Leonardo's POV

"Did you take her to the doctor ? I could give you Rocky And Roxy's doctor's number if you want " I asked Luciano as he stared blankly at me over the phone . Chloe, his pet snake apparently ' woke ' up sick today. Luciano adopted Chloe 3 years back, she was like a child to him. He loved and cherished her with even in him.

" I already called Miko to come over and check her out and Rita went to get her more food but anyway, I know what day is today... You good brother ? " I sighed before running my hands down my face, I was praying he wouldn't bring it up.

" I look good, don't I ? " I said trying to dismiss the conversation, my spirits were finally up so I didn't want to revisit this anymore.

" I know you're not good but I'll let it go. If you need anything or anybody to talk to, you'll always have me." he said, concern laced on his voice.

"I know and I appreciate it" I said, " I have to go though, I have work I need to finish."

"Talk to you later" he said before ending the call. I set my phone beside me and opened my laptop, getting straight to work.

I ran into the house to avoid my hair getting wet, the rain was pouring. I closed and locked the door behind me and took my wet sneakers by the doors. The house was dark so I'm assuming Leonardo went to bed already. I reached for the switch and turned the lights on, almost died of a heart attack when I saw Leonardo sitting on top of the wooden table staring at me. I rolled my eyes before heading towards the stairs

"Amanda" he called out softly making me stop on my tracks. I turned to look at him with my hands on sweatpants pockets.

"It's 9 PM " he said making me scoff, I'm too tired for this.

"I'm aware, I'm pretty sure I can analyze a watch ." I said before turning away to walk up the stairs. Leonardo jumped down from the table and approached me, grabbing my arm.

" Amanda let me explain " I snatched my arm out of his grip before glaring at him

"No, You don't have to explain yourself and you definitely don't have to touch m- " he cut me off by pulling me towards the living room and making me sit on one of the couches and he sat apposite me.

"Don't drag me either whit- "

"AMANDA CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME SPEAK !" he groaned causing me to smack my lips before crossing my arms.

"Thank you. Look, I'm sorry for how badly I treated you today morning especially since you were only trying to help. I know you probably have a lot of questions you want to a- " I cut him off before he could even finish.

" No, I don't actually. That is obviously you're private life so... " I shrugged, I had so many questions to ask him but I didn't want to seem nosy or anything.

" But I want you to hear me out , so you don't think I'm an asshole" I scoffed before facing him

" Well it's kind of too late for that since I'm convinced that you're an asshole " I said staring at the black TV screen,he signed before leaning back on the couch.

"I had a family Amanda, a ' wife', beautiful daughter and a son on the way. I wasn't always this dark and emotionless 'asshole', my daughter and Tania kept me sane. Even though me and Tania started off on a wrong start since our marriage was arranged and stuff, as time goes by we got to know each other and we decided to become friends. Me and Tania became the best of friends and nobody knew about that, to them we were a perfectly married couple but me and Tania knew where we stood with each other. 2 years into our marriage, Tania wanted kids. I wasn't against it because I've always had a soft spot for kids so we went ahead and had kids but we couldn't bare sleeping with each because we considered ourselves as best friends so we did it the surgical way. With my sperm implanted in her, she fell pregnant within a few weeks . When my daughter was born, my life took a drastic change. When I first laid eyes on her, I never knew I could witness an angel so beautiful. From the very moment I held her, I felt something new inside, I developed a love that was so unconditional " my eyes started getting moist as I listened to Leonardo speak.

" Me and Tania decided to name her Nikita. We both were so inlove with her, especially me. I would always rush home after work so I could see my precious little girl, our bond was like no other. She had me wrapped around her little finger, and I could never say no to her. After Nikita turned 2, me and Tania tried to make things work between us so we could give our daughter a family but unfortunately things didn't work out. She thought having another kid was going to tie everything together so she fell pregnant again but this time we actually slept together. Even sleeping with her felt wrong, we decided to continue being friends. When Tania was 7 months pregnant, we found out that we were having a boy. Words can not describe how happy I was, even Nikita was excited to be an older sister. 4 weeks before our son was due, I went on a business trip and left Tania and Nikita with her parents. When I landed in London, where the meeting was going to be held, I received a call from my mom saying that Tania, Nikita and my in laws were murdered in our house. They were all shot in the head multiple times, a-and they d-drowned my baby Nikita. " now tears were pouring out of his eyes. I got up from where I was previously sitting and went to sit by him, he put his head on my chest as I rubbed his back.

" Not a day goes by that I don't think about them, my baby Nikita and my unborn son. If only I would've stayed home and be a better father and friend, they would all be alive. DeCarlo wouldn't have been able to get to them. I failed my daughter Amanda , I promised to protect her and give her everything I had but due to my life choices and the people I was dealing with, I instead caused her downfall,i ended her life " he held on to me as he continued crying, I ran my fingers through his hair and brushed his back in attempt to calm him because I didn't know what to say or how to act. I squeezed him when he started to shake in anger, tears wetting my sweater. I continued to rub his back until he fell asleep in my arms, i stared at the broken man that laid on my chest. Now I understand why he had this huge wall built around him, he was so traumatized, so depressed and so heart broken that he couldn't let anybody else in. A piece of himself died along with his children and family. He's so broken and lost that I don't think he'll ever recover himself.

My eyes started getting heavy so I leaned back on the couch and put the fleece blanket that was on the couch, on top of us. Leonardo's snores could be heard around the house as he slept peacefully on top of me.

' God mend him, in the name of Jesus' I mumbled before letting sleep take over me.

TWO

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