Mine

chapter 5

There was an awkward silence that|
wanted to break but didn't know how to.
l opted to stare at my hands tangled
together on my lap instead. I was
fidgeting but I couldn't help to stop
myself.
"Are you going to introduce us brother?"
I looked up from my lap to find all of
them staring at me with strange faces.

"Willow, this is my brother Dante. He is
the youngest out of the four of us," he
pointed at the guy who just forced the
introductions into play. I looked at Dante.
He was attractive too, hell they all were.
He looked extremely similar to Bucky,
though he had lighter hair and dark brown eyes.

"You guys are probably the same age"
he added.
"Hello, Willow you have a beautiful name,
almost as beautiful as you,' he held his
hand out with a smirk.

I giggled at his cheesy compliment.
"Hi, Dante,"I smiled shyly. I put my
hand in his and he kissed it quickly,
then smiled at me with teeth. I liked
Dante, he was nice.

Maybea shameless
flirt, but not in a way that made me
uncomfortable or anything.

"Dante is a big flirt, don't pay him any
mind" Alessio laughed. His laugh was so
light and carefree it put me at ease. I felt
more comfortable by the second.

"More like whore,' Bucky  snorted.

"You're all brothers?"

"In many ways yes, but not by blood.

Only Dante and I are actually blood
siblings. We have all been friends for
many years. We've taken care of each
other fora long time. Friends since birth
type of thing. You know?"

I nodded at him in understanding.
He pointed to the guy that left with
Donny to put Rob in the trunk next.

His
bruised knuckles were folded on the
table like that was totally normal.
"This is Stefano. He's my enforcer, and
very good at what he does, which is why
Rob is not going to bother you anytime
soon," he said with his voice full of pride.

"Thank you, Stefano, I smiled shyly. The
subject seemed a little taboo to speak
about at the dinner table.
He laughed and cracked a grin that
chilled my bones.

"My pleasure, Willow," he winked.
I looked at his knuckles again, still uncomfortable about the reality behind
their bruises. He must have noticed that
I was staring at his bruises because
he looked at me guiltily and shifted his
hands to his lap under the table.
He winked again, but not in a teasing
way, just a knowing way. I gave a small
smile back, grateful
Stefano was huge, and he looked like he
didn't belong in suits.

He was nice and clearly intuitive.
"This is Alessio, the loud one. My biggest
pain in the ass, my second in command,
he pointed at Alessio with a hint of a
smirk.

Alessio was grinning widely, like being
called a pain in the ass was the nicest
compliment ever.

I giggled at that, and he laughed back
with me.
It felt like l was sitting around a group of friends instead of terrifying men that
only just met.

"What about you?" Dante prodded.
"What about me do you want to know?"
lasked cautiously. Everyone who knew
me knewl can talk anyone's ear off.
I didn't want to be annoying and make a
bad first impression.

Bucky was the one who answered
after Dante shrugged. "Everything" he
whispered to me like he didn't want
to frighten me by talking at a regular
volume. It was a sweet gesture.

"Um, well my full name is Willow Adrianna
Colombo and before you ask, yes I'm
Italian and no, I can't speak it fluently.
My parents died when I was very young
so they didn't get to teach it to me. I
know some phrases but not much.
I'm 20 years old, I go to NYU and I'm
studying to become an English teacher.
My favorite color is turquoise. I miss my
old manager, Sampson. He was like a dad to me. Since I was in high school,
I've been working here to help pay for
my schooling and books. But, he retired
which I'm sure you know. I volunteer at
the library near my dorm when I have
time. Um, I can't think anything else."I
stopped when I realized I was starting to
ramble.