The Twin Brothers

The ride to the company fills with comfortable silence. Liana who was comfortable in the guy’s arms that she just met yesterday, accidentally fell asleep. There’s something about his gentle touch and warmth.

The car stops, “Sir, we’re here.” He announced.

Enzo looks at the girl who sleeps in his arms. The sounds of his breath, it so calm. Not when she talks with him, her breath will sound like she got a panic attack. Is he too scary for her?

“Can you call Leo here? Just tell him I need him.” He orders.

“Sure, sir.” The driver responds before rolling the window up.

While waiting, he looks at the girl’s face. His finger slid on her eyebrows, her cute button nose to her pouting lips. What Leo said was true. She looks like, she will break with one touch. Then, why does he feels attached to this girl? That’s what he doesn’t know. Now, he felt nothing but wanted to watch her out.

Enzo brings her slowly to his lap and put her head on his neck. She automatically wrapped her arms around his neck. Does he wonder why this girl was so sleepy? They just woke up this morning. Is she this tired? The car door opens and reveals Leonardo in a black suit, bending down with his hand on the car roof.

“Why do you need me here? I got a meeting and you–Darliana?” He was shocked to see the baker in Enzo’s arms, sleeping. “How she… what happened actually?”

“Look like we got the same girl, brother. Like it or not, we got to share.” Enzo jokes.

“Hold on. This is the girl you talk about? Yesterday night?” He asks.

Enzo nods. “She having a panic attack so I help her. I didn’t know you know her too until she told me. You are right. She is too fragile to be alone.” His hands played with the end of her hair.

“This is so… unexpected.” He sighs. “I don’t want to fight with you over her. And you are right. We got to share. Even I hate it.” Leo rolls his eyes.

“We share everything, dude.” His twin chuckles.

“Does she know we’re a twin?” Leo asks.

“No. She did tell me I look like you. I’m even surprised she call you Mr. Leonardo and not Mr. Hower.” He spoke with a smirk. Usually, Leo will demand everyone to address him as Mr. Hower but for this girl, it is not.

“I bet she will be shocked when knowing the truth.”

“I bet you’re right,” Leo smirks. “Look like she wouldn’t go to work. Bring her to my office. I’ll meet you there after my meeting.” He rubbed the girl’s hair gently.

“Sure.” Enzo steps out of the car with her still in his arms. He puts his hand on top of Liana’s head to keep her head on his neck. “See you later, dude.” He nods at Leo who just hums and walks away. Not before looking at Liana one last time.

Soon, Enzo walks into the company, all the co-workers are shocked to see a little girl in his arms. On his hip like a baby, clinching to him. The cruel mafia will shoot anyone who did a single mistake without any second thought. Enzo ignores the stares, brushing her hair to keep her in dreamland just in case she woke up due to the noises around them.

The sound of ‘ding’ makes Enzo walks out of the lift. They walk towards Leo’s office since he doesn’t have one. He told Leo he doesn’t need one. He rarely comes here. He comes here if he wants to meet Leo or have some work. Now, look like he has a reason why he will come here every day.

“What time does Leo finish?” Enzo asks as he puts the girl on the couch slowly. He puts the pillow under her head and a fluffy blanket on her.

“I’m not sure, sir. But that meeting seems long. Maybe around 12 pm like that or something.” The guard answers.

If that so, he thought to go home for a while grabbing something. Knowing from Liana’s sleep, she wouldn’t wake up any minute. Enzo went out and found Felix waiting outside.

“Can you guard against inside? I need to go get something.” He spokes.

“Sure. What was her name again?” Felix asks, putting his phone inside his pocket.

“Darliana. If he asks where am I or Leo, tell her we will be back soon.” He pats his shoulder and went away. “If I see a single scratch on her, you know what will happen!!!” He yells across the hallway to the elevator.

Felix frowns and thinks what will he do. But, he knows Enzo meant every word he said if those things were important to him. Shivers went to his spine as he think what will Enzo do.

___________

Liana opens her eyes a little bit, gripping the fluffy blanket tightly. She yawns and rubs her eyes as she felt more energized. She sits up and looks around, only to find she’s in someone’s office.

She gasps when saw the clock. It’s almost afternoon.

“My work!!!” She yells and stood up.

As she was about to turn the doorknob, the door was already open causing her to fall on her butt. She whimpers in pain, she can hear someone cursing and kneeling in front of her.

“Are you okay, Darliana!?” One guy asking. She opens her eyes and saw it was a guy who be mean to her that day after she accidentally bump Enzo.

“I–I’m sorry!! Ple–please… I w–will go!!” Liana covers her face with her arms as if prevent her from any hit.

“What? Darliana, why do you say sorry? I’m the one who should–” Felix got cut off when she bursts into tears. Panic took over that guy. “D–Darliana, what’s wrong!?”

“I’m–I’m really s–sorry!!” She keeps crying, trying to get away from that guy. She still remembers where he picks her up harshly and yells at her.

Suddenly, Adam walks in with a box of donuts in his hand. “Hey, I bought–WHAT THE FUCK!?” He immediately kneels beside Felix. “Peanut!! Are you okay!? Felix!! What did you do to her!?” He slaps his friend’s arms.

“Oww!! I don’t know what I did!! I came in and she bursts into tears as soon as she saw me!!” He defended himself.

“Peanut, hey. Calm down, please. For me?” Adam reaches for her arms from covering her face. “It was me. Adam. Remember?” He comforts her.

Liana recognized that voice. She opens her eyes and saw Adam looking at her with concern. “A–Adam?”

“That’s it. What’s wrong, peanut? Is there something wrong? Did my stupid friend do something to you?” He asks. Felix rolls his eyes and back to focus on Liana.

“H–He… He’s t–the one… w–who y–ye-yells at me.” Liana points at him. Slowly went closer to Adam.

Adam looks at his friend with glares.

“I didn’t yell at–wait.” He frowns. Then, he gasps. “Oh!! Do you mean the time when we first met!?”

Liana couldn’t help but flinch at his yelling. Adam smacks his head earning a groaning from him. She nods slightly, gripping Adam’s sleeves tightly.

“I’m sorry, Dar. I didn’t mean to. I thought you are one of the girls who–you know what I mean? It was my job to protect Enzo and if I know you are not the type of person I thought, I will never yell at you.” Felix explains. His eyes show he saying the truth and is sincere. He really meant what he said. It was his job to be Enzo’s eyes whenever he didn’t notice anything.

“I–I’m sorry… f–for a-a-accuse you-you.” She looks down with more tears coming out as she felt guilty.

“Oh shit!! No, no tears, please. It not your fault, Dar.” He pats her head. But nothing works. Tears came out even more.

“P–Peanut, please stop crying. If Leo ad Enzo saw this, both of us will have our heads hanging as their collection.” Adam spokes with fear in his tone. The way he says it, it seems like those two will make it come true.

“E–Enzo? Leo?” She frowns. “You mean… M–Mr. Leonardo and… uh… sc–scary guy-guy?”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Yes. Those twins will kill us if they saw a single tear on your cheeks.” He responds.

Twin?

Before she could say anything about it, someone spokes.

“And seem like we do it now.” The deep voice makes them stiff.

Liana looks up and saw Leonardo and Lorenzo standing there with fury on their expression. She gasp when realizes her boss standing there. She immediately stands up and looks down.

“I–I’m so–sorry, sir.” She apologized to Leo.

Leo saw tears on her cheeks, red nose, and eyes, he know she crying just now. He walks towards her and grabs her face, wiping it with his thumbs “Who makes you cry? Why are you crying?”

She didn’t answer.

“Adam. Felix. Speak.” Enzo growls and glares at those two.

The two friends stand up, holding each other arms. “We–We um… do you remember the time where she bumps into you?” Felix asks, with nervous grins. Enzo nods. Leo who hugging her side is already paying attention to them. “Well, she remembers I yell at her and so on. In short, she was afraid of me if I hurt her again or yell. The end.” He grins.

Enzo let out a breath through his nose. He walks towards her. “That dumb wouldn’t harm you again. He just trying to protect me.”

“I–I know. He… H–He already… uhh… e-e-explain i–it.” She looks down. Enzo only nods. Her eyes move back up again, looking at Enzo to Leo. The words twin from Adam make her think.

“What’s wrong, Little one? What does your pretty head think about?” Leo asks.

“Um… Mr–Mr. Leonardo… and… b–big sca–scary guy… t–twins?”She asks timidly.

The twin’s exchange looks and smirks. Enzo picks her up earning squeaked from her. “You think?” He asks.

The little girl looks at him then at Leonardo. Like always. They almost have the same face. She puts her hands on Enzo’s shoulder, even it shaking. She has never been picked up like this.

“T–Twins?” She asks.

The two guys chuckled.

“You guess it right, little one. This is Lorenzo, my twin. You know he works in the mafia right?” He asks. She gives him a small nod and looks behind only to see nothing. Maybe Adam and Felix already out running for their lives.

“Looks like you met both of us, little baby.” Enzo brushes her hair away from her face.

How can she get these two guys around her? She should have thought these two guys are twins. She can feel her cheeks heat. With that, she looks away earning chuckles from the guys. Why do they act like this towards her? She wonders why. Maybe this is how they treat their friends?

Her eyes wide open when she remembers it is an afternoon.

“My work!!!” She struggles to escaped Enzo’s arms.

He groans disapproving of this girl’s actions. His arms tightened on her. “Baby, what was that?”

“I–I n–need to g-go t–to wo-work!! Mr—Mr. Hower w–will mad-mad at me!!” She continues struggling even though there’s no use in it.

Enzo and Leo look at each other. Then, they chuckle. “Baby, calm down, please.”

“N–No, Mr. Ho–”

“We are Hower. Leonardo Hower and Lorenzo Hower.” Leo cuts her off.