The Mafia's Son novel Chapter 8

Valesco's POV

I enter Benjamin's room and his eyes are wide awake.

"Can't sleep?" I ask him and he grunts.

"Your friend woke me up." He rolls his eyes and I sigh.

"She took care of you no?" His eyes snap to mine, and he was about to say something when he stops.

"Yea... I guess." He murmurs.

"Did she ever... call you names. .or... ask you where you got your bruises." He frowns.

"No.. I guess not."

"Then stop treating her like dirt," I tell him.

"But we don't know if we can-"

"Has she given you a reason to not trust her?" He sighs, turning in his back and rubbing his face.

"Dad, you know what happened last time, our flesh and blood betrayed us. Who is she not to?"

"I understand Ben. But stop giving her crap when she doesn't even fully understand what's going on here." He stares at me for a moment before sighing.

"I'll try to."

"Alright, son. That's all I ask. Tomorrow morning was out again for Gio's Mafia. I suspect they're after her. ." He nods and I ruffle his hair, walking out. Stopping by the door, I sigh.

"I love you. ." He pretends to gag.

"That's gross." He jokes and I playfully glared at him.

#

I woke up to my door being pounded on and I trip over my feet to find, Benjamin.

"Yes?" I ask confused and he just eyes me before sighing.

"I'm sorry for how I've been treating you." He says and I cough.

"What?"

"Are you deaf?" He snaps and I give him a flat face, before slamming the door.

Stupid boys.

My door swings open and I turn around angrily.

"Hey!-"

"You came to my room last night!" He says defensively.

"Because I actually had a reason you baboon!" I yell out and he glares at me.

"You're making this hard for me." He closes his eyes and calms down before reopening them. "I'm sorry, for how I've been acting. I just don't trust you." He says in all honesty and I roll my eyes.

"Whatever. Apology accepted." I plop down on my bed and pretend to go to sleep.

He just huffs and slams the door behind him.

Good riddance.

#

Benjamin's POV

"She's so infuriating!" I yell at my best friend Mika as we sat at her doorstep and she grins. "She just comes out of nowhere-"

"You saved her."

"-and just acts like she's apart of the family!"

"What about Caramel?" Mika raises an eyebrow.

"Caramel was different, she wasn't there all the time, and Qulo trusted her."

"Well just let her know that." Mika shrugs.

"My dad doesn't like me being mean to her." I roll my eyes.

"Why not, she's black after all, she should be used to the criticism." I raise an eyebrow at that.

"Meredith told me you don't eat at all." Meredith was the cook and I sigh.

"Excuse me." I leave, opening the door, and sitting outside. I feel the breeze and I close my eyes gently.

"You can't catch me!" I yell excitedly as my dad chases me around.

"Oh? Is that so?" He jumps tackling my little body and I giggle as he lifts me so that I barely hit the ground. "Caught ya."

"Oops." I giggle again and he smiles fondly at me, before frowning. "Where did your smile go?" I ask innocently and it returned but it looked weird.

"Honey. ." He sat on the grass and placed me on the other side of him grabbing my hand." I have to-"

"Not that I care, but are you really okay?" I jump at the sound of Benjamin's voice and I scoff.

"If you don't care. Don't ask." I murmur staring out and it goes quiet. He sits next to me and I wrap my hands around myself. "I'm fine."

"Those fresh tears say otherwise." I quickly wipe them away and avert my eyes.

"I've never seen you like this you know." He murmurs. "You're always... peppy. . and annoying and... talkative."

"I get it," I mumble bitterly and he sighs.

"I really am sorry. Especially if I'm the cause of those tears." I laugh humorlessly.

"If only it were that simple." I shake my head and he looks at me.

"You're not spoiled. . are you?" He says as if he's just realizing this and I clench my jaw. He grabs my chin and I almost, almost, flinch at his touch.

"Hey... I hope you do accept my apology, yea?" He murmurs and I've never seen this side of him. His eyes weren't hard, neither were his facial features, they were soft and sincere and I found myself nodding at him. We stay like that for a moment but he clears his throat and drops my chin. I look away, and he stands, stretching out his hands.

"Cmon." I reluctantly take them and he leads the way.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" Tucker smirks.

"Has the bad boy gone soft?" James teases and Benjamin's face goes hard as I blush.

"Shut up flat face." He retorts and Caramel smirks at me, as well as Valesco.

I pull my hands from Benjamin's and he frowns, as I avert my eyes.

"Thanks for tonight... I.. I'm gonna go sleep now. Have a goodnight everyone!" I yell before practically running up the stairs. What was that?