Iris

•*Chapter 14*•

M A T E O

I stormed out of there. After seeing her wrists, I felt like I would melt into an endless puddle of hopelessness. I've never felt a more prominent urge to protect anyone in my entire life. Until Iris. But protecting her, I will never hesitate to do. And for reasons unknown to me.

I went out, intending on going to the nearest bar to fuck my liver up, but I can't even leave the front doorstep. I feel heavy, as if walking takes to much effort. So I turn around and go back inside and run up the stairs, heading straight for Iris's room. If I'm gonna have a little sister, I'm gonna follow all the rules.

I open the door just a little, only to see the lights off and a little lump in the bed, indicating Iris's sleeping figure. I push my body through the crack I created and shut the door gently behind me. Her room was freezing. Guess she likes the cold. I try as hard as possible to get across her bedroom without making any noise, but stop abruptly when my foot hits something on the floor. Grabbing my phone from it's secure place in my pocket, I turn on the flashlight only to come face to face with a closed purple box. The lid was on, so I removed it only to see four razors, one with dried blood.

Fuck, Iris.

I sighed and closed the box putting it on her nightstand for the time being. There's no way I'm leaving it with her. Once I am at her bed, I crouch to her side and tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and off her tear-stained cheek.

The action doesn't go unnoticed by her as she furrows her eyebrows momentarily and flutters open her gorgeous blue eyes. I don't understand how even though we all inherited that from our dad, her's stand out the most. This girl will make millions of men fall by her feet, begging for her affection.

Too bad she has five crazy as fuck brothers that will murder them on spot.

"Mateo? What's wrong?" she questioned, then cleared her throat because her voice was raspy. More than likely from crying.

"I came to get you for dinner, you haven't eaten anything and it's almost 8:00." I said still crouched down.

"I'm not hungry, but thanks." she replied before attempting to roll on her side in order for her back to face me, but I wasn't having it. So I rolled her back over and held her face in my hands to keep her in place.

"I never said you were hungry, I said you should come for dinner." I cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Mateo!" she whined, pushing her lips up in a perfect pout, putting on her biggest, brightest "LEAVE ME ALONE!" face.

"Iris!" I whined, mocking her. "I don't care if you're hungry or not. You can burst for all I care, but you're coming down with me and I'm gonna sit down and make sure you eat. Got it?" I demanded. "Don't argue with me on this one!".

Groaning, she finally gets her ass out of bed.

"Whatever, man." she sulked. I flicked her on her forehead, then put my arm around her shoulders, steering her downstairs, into the dining room. When we were going downstairs though, I had to carry her, much to her discomfort, because her groin was still hurting. I knew because she took 3 steps and sucked in a sharp breath, clutching her thigh.

As we entered the kitchen, I let her down and we both went to our seats. I sat beside Emilio, well where he was suppose to sit, as he isn't in the dining room at the moment, and across from Lorenzo, who sat beside Iris. Alejandro sat at the head of the table and Luca sat at the other end.

"How are you cat?" Lorenzo questioned Iris with a small smile.

"I'm ok, but I still haven't grown four legs and a tail Enzo." she bit back with a similar sized smile, making him release a small chuckle.

"You'll always be my kitten, Iris." he said pulling her in for a hug and kissing her forehead. She scrunched her nose up in a cute manner, before looking around the room.

"Where's Emilio?" she questioned, still searching the room. But as if on cue, said brother walks in the room.

"I'm right here babe." he winks, causing Iris to cock an eyebrow at him before shaking her head. She looked at Luca, who gave her a tiny smile, which she returned. Then she looked at Alejandro, who just stared back at her.

Fucking robot, I tell you.

Or at least I thought so, until he pushed his chair back with the utmost elegance, and strode over to Iris. She looked up at him confused, before he gestured for her to get up by contorting his finger in to a "come here" motion. She obediently got up, but still had to look up at him. But when she got up, I saw Alejandro take a deep breath in, before exhaling and wrapping his arms around Iris's figure. His left hand tightly wrapped around her shoulders and his right hand unconsciously stroking her hair. At first Iris froze, probably out of shock just like the rest of us who had our mouths on the table, and kept her hands stiffly at her side. But once Alejandro started swing her side to side, she gave in and wrapped her arms around his waist. Then her body started shaking, which showed she was crying.

Alejandro raised his head and nodded to the door. So the four of us got up giving them their space.

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I R I S

I was hugging him. Alejandro Garcia was hugging me. A poor, suicidal, angry excuse of a human girl. And I never wanted it to end. I was crying so hard you would think it was torture for me, but this hug was like an outlet for my emotions; the ones no one know about. The ones that have been hidden for 6 years. And I have a feeling that if my other bitch brothers were in his place, I wouldn't feel like this.

"Look at me, Elena." he cooed, referring to me by my middle name, which I would definitely ask about later. I raised my bloodshot eyes, and saw his beautiful, Jack Frost eyes looking directly at me. And for the first time, his guard was down. I saw nothing but the one emotion I've craved for so long.

Love.

And he wasn't even hiding it. It was practically beaming from his eyes.

"No one will ever hurt you, ever. Not as long as you have me." he said while maintaining eye contact with me. But I never wanted him to say that, because it sounded like a promise. And with my past, promises are never kept.

"Don't say that. You can't promise me I'll never be hurt again." I retorted. More tears escaped from my eyes because I knew it was true. But then he spoke.

"You're right. I can't promise that you'll never be hurt. But I can promise you that whoever hurts you, will face the consequences. But I want you to promise me one thing." he continued, grabbing my face with both hands, my hands still around his waist.

"You will never hurt yourself ever again. If there's something wrong, you find me or one of your brothers and talk to us. You will no longer abuse yourself Iris! You're strong enough to defeat your past. And you have us to help you." he finished.

"I can't promise you that either, Alejandro. I wish I could. I want to, but I can't." I said sobbing. He shushed me and rubbed my back soothingly, kissing me on my forehead repeatedly.

"Tu sei il mio raggio di sole." (you are my sunshine.)

"Grazie di tutto Alejandro." I replied. (thank you for everything Alejandro.)

A/N:
Hi marshmallows😍! Hope you guys liked this insaaaaaanely short chapter😂
I really need to get myself in check with these updates bro🙄🗑.

I have a feeling that I'm dragging the book out since technically it's been the same day since chapter 9😂. Like I don't know what's wrong with me, but I promise to evenly distribute the plot.

Thanks so much for reading guys❤️
See you soon marshmallows😍!