The Twin Brothers

“Darliana!!”

The twins didn’t waste their time but rushed toward the little girl. Enzo grabs her from the guard’s arms. “Baby, what happened!? Why there’s blood on your lips!? Why your cheek bruise!?” He starts to panic.

“S–Someone… try to k–kidnapped me.” She cried.

“Who?” Leo growls.

“I–I don’t know. But that guy…” She pauses for a moment. “He did s–say about… this guy n–named Damien?” She frowns, guessing the name.

Hearing that name makes the twin fume in anger. They have should suspected him from the start but they don’t want to do that. Since not everyone can be bad now, they are wrong.

“Where is that guy?” Leo asks the guard.

“He is dragged to the blackhouse. I have been informed he is tied in the basement. Don’t worry, capo. He’s not dead.” He informs without looking at them. Since none of them dare to do it.

“Yet.” Enzo spokes. “… He’s not dead, yet. We will go there tomorrow and make sure… keep your eyes close to him. Understood!?” He raises his voice causing Liana to flinches.

“Sir, yes sir!!” He bowed and walks away.

They bring the girl back to their home. Even though some guards looked at Liana with concern and sadness, she manage to give them a reassuring smile. Leo went in a different direction from them. Liana looks at Enzo with confusion. “Don’t worry, love. He just goes to make your late-night snack or other stuff.” He spokes.

Leo might not talk much but his action spoke for him. Enzo puts her down on her bed in her bedroom. It is different. She looks around the room because it looks different. The bedroom was painted baby pink and more decorated. There’s one side full of her toys and stuff for her little space.

“W–Who’s room is this?” She asks.

“This is your room, baby.” He answers while tucking her in the blanket.

“But why–”

“We renovate it. Leo and I thought you might like it. Since you always coming here. Guess what?” He sat beside her with a soft smile. “Leo even decide to renovate one empty room at the blackhouse just for you. Don’t tell me I tell you that. He wants to do a surprise for you.” He chuckles thinking how can Leo be this soft to someone.

“T–That was… too much.” Liana pouts at them.

“Nothing is too much for you. We rather spend our money on you than going to the gambling or some club.” Enzo rolls his eyes.

Liana doesn’t know what to say. These guys treat her like some kind of precious thing. She smiles at him and looks around the room more. But something made her lose her smile.

“M–My family will f–find me.” Liana mumbles. It is not that she doesn’t want but in the meantime, she felt safe here. “What… s–should we do?” She sighs.

“At first we want to kidnap you but… look like you are here already. As much as we want to bring you here, we can’t just take you away from your family.” Enzo states. They might plan to take her away but think twice.

“I just n–need to convince them.” She clenched her fist on the blanket.

The guy just staring at the girl. The more time he spend time with this girl, the more things he saw in this girl. She is not weak, she just doesn’t know. She loves to dependent on someone to make her feel safe.

“Let me treat your ankle, baby.” He sits at the edge of the bed. Not before he grabbed the first aid kit.

Silence fills the room. There is no exchange of words. Enzo was busy wrapping her sprained ankle. Once he did, he pack the stuff. Something’s wrong. Too quite. Enzo turns his attention to the girl and yells in shock.

She has a pen in her mouth, biting and licking it. “Ah! Baby!! Don’t eat that!!” He rushes to her and grabs the pen causing her to cry. At first, he was confused but then something clicked. “Baby, are you in your toddler headspace?”

“I am?” She titled her head. Enzo chuckles and ruffles her hair.

The door opens and reveals Leo brings milk and cookies with a warm towel hanging on his wrist. Seeing him brings cookies makes Liana squeal in excitement.

“COOKIE!!!!!” She yells.

Leo stops walking. “She in her toddler space?” He asks his brother who is wiping the pen with tissues. His brother nods. “Little one, let’s eat then you will go to sleep. En put this on her ankle.” He hands him the warm towel.

“Thank you, Lili!!” She happily ate the cookie.

“I think she slips into her toddler space to feel safer and comfortable. Don’t you think so?” Enzo spokes.

“I think so too.” He replies.

The next morning, Ivan and his mother arrive at the hospital. They went towards her ward and open the door. But they only saw an empty room. The mother starts to panic.

“Where is Liana!?” Her mother yells.

“Nurse!!” Ivan called. One nurse appeared with a confused and concerned expression. “Where is my Lil sis!? Darliana!” He asks.

“Oh. She already dismissed this morning.” The nurse answers.

“She what!? But why we didn’t know and who pick her up!?” The mother asks with tears forming in her eyes.

“I thought you guys knew. Someone try to kidnap Darliana yesterday night. But, she manages to escape. Then, Mr. Hower’s men pick her up. That’s all I know.” The nurse explains.

The explanation makes Ivan scream in anger. While his mother already crying. “We need to call the others.” He said while taking out his phone.

Liana is still in her little space. She ran and played with the guards there who happily serve her. The twin just watches her from the living room. They don’t know when she will be out of her little space. Maybe she needs more time.

“I’m going to the basement. You coming?” Enzo stood up. Leo who busy watching the little girl playing. Sometimes, she will wave at them with that big smile on her face.

“No. I’m in a happy mood. I’m afraid I will shoot him before you could ask him something.” Leo said. His words might sound like a joke but he means it. Only some people understand it.

“Yeah. You better stay here. Watch her. She will put anything in her mouth.” He warns before walking away.

One guard escorts him and gives him a pair of black gloves. They went to the basement and he still hear Liana’s voice screaming but not in pain. In a happy mood and laughing. This blackhouse is full of joy once she joins it.

Two guards are guiding the door. When they saw their boss, one of them immediately opened it for him. Enzo’s anger rose when saw him there. “Now what!?” The guy grunts. He lifted his gaze and was shocked to see Lorenzo stating in front of him.

“Piacere di conoscerti, signore.” He starts. (Nice to meet you, gentlemen.)

“What the fuck are you saying?” The guy sighs acting dumb.

The guard put one chair in front of him for Enzo to sit on. He crosses his legs. “Well, I don’t have time to serve your stupid head. Mind to tell me why and who send you?” He asks with too nice tone.

“I bet that cagna already told you who send me.” The guy chuckles. “AHH!!!!” One guard stabs one small knife on his shoulder. “What the fuck is wrong with you!!??” He yells.

“Now, che ne dici di riprovare?” Enzo asks. (How about trying again?)

“You are not that dumb, aren’t you? You must know why Damien wants to take that girl.” The guy snaps at him. “He wants you guys to hand over the Thaver clan. A little birdie told him, you guys got a woman.” He continues.

“So, is it you who shot her while we were at the beach?” Enzo asks, clenching his fist.

“What? That’s not me. It’s probably someone else he asks for.” He answers.

Enzo stood up, taking a step forward. The guy has to admit that he did feel the fear of this twin. Then, his hand went towards the knife that was still on his shoulder. “Your boss sure so stupid. He didn’t know what happened if he play with something we attached with.” He said.

“You guys seem like into that girl. Is she special or what?” He arches his eyebrows.

“It’s none of your business. Now…” Enzo praises the knife further to his shoulder.

“AHHHH!!!! FUCK!!! STOP!!” The guy screams in pain.

The door burst open, revealing one guard. “Capo!! Something happened upstair. We need you.” He informs. Enzo just gives a nod before turning towards the guy back.

“… I wouldn’t kill you just yet. I’m not that cruel. Not like that… you so-called boss.” He rolls his eyes, takes off his gloves, and throws them away. The guy looks at him with confusion. “Treat his wounds and give him food and drink. Don’t starve him.” With that, he went out.

The guy couldn’t help but frown. “That’s not the twin I heard of.”

“Of course not. They might be heartless and cruel but they know when to be that. They are not just killing machines. Our boss treats us like a family.” The guard spoke, pulling the knife out.

“Ah!! Be gentle!” He scolds him.

Enzo went upstairs and the yelling sounded so loud when he got near. But, what makes him frowns is it is not Liana’s voice or any of the voice he recognized.

“NO!!! LILI!!” Liana cried.

Hearing her crying, he rushed toward the living room. There she is, trying to escape from her mother’s arms. Her hands reached towards Leo who holding himself from picking her up. It’s not that he doesn’t want to, they have respect for her family.

“What’s going on here? How do you guys know this place?” Enzo’s voice makes everyone stop. The girl looks at him and reaches her arms towards him.

“Ennie!!” She cried.

Jessica looks at them with guilty. “I’m sorry. They track Liana’s second phone. I have no choice but to tell them.” She looks down. It is not her fault though.

“You kidnapped her from us!?” Her father yells.

“We’re not. She’s the one who comes here by herself. Even if not, we will convince you guys to let her stay with us.” He replies, standing beside his twin.

“Don’t you fucking with me!! Someone tries to kidnap her and try to hurt her!? I know it was all because of you guys!!! You ruin my sister’s life!!!” Ivan yells.

“No!! No!! Ennie and Lili love me!!” Liana cried still not giving up reaching her hands towards the twins.

“Sweetie, please!! This isn’t you!!” Her mother cried, hugging her from behind.

“Don’t you see what you did to her? She having mentally unstable!!” The father snaps out at them. “She acting like a child because of you guys!!”

“For your information, that was her toddler space. She has little space this whole time even though she doesn’t know it. WE handle that problem while you never notice it.” Enzo spokes, clenching his fist.

Cara to butt in. “Um, sir. The whole time she was with us, I never saw any single scratch on Liana. Not even saw they yell or hurt her.” She spoke in a serious tone.

“No. We’re still not leaving her here with those two!!” The mother points at them.

Liana wiggles in her arms and finally she can escape. She ran to Leo and he didn’t waste his time but picked her up. “Liana wants to stay with them. Liana doesn’t want to leave them.” She shakes her head.

“But, sweetie. this is not yourself.” The mother spokes.

“Liana loves her little space. Ennie, Lili, and the others never hurt Liana. Liana herself coming here, seeking help from them. They make Liana feel safe” She fiddled with her fingers.

“Lil sis, please. It wouldn’t be safe with them.” Ivan pleaded.

“No. T–They keep me safe. It’s not that Liana doesn’t love you but Liana wants to be with them. Liana promised, they will keep me safe.” Her doe eyes stared at them almost begging for them to say yes.

The parents exchange looks. How can they didn’t notice Liana have this kind of side. As much as they wanted to bring her home, they can’t. Maybe it is safer if she lives with them until everything sorts out. Her mother looks at her husband.

“She might be our adopted daughter but… we can’t let her be hurt, honey.” His wife looked at him with teary eyes.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Fine.” The father sighs.

“DAD!!” Ivan yells.

“We will let her live here UNTIL everything sorts out. Deal?” He asks.

The twin exchange look. Oh well, at least they could still meet her and keep an eye on her. “Deal. Once everything is done, we will send her to you. That’s our deal.” Enzo took out of his knife pocket and slice his finger. His brother did the same. The family looks at them with horror. “The blood that dripping right now will be the promise that we will protect her and cherish her like how you love her. That’s our promise.”

“Is that how you–” Before the old man could finish, Leo cuts him.

“Yes. If that promise is serious, we will do it seriously. With blood.” Leo explains.

Jerry, the foster father of Liana just sighs. “I hate to admit it but you guys look so serious about this. Remember the deal. Once it settles, I want my daughter back.”

“Yes, sir.” The twins nod.

“But, dad!! We can’t let Liana stay here!! Are you nuts!?” Ivan yells. Liana whimpers and hides her face on Leo’s chest.

“Ivan, we have to. One, what can we do to protect her? We have nothing. Second, these guys can help us protect her. Third, Liana is the one who comes to them not them.” Jerry glares at his son.

Ivan looks at his sister with sadness. She slowly lifted her head and met her eyes with his. She grins and asks Leo to put her down. Leo follows her order and lets her run towards his brother’s arms.

“I should have known you got another side. I’m sorry for not taking care of you, Lil sis.” He cried, hiding his face on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I really am.”

“It’s okay, bubs. None of us expect this. Smile for Liana, please.” She pushes at the corner of his lips with her finger.

“Aww, sweetie.” The mother kneels and hugs her same goes with their father.