what's best for our daughter."

"Is that so?" He asks her, coming to stand beside me. "Isn't it a good thing then that your daughter is an adult and does not need your permission to do whatever she wants?"

The tension in the room is thick. Neither of them will back down first. I don't know whether I should intervene because doing so might make the situation worse, but it is me that they are discussing, so I have every right to speak up. Daniel looks at Father, and they seem to silently communicate for a moment.

"I think it's best if Selena stays here, Aurora," Father tells Mother, and she looks at him in confusion. He never goes against her decisions about me. Never. "It would be easier for her to get medical care here, and until we are sure that the manor cannot be infiltrated again, it is not safe for her to be there."

"But Elena-"

"She would love for Selena to stay here in the meanwhile," Daniel interrupts. His voice seems calm and collected, but his face is vacant, and that can only mean one this. He's livid. "We don't know the complete extent of her injuries yet, and with Mamma being a doctor, I'd say this is the best place for her to stay- especially if there is an emergency."

"Then there's no point in us being here," Mother replies, and without even looking at me, she turns and leaves the room, with Grandmother in tow. I stare after Mother, tears prickling my eyes. She just left. Even if she wasn't being particularly nice to me, at least she was here. But now she's gone. She left just because her ego was hurt, not giving a care about me. How I might need a mother given everything, I've been through.

I know I have so many people who care for me here, and that should be enough, but I still need Mother for some inexplicable reason. For some reason, a part of me still held hope that Mother would hug me and comfort me. I am a complete and utter fool for holding such hope.

"I'm s-" Father starts but then seems to think better of it. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Be a father to me! I want to scream, but I can't bring myself to do it. Instead, I let my tears fall and do my best to prevent myself from sobbing loudly. He'll hate me more if I show any more weakness than I already have.

"Selena," Daniel whispers in my ear, his hand rests on the small of my back. Without warning, I wrap my arms around his waist, resting my head on his chest. He doesn't hesitate to return my hug, pulling me even closer to him. "I'm here, cara," he mutters in my ear, then kisses the top of my forehead.

I don't know how long we stand there, but everyone is gone by the time we part. I heard them talking, but my mind was too addled to comprehend their words.

"W-where did everyone go?" I ask Daniel.

"Vincente had a meeting and Jax is helping Francis take care of some things."

"I'm sorry," I mutter, looking at the floor.

He slides his finger under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "What have I told you about apologising after crying?"

"That I shouldn't."

"And why do you refuse to listen to me?"

"Because I'm stubborn," I say and give him a small smile. He tries to keep his expression serious, but a muscle in his cheek twitches, giving him away. My smile widens into a grin.

"I'm not happy by your stubbornness, and so I am not smiling," Daniel says before I have a chance to tease him.

"I never said you were," I reply, amused.

He looks at me for a moment. "Do you want to look around the house?" He asks me in an attempt to change the topic.

I bite my lip to prevent myself from teasing him again and nod. This time he gives me a small smile and slips his hand in mine, pulling me out of the room.

-

I can't sleep. I can't even close my eyes without panicking. Every time I do close my eyes, I feel like someone is going to come into the room and hurt me. But it's getting harder and harder to stay awake because of all the meds that I am on. I know that it's dangerous for me to fight sleep, but I'm too scared to care of the consequences.

I'm currently in a different room than that I woke up in. This room is a little larger than that one, but the decor is almost the same. Which makes sense since both are guest rooms. Daniel's parents' house is slightly bigger than mine, but it seems homelier than my parents' house ever could. It's not even because of the decor or the architecture of the house, it's because of the wonderful people that reside in it. Daniel's family is how I used to wish my family was- but that was before I gave up on such delusions.

A knock on the door startles me and I jump up from my bed. It's 2 AM. Everyone must be asleep by now. No one-

Oh my god. They're here to get me.

Calm down, Selena. No kidnapper would ever knock on someone's door. A more rational part of me thinks but I still don't answer the door. I can't do that to myself again. The last time I was curious, I got myself into a very bad situation.

The door clicks open and I back into the corner of the room, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Selena," Daniel says in a soft voice, poking his head into the room. I look at him wide eyed.

Okay, I can calm down now. No one is here to get me. No one is here to hurt me.

"May I come in?" Daniel asks me when I continue staring at him.

I move away from the corner and smile at him. "Y- yes, of course."

"Why aren't you asleep yet?" He asks me, and I look behind him at the closed door. He follows my gaze then turns to look at me again. "You're safe now. No one can hurt you."

"Why aren't you asleep?"

He pauses for a second. "I had to work."

"At two at night?" I ask, not believing him.

"It's not night everywhere in the world. I had to-"

"No," I say, interrupting him. "Stop lying to me."

He looks away from me and frowns. "I don't want to sleep."

"Why?"

"You know why," he replies. I do know why but I wanted to hear it from him. I know he doesn't want to sleep because he's scared but I don't think he's ever going to admit that.

"I won't sleep unless you do," I tell him and he send me a disapproving look.

"Why do you always have to be so fucking stubborn?"

I ignore his words and slide my hand in his, pulling him to the bed. "Come on," I say when he doesn't move.

He stares at me for a moment, then sighs and gives in.

"Left or right?" I ask him, raising my eyebrow.

"I don't have a preference. Where do you like to sleep?"

Beside you. My subconscious decides to chime in and I almost groan. It wasn't a lie but that doesn't mean that I have to like it.

"Um, I don't have a preference either. I usually sleep alone, so I sleep all over the bed."

"Usually?" Daniel asks, completely ignoring the rest of my words.

"Yes, usually."

Daniel studies me for a moment and I know he wants to ask me something but he doesn't. "I'll take the right."

"Daniel," I start, grabbing a hold of his wrist when he starts to walk away. "What did you want to ask me?"

He frowns, looking conflicted. "What about the nights when you didn't sleep alone? Who were you with?"

I bite my lip to keep myself from smiling. He's jealous. "My best friend, Natalie, or my cousin."

I only took Nat's name because I knew that's what he wanted to ask- whether I slept with a guy. I haven't ever really before- unless Adam is counted. And that's only because he was sometimes too injured to be alone. Even then we never shared a bed because I was never that comfortable sleeping with a guy. And because of parents would probably kill me if I ever did.

"I see," he replies after a brief pause.

I grin. "You do now, do you?"

His eyes flash when he realises that I'm teasing him. "Get into the bed. Now."

I roll my eyes, but do as I'm told. Daniel follows suit and lays down facing me.

"How are you still up yet? You've had too many pills to be this active," he says, bringing his hand to my face to caress my cheek.

"My nerves were on high alert and I was too scared to sleep," I reply, closing my eyes. Now that I feel relaxed and less scared, I can feel the pills starting to work. I'm getting drowsy.

Daniel pull me closer to him. He puts his lips on the top of my head and starts to run his fingers through my hair. Just as I'm about to slip out of consciousness, I hear him whisper something against my hair that I'm too far gone to comprehend it.

-

A/N

Hey.

Haven't edited this yet.

Hope you liked it though.

Yeah.

Bye.