So many questions fill my head at once. "Why would she do that?" I decide to start with that. Sydney leads me to a large kitchen and I sit on one of the island stools.
"What I'm about to tell you is very dangerous and I need you to be very discreet about it. Not even a single person should know about this." His eyes bore into mine and once again I feel the same shiver because of fear.
"It's not like you kill and dispose of bodies." I say with a chuckle trying to diffuse the seriousness. Sydney's eyes don't change and I know my joke wasn't appreciated.
"Promise me Isabella. Not even your soul mate or whatever you call him should know this." I think about this and how Sydney's behaving.
"I'm I in trouble?" I ask in a whisper. I don't know why but my voice just came out that way. Should I send the SOS message to Harry? Why is he making this sound so mysterious?
"Just tell me what's going on Sydney. You're scaring me." He moves to the stool next to mine and takes my left hand making my heart beat so fast. I don't know if he knows that he has this effect on me. My hand looks so tiny in his larger and warmer ones.
"My family is involved in something bad. Something illegal." I looks deep into my eyes. "Telling you this will put your life in great danger and that's why I bought this place just in case you got pregnant."
"Then why are you telling me this?" My voice has become shaky.
"Because I need a favour from you. I'm trying to get out of all this and I've tried but nothing."
"What is it you're trying to get out from Sydney? You make no sense." Could it be the engagement? He must have proposed and later on regretted but Bianca... My thoughts are interrupted by something I never expected.
"The Mafia." Silence. I yank my hand from Sydney's as if it has been burnt and look at Sydney with large eyes.
"I'm breaking Omerta by telling you this." Sydney says with a sigh. "My dad leads the American Mafia and it has been my life since I was born. To be honest, I've never been thrilled about it." His eyes show a sadness and my heart breaks.
"You can talk to me. I hope you know that."
Sydney looks at me for a while. "You want me to be open to you and yet you don't trust me. I know you warned your soul mate about me coming with you here." He pauses with a grin. "You were pretty obvious."
I give him a sheepish smile. "His name is Harry."
"I'll try to remember that." I give him a grateful smile. I still want to hear what he wants to say. I somehow feel that Sydney is allowing me into his dangerous world.
"Since I need your help, I just have to tell you." Sydney takes my hand once again and the same reaction happens.
"The mafia has made me rivals with my brother. The mafia killed my mother and sister and the mafia has made my father heartless." I ponder over his words.
"Rivals? Why are you and your brother rivals?" His thumb has started rubbing circles on my arm and I notice Sydney doesn't even notice he's doing it.
"My dad wants me to be the next leader since I'm the oldest and my brother has always tried pleasing my dad since he was a kid. He looks up to him and he sees me as a threat." His head rests on my shoulder and my heartbeat increases. I have never seen Sydney behave this way. He's so touchy.
"And do you want to be the next leader?" My voice is now hesitant. "No." He takes in a deep breath and releases it. "As the eldest, I have to take over. In a few weeks." No one speaks after that and my hands find themselves weaving through his hair. So soft.
"What do you need me to do?" I ask without hesitation and that shocks me. I know I'm not in the stage of doing anything for Sydney especially after his confession.
His head jerks from my shoulder so fast that it almost hits my chin. "My world is very dangerous Izzy. I'm having second thoughts of involving you."
"Tell me." I look at him in the eye to show him that I'm serious. "You already did the day you broke my virginity." I say with a straight face.
Sydney stands even before I see any expression on his face and goes to take a glass of water. He offers me some and I accept.
"My engagement to Bianca is planned. Her dad is also part of the Italian mafia group. I suspect her baby is Liam's." Sydney sees my questioning look. "Liam is my brother."
I suddenly feel like a very heavy weight is lifted but I have to confirm. "Bianca's pregnancy isn't yours?" Sydney shakes his head no and a very big smile that I can't control appears on my face. Sydney smiles too when he looks at me.
"If I knew how beautiful you look when you smile, I'd have told you this before." I laugh and playfully smack his hand even though I know I'm so red. He called me beautiful.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. After you're done with being sappy tell me about this love triangle." I brush off the compliment by ruining the mood. Great!
"Liam used to have a crush on Bianca since we were kids. She was my best friend. I never knew about Liam's crush until one day Bianca told me about it and how she likes him. After some months they became the perfect couple but Liam prioritized his duty as a mafia boss' son over his duty as a boyfriend and they broke up after two years. I guess they were still in love and got back together two months later. It just ended mysteriously and the next thing I know I wake up with a hangover and a naked Bianca next to me." Hurt. Anger. Sadness. I feel all that at once.
"Nothing happened even though she tried to make me believe that. She made me believe we had sex and later on tells me she's pregnant." Sydney sighs deeply and I wonder why Bianca would do that to him. To Liam. "It was the night after we met." He adds. It seems so far away.
"Why would she do that? Why would she betray you're friendship and Liam's love?" I feel so angry.
"Apparently Bianca learnt a lesson or two from Liam. She prioritized her position as the Italian Mafia Boss' daughter over our friendship and love." Sydney spits. 'So she's like a spy.' I realize.
"So what happens?" Sydney resumes our previous position with his head on my shoulder. I do not feel guilty anymore after what Sydney tells me.
"Bianca doesn't know I already know about her manipulative and acting skills and I intend to keep it that way. She doesn't know that the baby you're having is ours." I swear my heart just stopped for a second.
"Where do I fit in all of this?" I play with Sydney's very soft hair.
"We need to get married as soon as possible. Secretly." My hand stills in his hair and I feel my body going rigid.
"W... What? Marriage?" My voice feels like a blur. Sydney stands in front of me. I don't remember his head rising from my shoulder.
"To ensure I don't get married to her this is the only way and I know in a few weeks’ time I'll be forced to." He holds my face between my palms. He's acting like we've known each other for so long intimately and somehow it feels just like that. His touch feels so familiar.
"Marriage is something too big to ask from me. You could have asked someone else you know." I ask exasperatedly.
"I know. But I only wanted you." His words sound like they have a deeper meaning but maybe it's because I wish they have.
"What do you mean Sydney? Like in the club when you decided that I'll carry your baby since I seem like the desperate woman available?" I feel so exhausted. Sydney seems to notice and he picks me up bridal style earning a surprised yelp from me.
"Carrying me to the sofa won't make me marry you Sydney." I look up at him.
"I just wanted you to be comfortable." He says in a low voice making him seem very uncomfortable. Before I react to it my phone blast with Bruno Mars' 'Count On Me' indicating Harry is calling.
Sydney hands me the phone and I receive it. I assure him I'm fine for about five hundred times before he hangs up. "Is he always this way with you?" Sydney raises an eyebrow.
"Overprotective? Yeah." I smile at that and past times when I told him that I went out with a boy. Sydney stands abruptly and gets into the kitchen. What now? "Sydney?" I follow him.
His hands are in fists and I wonder what’s wrong with him. He's been okay until the call. Oh! The call! I laugh suddenly and Sydney looks irritated with me.
"I told you Harry is like my elder brother. He's bound to be like that."
"I asked you for a favour before your soul mate called you." Sydney spits the soul mate and anger flares in me.
"Take me back home. I can't deal with you acting like a dick Sydney." I pick up my purse and head towards the door. Wish I could come with my car and leave him here.
I get into the car and Sydney follows in. We drive in a silent drive thick with tension for thirty minutes and before I get out Sydney holds my hand. "Think about it. Please." I only nod and get out immediately.