Brotherly Love

20. Explanation

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Iris's POV

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"What,"

"I said I know you guys are the Italian Mafia,"

Nazaire snapped his head towards Donatello who was analysing me intensely, "Come faceva a saperlo?"

"Beh, non è come se fossi molto segreto," I replied.

"Hold on you speak Italian?" Emiliano asked.

I hummed a response as I rocked back and forward on my heels, what is wrong with me why did I tell them now. Why did I tell them at all. They could have guns and kill me right now, we are literally seconds away from the kitchen they could grab the knives and kill me.

"Iris,"

I broke out of my trance and looked at Donatello who was now in-front of me, he removed my hand from my wrist and guided me to one of the seats at the table.

"How long have you known?"

"Well I always had my suspicions but my theory was confirmed today,"

The three of them shared a look, but surprisingly they didn't look mad or frustrated they looked kind of confused, they're so strange.

"Well, do you have any questions?"

"Wait you guys aren't mad,"

"No, you were going to find out anyways this just makes it easier,"

"Yeah easier to kill," Emiliano muttered.

To kill.

"To kill!" I exclaimed.

The three of them started laughing, even Donatello.

"You should have seen your face,"

"Yeah so funny,"

At this moment Dante, Leo and the twins walked in looking confused.

"What's going on," Valentino asked.

"Iris knows about the Mafia,"

"How?"

"Why don't you ask her,"

They all looked at me expectantly.

So I ran out of the room and grabbed the journal, it wasn't mine anyways and I knew if I kept it I would just feel the guilt weigh down on me.

Coming back in they all looked at me waiting for me to begin.

"I found this," as they saw the journal a mix of emotions crossed all of their faces, " I promise I didn't know what it was at first but then it just looked interesting and I got hooked I'm sorry,"

Dante just kept a straight face, I won't lie I expected him to flip out so at least he wasn't mad enough to scream at me, I hated it when people shouted at me.

Emiliano gently took the journal from my hand as he let his hands glide over the leather almost as if he'd remembered something.

"Where did you find it?" Nazaire asked.

"The library," I answered in a small voice.

"Iris, we're not mad,"

I furrowed my eyebrows at Donatello.

"You shouldn't have read it but if it was in a place where anyone could find it than it clearly should've been kept more safely."

Dante walked out of the room frustration written on his face. Valerius and Valentino went after him saying they wanted to make sure he didn't break anything. Lorenzo's eyes caught mine and I gave him a subtle nod letting him know that I was okay, he sent me a small smile before leaving in the same direction as the twins.

"So any questions?"

Looking up at Donatello I asked, "Who's is Angelo Alessi?"

"In Italy there have always been small gangs but there were never Mafia's until the Moretti bloodline and the Alessi bloodline," he began.

"So there's two Italian Mafias,"

"Yes,"

"Are the two enemies?"

"No," Nazaire spoke up, "We both get along quite well as we both have our own strengths, we are considerably better with weapons of any kind, whereas they're strength is more hand to hand combat though there has never been any trouble between the two of us,"

"We prefer to keep the peace," Emiliano teased before leaving.

"Anyway, Angelo Alessi was the founder of their Mafia, a very honourable man but his ignorance got him killed, one of the many things he believed was that 'family is only blood, nothing more, nothing less'. " Donatello took a sip of some whiskey before continuing, " he believed family yo be a dear gift in life and that it should be preserved by those who share the same blood."

"So how did he die,"

"His sister killed him,"

"Oh,"

"Later his family saw that family is much more than just blood and changed their views,"

I nodded my head, before letting out a yawn that I covered with my mouth.

"You should go to bed, we can discuss this more tomorrow when you come back from school," Donatello stated.

"Okay, goodnight,"

I went to hug Donatello before going to bed, he stiffened under my touch before hugging me back. I then hugged Nazaire before running into the living room to grab Nario's blanket and going back upstairs.

As I opened the door to Nario's he stood there in front of me with tears welling up in his eyes.

"I had a nightmare," he cried.

Picking him up and wrapping his blanket around him I asked, "Want to sleep in my room," when I got no answer I looked down to find him already sleeping with his head resting on my shoulder.

Laying him gently in my bed I wrapped him in his blanket before drifting off to sleep.

- x -

Author's note: do you prefer reading or writing?