Chapter 10 - Can't Seem To Catch A Break.

'Always do the right thing even when the right thing is the hard thing' ~ Bryan Stevenson Daniella's P.O.V. Do you remember the song Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat which sparked a massive worldwide craze a few years ago? well, I've got my own version of it called draw, scrunch, throw, curse my freaking ass off and repeat. It's not as fun or as catchy and nobody will be raving to it any time soon but it's mine and it's one that's turned my beautiful and once immaculate living room into a mess because I can't seem to relax or stay focused long enough to get a decent sketch done, at least not the one that I planned to get done today anyway. It's funny because I've had this image stuck in my head ever since the night that my parents died and I was hoping to finally get it on paper when I got the chance to sit down and sketch but now that I have, I can't seem to get the job done because of how wound up and agitated I am and it's all thanks to those bastard bikers. After Enzo and his brood left my home and I had my little breakdown, I thought that I'd finally be able to relax and get some peace and quite so that I can get some work done because I honestly felt lighter than I have done in weeks but that never happened. Unfortunately for me, being left alone with nothing but pure silence for company has only made me feel even more anxious than I normally am and it's also heightened the noises of my ghosts and my memories which have been screaming at me louder than ever lately, believe it or not. I mean, I've tried everything I can to relax and ease both my mind and soul like having a relaxing bath with scented oils and candles, as well as listening to meditation music just like my mother used to do whenever she was stressed out about something but nothing seemed to work for me. I thought sketching would do the job and help me to forget all about the outside world because it normally does when I get lost in my work just like reading a good book helps to silence all of the noises that we've got going on around us, as well as all of the problems we've got in our lives but nope. Every line, every curve, every shape and every shade just feels wrong and it's not giving me what I've been seeing in my head for the past few weeks which is frustrating the hell out of me in more ways than one. One of my main frustrations is that my distractions have made me feel like a freaking rookie who can't seem to sketch to save my own damn life when that's not the case. PING!!, PING!!. And there goes the sound of my other main frustration. I groaned to myself in annoyance. I looked down at my phone on the coffee table and I rolled my eyes when I saw yet another text message from one of Enzo's men. From the moment the Castello's left my home, I've been receiving nonstop phone calls and texts from them and their annoying biker friends which has made it even harder for me to relax and focus on my work. I don't know how they got my number but somehow they did and the assholes have made good use of it and not just with pleading calls and texts but also with pictures and videos of a drunk as f**k Dante at their little boys club, all of which I've tried my hardest to ignore but it hasn't been easy for me. "Urgh!!" I once again groaned in annoyance as I scrunched up yet another messed up drawing and threw it intending for it to land on the floor but unfortunately, this one had a bit more weight behind it and it landed on a picture frame knocking it over instead. "Of course that would happen" I said with a sigh as I rolled my eyes. I then put my pencil and drawing pad down before standing up from my couch and walking over to the side table by the TV. I picked up the picture frame and I couldn't resist smiling when I saw that it was the one from my graduation with me, my parents and Dante and we're all smiling happily in it which made me feel so much anger, sadness and even a little bit of happiness as well because the four of us truly looked like a picture perfect Hallmark family in it but the truth is that we weren't. It also pained my heart to look at it because I remember this day like it was yesterday. I remember feeling the happiest I've ever felt in my entire life, I remember feeling weightless and free but most importantly, I remember feeling so much love from not just me to my parents and Dante but also from them to me as well. I think that's what hurts the most about Dante's betrayal, is that deep down inside of my heart, I know that he loves me and that he didn't lie to me about that but yet, he still chose to lie about who and what he is, not to mention, he also betrayed my trust in him as well. A part of me wishes that I could just throw this out along with every single last trace of that man from my home for good because it hurts to see how loved up and happy the two of us were but I can't seem to find it in my heart to get rid of it. PING!!, PING!!. Urgh!!, f**k my life. I groaned as I put the picture frame down and I walked back over to the couch. I then picked up my phone and I felt a pang of pain, sadness and even guilt when I opened it up and I saw a message from an unknown number with a video of an unconscious Dante being carried back into the bar by two of his so called friends. It was a grim sight and I didn't like to see it because deep down inside of me, I still loved the i***t even despite everything that he's put me through but I chose to ignore my feelings as well as the text or at least I tried to until I received yet another message from the always pleasant Lorenzo Junior which caused me to snap at him. 'This is because of you, brat, get your f*****g ass down here right now and fix this before I make you, sorellina' Urgh!!, this man is such an asshole. I growled to myself as I texted him back but unfortunately, my choice of words seemed to irritate and anger the already irritated and angry biker wolf, so much so that he decided to give me a call to show me just how pissed of he is. At first, I hesitated to answer the call because I didn't wanna deal with his arrogant ass again but then I took a calming breath as I confidently pressed the little green button. "What?" I asked through gritted teeth. I thought the voice on the other end would scream at me in an angry and demanding tone which technically, he did do the latter but he did it in a calm way which made him sound even creepier and scarier than he usually does. Not to mention that his stern voice also sent a cold shiver down my spine as he spoke each word which was also very unsettling for me as well. "Daniella Selena Lopez, if you don't get your stubborn and bratty ass down to this f*****g clubhouse in the next twenty minutes and sort your man out, then I'm gonna personally come and get you and I promise you, principessa, it won't be pretty if I do" "Are you threatening me, namesake?" I ask him and he laughs an evil laugh. "I don't make threats, little girl, I make promises and I always freaking keep them too" He said before making a demand which made me chuckle. "Twenty minutes, Daniella and not a second over" "Sorry, I don't respond well to threats, jackass" I growled back at him. "Besides, Dante's not my man, so why the hell should I come and sort him out, hmm?" "Because you love him, that's gotta account for something, right?" He asks me in a much softer tone as I fell silent. Junior then let out an annoyed sigh and I could tell from how shaky it was that he was trying his hardest to control his anger so that he wouldn't snap at me and make me hang up on his ass. "Look, principessa...I know that you and Dante have been through a lot and I understand that he's hurt you, trust me, I do but none of that has changed how you feel about him, right?" He asks me and I knew that he was telling the truth but I wasn't about to tell his arrogant ass that. "I know that you still love and care for him, Dani and don't you dare lie to your big brother now because I know that you do, sweetheart" "So what if I do, namesake?" I ask whilst shrugging my shoulders in frustration. "What's my feelings for Dante got to do with you needing me to come to your little boys club and save his drunk ass from a heavy drinking spree?" "It's a clubhouse, not a little boys club, Daniella" He says through gritted teeth. "And I need you to come because you're the only one who can help him righht now, tesoro" What?. "Me? how can I help him, Junior?" I ask in confusion. "Because you're the love of his life, Dani, you're his woman" Junior says sounding so matter of fact causing my breath to hitch. "You love Dante, sorellina and I know you do which means that you're the only one who can talk some goddamn sense into him right now and get him to sort his ass out so that he doesn't spiral any further down the crazy hole" "And why would I do that, hmm?" I ask feeling annoyed. "I already told you numerous times already that we're over, so tell me, why I should help him or you for that matter?" "Because if I remember correctly, Dani, Dante was there for you when you needed him the most, right?...when you needed someone by your side in your darkest hour, he was the one who dropped everything to be with you or did you forget about all of that, principessa?" "Of course, I didn't" I said with a clenched jaw as my tiny nostrils flared. "Good...because he put your stubborn little ass first over everyone and everything that he loves and cares for because you're his number one priority and now I need you to be there for him" "But there's a difference between the two, Junior, I didn't cause my darkest hour, a drunk driver did, whereas Dante's the sole reason for whatever he's going through right now" "Yeah, I know, baby" He said with a tired sigh. "But he needs you...please don't make me beg, sorellina" He pleads with me. "Why me?" "Because like I said, you're his woman...now that may not mean a lot to you, Daniella but it does to us and in our world, a bikers woman is the most important thing to him next to his bike and his patch" So, my importance to Dante is on the same level as a hunk of metal and some fabric. That's good to know. "Look, I'm not asking you to reconcile with him, sweetheart, I'm just asking you to come and help him" "Can't you or one of your brothers do this?...surely, I'm not the only one who he'll listen to, Junior" "Unfortunately Dani, you are the only person who can help him right now" He said and I let out a breath. "Trust me, if there was anyone else I could call to help him, then I'd do it in a heartbeat, little girl" He said sounding desperate and I believed him. Fuck. I groaned to myself as I ran a hand through my long, blonde hair. "I can't be there in twenty minutes, Junior, it's impossible" "Take your time, sweetheart, just get your ass here soon, you hear me?" Junior demanded with a slight growl before hanging up on me. "Uh...that was rude" I groaned in annoyance as I looked down at my phone. I then let out a harsh breath as I put on my shoes and leather jacket before grabbing my keys and heading out to my car. I really didn't want to do this but I knew that I didn't have a choice. God, please give your daughter some strength because I'm gonna need it with these assholes.