I died and breathed life again, right then and there under his tall frame bent over me and his lips that strongly seized mine.

I have no escape and I love it. His large palms hold the sides of my head with fingers reaching all the way to the back of my neck where I feel them rubbing the skin.

His move toward me was so strong and sudden that I had to fetch his shirt and hold tight, and even pull myself closer to him until I feel my breasts crash to his broad hard chest where my hard nipples were poking him.

The heat of our moment throws me into a whirlpool of sensations messing with my brain and my racing heart and the deeper that kiss goes the faster I fall for Raffa.

My air is cut in half but that isn't enough for him. He holds the back of my neck with one hand and the other one curls around my back and he pulls me even stronger to him, gulping that kiss as if it's some kind of life portion.

I moan a few times just to let him know I can't breathe anymore. It didn't work but as much I wished this kiss to never end, the lack of air makes me dizzy and I can hardly hold myself up straight.

"Raffa..." I mumble in his mouth and only then he stops and pulls himself a few inches away, keeping his eyes closed as if looking at me would break some kind of spell he likes.

I take a deep breath and fill my lung with air, hoping the oxygen will run through my veins fast enough before blacking out.

As unexpected as this has been, I didn't realize I was longing for such a kiss and better yet, I was longing for Raffa, until I felt his chest swelling under my palms with each deep breath he took until his moans matched mine and the arm curled around my back squeezed me lightly, gluing me perfectly to his vigorous shape.

And as invested as both of us were in this kiss, our first, he seemed awfully distant now, with his eyes still tightly closed as if regretting it deeply to its cores.

And it almost suffocated me with embarrassment, the embarrassment of being kept out, away.

"I guess we're not swimming today..." I mumble an excuse almost to myself and turn around walking away and leaving him behind me, not carrying a bit if he ever decides to open his eyes.

"Mia, come back!" he calls when I am fairly away from him and I'm pretty sure he didn't say that with his eyes closed but I ignore him so much that soon all I can hear are curses in Italian mixed with English, never calling my name again.

Which is good because that moment has swept the earth off under my feet and I am pretty sure I won't be able to resist him for long. This was the test, the one I was waiting for to tell me if my heart has gone crazy or if Raffa really got under my skin.

Isn't it crazy how I've had to travel half of the world just to finally find a man that has almost all the premises to make me fall madly in love with?

I say almost all... because as similar as he might be to papa, there's always an aura of mystery around him and sometimes a freezing distance that throws me all the way to another dimension.

But for now, I'll let him cool off while I enjoy this amazingly beautiful sun warming the sand which feels like velvet under my bare feet.

So I thought because hardly I make up my mind on waiting for a bit before returning to the house I hear Fabio running after me and calling my name.

"Emillia! Emillia, hold on!" he shouts.

Perfect! Now I have to take a deep breath and smile...

"Hey... hi," he says once reaching right next to me breathing heavily, and wearing a bitter smile.

Not a very sportish Fabio, ha?

"Hi. Hm... I was supposed to be with Raffa but..." I explain remembering what papa has said today.

I'm not safe, although I feel safer than ever but I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to walk out all by myself.

"I know, I know. Don't worry. I... he has something to solve before the evening," he replies matching his steps with my mine and giving me the very clear impression I won't be by myself anymore.

"So, what plans do you have for this one-off week?" Fabio asks.

I smile at his struggle to make small talk though it seems very much not to be his mood.

"Well, today was supposed to be a beach day but... it seems I'll have to change the plans," I reply, convinced I'm not going to be able to make plans alone, not after papa's visit and very obvious hostility between him and Raffa. "I'll probably go out this evening, some shopping, a coffee or something..." I continue and Fabio doesn't seem to reject the idea so I add some more. "I feel like dancing. How is the nightlife here?" I ask desperately searching for my lollipop which doesn't seem to be any-fucking-where in the pockets of the maxi sun dress I'm wearing.

"Nightlife?!" he says walking side by side and shoving his hands in his pants pockets. "It's... nice one... hm... the ones that I know can be quite fun, good music, good booze..."

"Safe?" I suddenly interrupt him and he scoffs.

"You should never worry about your safety as long as you are with Raffa, trust me. Not here, not anywhere else," he replies and the confidence in his voice boosts mine, flooding my chest and making me breathe deeply.

Or is it because my ears have heard his name? I wouldn't wonder, with the amount of arousal I'm still carrying under my skin.

"But... look... first I have to talk to Raffa and make sure he doesn't have other duties tonight. I won't allow you to go out alone."

"And by alone you mean without Raffa?"

"I mean alone. As long as I brought you here, I'm responsible for you. And since games have changed together with your father's visit, I'm sure you agree with me that you're not just anybody."

"Yeah... well, I'm not. I wished I was, though," I mumble rushing my steps in an attempt to leave Fabio behind but guess what? He runs after me adamantly matching my steps again.

"Look!" I snap twisting on the ball of my heels and bumping right into his large chest.

He jumps aside and stretches some strong arms to hold me steady.

"I don't need a nanny, Mr. Fabio. I'm perfectly capable to take care of myself, with or without papa, with or without Raffa. So, thank you very much but I won't need anybody to entertain me tonight," I spit in one breath while Fabio stares back at me with surprising calmness.

When I'm done I suck a good chunk of air, waiting for him to react in any way but he still stares back at me as if my words have pressed some magic buttons and frozen him.

"Right. You really need to talk to Raffa about this," he finally says.

"What the hell is with this Raffa guy?! I mean, okay, I get it, he is your right hand, your eyes at the back of your head, the mighty hero that keeps all of us safe, but please... Don't you have someone else?! ... please..."

I'm out of breath again and boy... does this bring back the heat of the earlier kiss running through my veins, making me wish I'd never said those things about Raffa.

"Of course I do! Why didn't you say that? I'll ask Raffa to assign you someone else," he says confidently that the solution he offers will make me feel better.

But the mare spelling of his name again makes me throw my arms in the air in desperation for not being fucking understood.

"Just forget it!" I shout shoving my lollipop back in my mouth, twisting on the balls of my heels, and walking away in desperate need of being alone.

Never before had I been so dramatically knocked down by a kiss. It felt as if it was crawling under my kiss, it grew addictive pushing me to want more.

Raffa becomes dangerously desired and the sentiment doesn't seem to be mutual, a feeling becomes more realistic by the second. And no. It doesn't make me feel good, or better, or even detached because no matter how much the brain fights and reasons, my heart wins each and every time.

She jumps and races and sticks into my throat the moment I hear his name or I feel his perfume and I know he is close.

What I don't understand is why would he pull a kiss like that if eventually, he can't even look at me.

That thought makes my blood boil and I'm only seconds away from calling papa.

Fuck! He's lucky I've forgotten my phone at the mansion or else... and before I'm done killing and assassinating Raffa in my mind, my thoughts get stolen by a moving object on my right side.

I snap my head in the respective direction knowing for sure someone is on my tail. And my eyes pop out in surprise spotting Julian standing in the alley, leaning against a palm tree with his hands shoved in the pockets of his pants and wearing a goofy smile.

Since he is born he completes papa perfectly. Where papa can not be, Julian fills the place immediately and bravely. But I can't stop wondering if papa is alright since Julian is here.

I trough my hands into the air and start shouting like a spoiled kid while running toward my brother.

"Julian! Oh, my dear brother Julian!" I keep saying till I'm right in front of him and I jump into his arms, ignoring his surprised and a little insecure smile.

I'm half his height and weight and I know he can lift me with no problems even though he intends to complain.

"One day I'll stop doing this," he says twisting on his heels and spinning me around twice.

"What? Spying on me or lifting me?" I ask when my feet feel the burning cement of the alley.

"I'm afraid spying on you is not exactly an option I have. It's mandatory since you refuse to grow up or at least listen to the ones older than you," he replies smiling down at me and pushing some rebel hair strands from my eyes.

"Perfect! So you're here to see me and not lecture me."

"I'm here to warn you, Mia," he replies sharply.

"Dov'e papa?!" I ask becoming serious, ending the spoiled brat chatting. (Where is dad?)

"He's fine, don't worry. He has some engagements today and..."

"Engagements?! Oggy?! Julian, papa è partito da qui un paio d'ore fa! Ma che fidanzamenti stai parlando?!" I become increasingly agitated searching for my phone which I surely know I forgot but not knowing what to do with my hands otherwise since Julian doesn't seem to be eager to clarify things for me. (Today?! Julian, papa just left here a few hours ago! What engagements are you talking about?!).

But before I realize it, Julian places his phone at my ear and I hear papa's voice.

"Principessa, come stai?" he says with his usual honey tone when talking to me but a tremor that I can sense immediately. (Princess, how are you?)

"Papa, sto bene. E tu, stai bene? Perché non sei qui? Perché Giuliano è qui?" I ask question after question knowing for sure something has happened. (Dad, I'm good. And you, are you fine? Why aren't you here? Why is Julian here?)

"Hey, principessa. Piano, stai calma, Mia, sto molto bene. Devo occuparmi di alcune cose, ma Giuliano è lì con te e si assicurerà che tu stia bene e al sicuro. Quindi, per favore, principessa, qualsiasi cosa ti chieda di fare, falla. Hai capito?"  he says in a breath as if being in a race with my stubbornness to refuse. (Hey, princess. Easy, take it easy, Mia. I'm very good. I have something to take care of but Julian is there with you and he'll make sure you are fine and safe. So, please princess, anything he tells you to do, you do. Do you understand?)

"Ma, papa..." I try. (But dad...)

"Mia, we are not your enemies! It's not us, do you understand?" he cuts my tantrum off with a raspy voice.

I lift my eyes to Julian who stands tall in front of me with his own eyes speaking thousands of things and all thousands are begging me to stop fighting it.

Coming from my younger brother the seriousness of the situation suddenly becomes more important than I initially thought.

"Va bene, papa. But, dad, I need you both to promise me that you'll stop freaking out about any small silly thing. I can't understand who I am, what I can do, or how far I can go if you both are always my safety net. I don't want that in my life, do you both understand?" I speak sharply to both papa and Julian. (Very well, dad.)

My brother's face remains unchanged, straight, and tense while papa struggles to sound cheerful. But I know he is anything but cheerful.

"Certo, tesoro. Non lo vorrei in nessun altro modo," he agrees, falsely agrees, because I know papa. (Of course, sweetheart. I wouldn't want it any other way).

"Eccellente!" I reply still staring at my brother. (Excellent!)

"Now, tell me, what's going on, Julian? Papa sta bene?" I ask Julian once I hang up with papa. (Is dad okay?)

Whenever secrecy glooms around Julian and papa, something is not right. I've lived like this all of my life and they can't fool me, none of them can fool me.

"Papa got shot the day before you left," Julian replies having no intention neither to deny or pamper me in any way.

Truth be told, Julian is the only one that really knows me and doesn't see me as a weak goose hiding always behind the men of the family.

Julian was the one to teach shooting or strategies of escape in case of being kidnapped and we had our secret plan of contacting him in case of emergency.

When I heard the news about papa my heart froze and I had to take a deep breath just to give my heart a push and make it beat again.

"But papa was here today and he looked just fine," I mumble.

"It was just a flesh wound, nothing to worry about. The real problem is that when they raided papa's office he was having a strange visit.

"Who?" I ask frowning my eyebrows while my stare on Julian feels deadly because I have a hunch he believes I know the person.

Why else would he be here?

"Raffaello Capozzi," the name comes out and resounds in my ears like enormous church bells on an Italian holiday.

"What..." I ask breathlessly.

"Now, papa says it can't be Capozzi. He hardly took "the kid out", I quote papa," Julian says.

"The kid?" I scoff. "Really?"

"Papa wants you to come and live with him at the hotel while you work for Fabio, but..." my younger brother explains papa's wishes while gently grabbing my arms and we both start walking barefoot on the hot beach sand.

"...but he knows I won't accept it..."

"Right! So, I'll be here, in town while papa recovers from the wound, and... I'll be... one call away..."

"You'll be on my neck, Julian. Both you and I know that."

"Mia, this is a life and death matter," Julian reasons.

"Isn't it all the time, Julian? Since forever? Have you ever known any other kind of life, Julian?" I reply in a breath, realizing even more than before that this is my life, this is my father, and these are the people I'll be stuck with for as long as I live.

And if this is going to be my destiny why not give them a sip of their poison? Why not live my life and let them take care of my safety?

And let's see who's doing it the best: Papa or Raffa.

~~~~~
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