Chapter 160

I woke up to the sound of giggles and laughter and rubbed my eyes to watch how Christian held Siena in his arms.

“What is she doing awake? It’s so early.” I yawned, exhausted and looked at the clock. “6 AM? She should be asleep.”

“I’m sorry, did we wake you?” Christian asked, worried. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I just had to see her.”

I smiled at the innocent look on Christian’s face and sat up straight to take a better look at Siena.

“She doesn’t seem to mind.”

“I know.” Christian smiled. “Your sister took really good care of her. She’s really helpful.”

“Did you ask her about moving in?” Christian asked. He seemed to like her, which was something very unlikely for him. “I did. She’s going to talk to my parents about it.”

“And I also want to thank you for being so sweet about Carmen’s little crush on you.”

“Right, that.” Christian laughed awkwardly. “It would not be the first time someone’s little sister has a crush on me. I’ve dealt with these kinds of things before.”

It was amazing how he never missed an opportunity to brag about himself, but I didn’t mind. All I wanted was to see him happy, and if it made him happy, so be it. “So, did you check on Enzo and Gina? Are they willing to talk? For how long will Gina be here?” I wondered.

The expression on Christian’s face had changed, and he seemed bothered by my question.

“Serena, I don’t want to argue with you.” He spoke his usual words. That was a sentence I hadn’t heard in a while.

“I’m not trying to argue with you. I just want to know how they are doing.” I chuckled at his ridiculous. accusation. “Oh, well.” Christian shrugged. “Maybe I’m a bit traumatized from yesterday, so please, excuse me.”

His words made me feel uncomfortable, and I couldn’t get rid of the feeling of him being bothered by my presence. I told him to talk to me if I went too far, but I never told him to make these kinds of comments. “I’m sorry about yesterday, okay?” I apologized once again. “I will be nice from now on, now please tell me what they said.”

“Good.” Christian chuckled. “You’re always so curious, so there’s no point in not telling you. You’ll figure it out either way.”

It was a good thing he knew how my brains worked. I would find out one way or another.

“They both mentioned a man with a mask,” Christian explained. “They didn’t see his face, but Enzo recognized his voice, and he had a feeling that’s it’s indeed my uncle.”

“What happened after?” I asked after noticing Christian ended the conversation as soon as he started it. “He tried to get information out of them.”

“Okay?” I spoke, confused. He was holding things back from me while I thought we had left that stage a long time ago. “How about you be a bit more specific? What kind of information?”

“Information about the Lamberti warehouse,” Christian replied as if it would make things easier for me. “And what’s in the warehouse?” I tried to get out of him, but his deep sigh told me that it wasn’t going to happen. “You were never interested in this kind of stuff–”

“But I am now.” I corrected Christian. “You’re right, I didn’t ask because I didn’t want to pressure you, but it’s time to speak up.”

“Serena, please.” Christian spoke, annoyed. “You know I’m willing to share more with you, but it’s better if you don’t know-”

“But Gina knows?” I asked. Of course Gina knew, Gina also knew Christian cheated on me before I knew. Gina knew everything.

“Yes, because she worked for me!” Christian raised his voice. “You know what, leave it!” I yelled at him. “I don’t get you. First, you want me to be a bit more involved. Then you don’t want me to be involved. Please make up your mind!”

“I do want you to be more involved, but you’re asking me questions I don’t even have the answer to,” Christian spoke. What was so dangerous about telling me more information about that warehouse?

“So you can’t tell me about what’s in your family warehouse? That’s funny.” I chuckled. He wanted me to be a Lamberti, but he wasn’t willing to share everything, I wondered where that same energy was when he brought me along to save his brother yesterday.

“Stop it.” Christian sighed. “I’m doing everything for a reason.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re shipping off some girls on a boat?” I asked, frightened. That was the first question I asked him about the family business, and he immediately denied it. What if it was all a lie?

“What? No, stop it.” Christian spoke, disgusted. “I already told you that the Lamberti’s don’t do that-

how could you even think that about us?” Christian asked as he looked down at Siena. “I would never do that.” “Then just tell me what’s in there-I promise you I can take it. I don’t care about weapons, drugs, or food “Serena, please-”

“Is it because of Gina and Enzo?” I continued my interrogation. I was going to get an answer out of him, that was for sure. How could I help him make the right decisions if I did not know what was going on?

It took some time for Christian to answer my last question, and that was enough for me to know that it was all because of his fears. Gina and Enzo were in a terrible state because they knew too much, and Christian blamed himself for it. It seemed as if everything was related to that warehouse.

“Christian, please, why did you suddenly change your mind-

“Because I’m trying to protect you!” Christian yelled at me. I was surprised by his outburst and immediately looked at Siena, who seemed completely unfazed, and stared at him with her big brown eyes. “Why can’t you fucking listen for once? I’m trying to protect you!”

Listen? Maybe he had a point. I made a promise not to bring down his mood anymore, but I hadn’t changed a thing. I was still getting on his nerves. He was broken, his dad was on the verge of dying, and the last thing he needed was my annoying behavior.

“Don’t yell in Siena’s ear. Are you crazy?” I huffed, embarrassed, and threw my arms around his shoulders. to cheer him up. “And don’t swear around her either, grumpy.”

had no choice but to give me a smile in return. “It’s not like she’ll babble fuck? It’s a baby.” He rolled his eyes.

“So is Milo.” I reminded him. “But somehow, you managed to teach my nephew a new word.”

“You’ve been awake for a few minutes, and you’re already annoying. It’s a record.” Christian laughed. “Go back to sleep. I’m begging you.”

The mood had switched and it didn’t even seem as if something had happened just a few seconds ago.

“We can’t go on like this, Serena.” Christian acknowledged. “We’re going back to the way we were before we had Siena, and I don’t want to go back to that, ever again.”

“Me neither.” I agreed. “And that’s why I need you to stop protecting me. Please tell me everything.

Okay?”

Christian blinked his eyes and was unsure what to say, but I wouldn’t let him win this time. “Okay?” I repeated in his car over and over until he got sick of me.

“Okay, fing-you can stop now!” Christian laughed. “But I still won’t take you to the warehouse.” He spali “It’s for your own safety.”

“There’s another thing,” Christian spoke without meeting my eyes. “Gina is going to stay here for a “Okay.” I shrugged. I didn’t even want him to finish that sentence because her presence was already enough to make me sick, but I didn’t want to argue with him again.

Gina was an issue which I would deal with. It wouldn’t hurt to give her a visit so she could understand that Christian was not hers. “It’s your house, and you pay the bills-do whatever you want,” I spoke calmly. “Just don’t cheat on me again.”

“R-right,” Christian muttered as he took a deep breath. “You don’t have to worry about that. I definitely learned my lesson.”

“Let’s hope so.” I smiled through my pain, but all I could think of was Gina and the way Christian held her in his arms. It bothered me, and there was nothing I could do about it. “And it’s your house too, I don’t want to hear that weird comment anymore.”

“So I can count on you to take care of them, right?” Christian asked.

“Count on me to what?” I furrowed my eyebrows. I would be taking care of Gina, but it wouldn’t be nice.

“To take care of them,” Christian repeated. “Gina and my brother?”

“Yes, yes-definitely.” I nodded with an exaggerated smile on my face. “Gina and your brother? They are in good hands.”

Enzo would be, but I wasn’t that sure about Gina.

“I want to schedule a meeting with Dario. I think my cousin and I have a lot to discuss.” Christian suddenly spoke. “Cousin?” I asked, surprised. “So you can acknowledge him as your cousin?”

Christian rolled his eyes and threw a pillow to my face. “I’m just doing what you told me to, and I think you might have a point,” Christian said. “I need to get him on my side before my uncle decides to forgive him.”

and “That’s what I told you.” I shrugged proudly. “I’m sure Dario knows more than what he’s telling us, your uncle going as far as beating the crap out of Enzo and Gina must’ve meant he wanted something from that warehouse.”

“I know,” Christian spoke. “I’m not sure what he wants, though.”

“And your grandpa?” I suggested. “I’m sure he knows, I mean-it used to be his business. There has to be more to it.”

Telling him to get Franco involved also went against my own will, but at the end of the day, he was the true boss of the family. “You’re right.” Christian sighed. “I just don’t want to tell him about my uncle, I don’t want to do that to my dad-and I don’t want the Lamberti’s to do anything stupid,”

Christian explained.

“My uncle beat up his own nephew. It’s obvious that he’s a monster, and I don’t want to push him. I’ll let him reveal himself when he wants to reveal himself.”

“I know.” I smiled as I placed my hand on top of Christian’s. “How about we get the information without mentioning your uncle? What do you think about that?”

he’s “That sounds like a really good plan.” Christian chuckled. “But I can’t just go there and ask him what the deal is with the warehouse-till this very day. It’s still in his control.” Christian confessed. “It’s like married to that place-and it has always been like that, even when he handed down the business to dad.”

my “I see,” I muttered as I went into deep thoughts. There had to be a way to get Franco to talk. “How about I go and talk to your grandpa?” I suggested. “I know how to get on his nerves-I’ll get you the information by today.”

“Will you?” Christian laughed out loud. “Are you going to read his mind or something?”

“Yes.” I nodded. It was so easy to get under Franco’s skin, and that man despised me so much to the point he used to spit out all kind of rubbish. I knew I could break that old man and give Christian exactly what he wanted.

“Give me one day. I’ll get you the information.”

“You’re not that special, so will I” Christian shrugged. I will get that information out of Dario, just wait and see.”

“Oh, will you?” I laughed at his confidence. “How about we make it a competition. Let’s find out who can get the most information in 24 hours.”

“Deal,” Christian spoke. “And if I win, you have to take me to that warehouse and you have to involve me in every little thing.” I told him.

“You won’t win, my grandpa won’t tell you anything.” Christian smirked. “But fine.”

“I will give you anything you want.”