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J E Y R I

"Are you hurt?" Giovanni marched up to me the second I walked back into Melanie's place. "Where were you?" He asked and my eyes widened, "W-what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Jeyri! You're okay!" Hayley ran toward me and pulled me into the biggest hug. I saw Matteo and Melanie standing there and I can only assume Hayley called and told them what happened.

"I'm fine you guys, " I said, raising my hands as Hayley pulled away. I could feel Gio's eyes on me as I spoke and I avoided looking at him.

"Sorry, I should have been here-" Melanie started but I cut her off, "It's not your fault Mel! He would've taken me anyway-"

"He?" Gio cut in, his eyebrow raised, "Who is he? Where did he take you? Did you get a good look at his face? Did he touch you?"

"No, " I lied, still not meeting his eyes. "I'm fine-" He lifted my face to his and frowned, "Look at me, Jeyri." He looked as if he were trying to search for something as he studied my face and I felt a lump form in my throat.

"I'm fine, " I said again but it came out as a whisper this time. He looked down at my hands shaking and his expression softened. "Alright..." He took my hand in his and led me upstairs. He paused for a second and turned to me, "Which one is your room?"

I pointed toward it and he pulled me inside with him. He nodded toward the bed for me to sit and I did. "Tell me." He crouched in front of me and cupped my face in his hand, wiping the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes. "Who made my girl cry?"

"He said he'd kill my parents if I- I told you..."

"A dead man can't kill anyone. Tell me who he is." When I didn't say anything he sighed, "You trust me, sì? I will protect both you and your parents, sweetheart. Look at me."

My eyes met his and he caressed my face, "Tell me," he whispered.

"It was Lucifer."

His face stayed calm and he didn't move from where he sat but, the look in his eyes sent chills down my spine. "Lucifer?" He repeated as if he didn't hear me the first time and I nodded. I pulled out the drugs that he'd given me and Gio looked down at the small packet that was in mine.

"He said that it's called the Devil's Whisper. He made it and gave a bunch of it to Sergio... He said a small dose of it wouldn't kill you but if you took a lot then you'd lose your mind. He was going to drug my parents if I didn't..."

"Give it to me?" Gio asked and I nodded. "He wanted me to test it out on you. I don't know why... He said that he wanted power so he was going to let you two kill each other off and then he'd take over everything... He told me that I had to make you fall in love with me so I could become your weakness." I whispered the last part but he heard it anyway.

I gripped my pants, trying to hide my shaking hands as I finished telling him and he didn't say a single word. The silence only earned to increase my nervousness. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting it out slowly. Please say something.

"That must have been scary, hmm?" He asked, holding my hands in his. "Good job, you did well telling me. I won't let anything happen to you, sweetheart... Not you nor your parents, " he promised me. "Don't forget that, okay?"

I nodded slowly and he stood up. "Where are you going?" I asked, the panic apparent in my voice. "Please don't leave..." He paused and chuckled at me, "I'm not leaving you."

"But..."

He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine, silencing me. "I'm not leaving, " he repeated. My heart skipped a beat and I nodded slowly in response, "Okay..."

His thumb traced across my lips as he hovered over me and he smiled, "You will never be my weakness Jeyri, remember that. As for what he said... I promise you, only one of those things will come to pass."

Only one?

"What do you mean-"

"Shhh, " he pressed his finger against my lips and smiled, "I'll tell you when that time comes."

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