The rain poured down heavily as Michaelson hurriedly made his way to his book store, alongside his little daughter who kept clinging to Leonardo's finger. She had a worried look that made Leonardo tear up, was this what it felt like to be loved?,
The storm had seemingly come out of nowhere and the streets were deserted as the sound of the rain drowned out all other noise.
"Son, can you hear me?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Leonardo groaned in response, his face twisted in pain. It was clear that he was injured, but Michaelson couldn't tell just how serious it was, but he knew he needed to act fast.
He laid Leonardo down on a cozy sofa and quickly assessed his injuries he noticed his leg was swelling and bruised, most likely broken by the hit of a baseball bat.
"Cassie get me the first aid Kit," He said to Cassie who briskly did as told and returned with it.
Without hesitating, Michaelson grabbed the first aid kit and began tending to the Leonardo's wounds, he winced in pain as the stranger cleaned and bandaged his leg, but he remained stoic throughout the ordeal.
After he had finished bandaging his leg, he fetched a blanket and draped it over him, tucking it in around his small frame and then sat by the boy's side, offering him a glass of water and a kind smile.
"It's going to be alright, son," He said softly. "You're safe here with me. Just rest and let your body heal."
Leonardo nodded and turned to Cassie who sat on a stool observing his features, "You're really pretty," She said out of the blue, his cheeks flushed red, embarrassed he looked away.
"I'm Cassie," She introduced herself kindly, "Those kids were mean hurting you like this," She pouted
"That's enough Cassie, let's give him some space to rest," Her father let out a tired sigh, "Remember your mother warned you not to talk to strangers,"
"But he isn't a stranger, he's a friend," She playfully said yet it was enough to strike at Leonardo's core, a friend?, he has a friend?,
"so what's your name?," She asked adorably,
"I'm Leon..." Just then, the doors swung open and a middle aged man dressed in a long red coat stepped into the store, he had on a pair of translucent glasses and a hat. Everything about him reeked of elegance and royalty as he surveyed the placed sniffing the air before his gaze settled on Leonardo lying peacefully on the sofa next to a man and a child.
"Good evening, how may I help you?," Michaelson respectfully asked getting to his feet. Leonardo immediately recognised the man as his family's butler, Mr Luca, and a wave of dread washed over him.
A few hours ago, he had escaped from his family's castle when he ran into those boys, he knew what was to come was severe punishment from his father, still, he masked his fear not wanting to alert the kind stranger.
"I'm here for the child," He replied coldly not sparring Michaelson a single glance.
"Oh are you the child's father?," Again he asked respectfully paying no mind to his rude response
"You do not need to concern yourself," He responded
"it's fine Mr, I know him, he's a friend of my family," Leonardo said struggling to get to his feet.
"Do not show weakness in front of their kind child," The butler scolded him, "Stand proud and strong,"
"Hey he's just a kid..." Leonardo tapped him and smiled giving him a silent assurance that he was fine as he walked over to his butler.
"Will I ever see you again Leon?," Cassie asked with a teary gaze that warmed his heart, he really hoped and wished they would meet again.
"Goodbye my friend and thank you," He said with a kind smile before walking out of the shop besides His butler, Mr Luca.
*******
Back to the present
After the incident fifteen years ago, he had been forbidden from making contact with the family, however he had began searching for Cassie after his father's death, four years ago. He had returned to the shop but it seemed to belong to a different person. he assumed they might had moved to a different city.
Albeit he knew Cassie's name, he wasn't aware of her father's which meant he never knew of her father's later involvement with his family. Lorenzo handled that side of the family. But fate with the cruelest of turns had brought him right to his doorstep.
He had recognised her in an instant but chose to mask his surprise, he couldn't let Lorenzo know. Now that he was reunited with her, for the first time he felt... Jealous. In the past he has had many women throw themselves at his feet, but none seemed to catch his eye, except for her, a naive little girl he met years ago as he patiently waited and searched for her, for Cassie.
Leonardo wasn't exactly sure he would still feel the same if he was ever to meet her again, but he needed to confirm. Seeing her again at the dining hall after fifteen years had his heart beating again, he knew without a shred of a doubt it was love at first sight.
He felt conflicted if it was best to tell her the truth, he was Leon she met years ago, but felt it was best to withhold the truth for now, "She's has been through alot, maybe telling her she had met a Giovanni as a child isn't the best right now," He thought.
Cassie realising she had been in his embrace for too long cleared her throat and pulled away, "I'm sorry, moment of weakness,"
"Everyone has one," Leonardo chuckled wiping off her tear with his hands. Cassie jerked in shock, there was something about his touch and his stare, she couldn't quite put a finger on it, but something did stand out about him, his face was oddly familiar, not from the big screen, or playboy magazines, rather a personal familiarity.
"Ummm, h-have we met before?,"
"I don't think so, if we did I certainly wouldn't forget such a pretty face," He jested that had Cassie chuckle. She sighed in relief, at least there was one sane person in this household.
"Mr Leonardo," a guard approached them. He bowed deeply, but his hands were strangely behind his back, she couldn't quite put a finger on it but something felt off. He glanced at her, and she felt an ominous chill. Confirming her fear, he pulled a gun and aimed it at her
"This is vengeance against the devil of Giovanni! Burn in hell bitch!" he screamed, and then fired a defeaning shot.