Her Mafia Brothers

School

"Everyone has the same uniform," Logan said, still laughing. "You'll be fine. I mean it's ugly, but they all are."

I sat down on the stool on the other side of him. "Gee thanks for the vote of confidence, bro."

He patted my shoulder. "You'll be fine, I promise."

Just then Jack brought my breakfast out and plonked it down in front of me.

"The uniform is fine," he said. "I got you extra berries, to cheer you up."

Logan looked at Jack. "Please tell me you didn't make her breakfast." He looked at me. "Jack can't cook to save his life. If he made it, don't eat it."

I looked at him incredulous. "It's yogurt and fruit!" I pointed out. "How do you stuff that up?"

"Oh, Jack would find a way. Believe me." Logan smirked.

Jack chuckled at me and smacked Logan on the back of the head. "Of course I didn't make it, dumbass. We have staff for a reason. I just ordered it and delivered it."

Logan yelped and rubbed his head. Jack must have smacked him harder than Nick did. What was it with my oldest brothers hitting my youngest big brother on the head? Weren't they at all concerned for his brains?

"You're going to give Logan brain damage," I scolded Jack.

Logan smiled smugly. I don't think anyone had ever stuck up for him before.

"Pffft," Nick scoffed from the other side of us. "He'd actually need to have a brain for that to happen!"

I just looked at him strangely. Was this some kind of normal sibling banter? If it was, I didn't understand it. And I wasn't sure that I liked it. The Nick that had taken me shopping and had held my hand so protectively was kind, not mean.

Jack must have noticed my confused expression because he smiled at Logan and then at me. "It's okay sweetheart," he told me gently. "We're not hurting Logan. We're not hitting him hard enough to do any damage. We wouldn't. He's our little brother and we love him and care for him, just like we do for you. The smack on the head is just a warning, a playful way to remind him of his place. You don't have to worry."

I looked doubtful. "If you say so...." I let my voice trail off. I'd missed out on so much, being separated from my brothers for so long. Maybe if I'd stayed with them, and grown up with them, all this stuff would be normal for me.

"So you're going to smack me on the head too, then?" I asked, the tiniest twinge of fear in my voice. The thought of being hit on the head scared me. It reminded me of my past.

Nick growled. "They better not," he snarled. "Anybody hits you on the head and I'll kick the shit out of them."

I swallowed. Nick sounded scary. It was kinda sweet that he was so protective of me, but he was a bit scary at the same time.

"No sweetheart," Jack reassured me. "Nobody will be hitting you in the head. It's just what brothers do to each other."

I was still puzzled, so I just shook my head, bewildered. "Okaaaaay."

"It's alright," Logan said from beside me. "They've done this forever. It's not a new thing. It's just one of the joys of being the youngest brother."

He glanced at his wrist, at an expensive-looking watch that I'd never noticed before.

"But you need to hurry up and eat. We need to leave in ten minutes."

Despite my nerves, I picked up my spoon and scoffed down my breakfast. Like usual, it was delicious, and the extra berries that Jack had asked whoever had prepared it to put in it made it even better. My brothers all left, leaving me alone in the kitchen to finish eating.

Just as I finished the last mouthful, they all reappeared. And when I say all, I mean all. Every single one of my big brothers stood there, blocking the doorway, staring at me.

Damon picked up my schoolbag. "I'm taking you to school this morning, to enroll you properly and introduce you to the Principal, but you'll be coming home with Logan. All right?"

I just nodded, overwhelmed.

Jack stepped forward and kissed my cheek, giving me a quick hug. "Have a good first day, sweetheart." Then he turned to Logan and glared fiercely at him. "And you - look after her!"

Logan, ever the smartass, saluted. Jack glared at him again, then walked out, presumably to go to work.

Then Alex stepped forward. "My turn!" he announced. He hugged me too, just briefly, and kissed my cheek just as Jack had. "Have a good day Carrie, see you after school." Then he, too, was gone.

I was feeling a bit like a zoo animal now, on show for everyone to see in this ugly uniform and I felt myself blushing, embarrassed at all the attention.

I heard a click and saw a quick flash out the corner of my eye and turned to see Nick training his phone on me, taking a photo.

"My little sister is starting school with the baby!" he said in a sing-song voice, pretending to cry. He motioned with his hand for Logan to move closer to me. "Stand next to each other," he commanded. "I want a photo with both of you in it."

Obediently, we stood next to each other and Logan slung his arm across my shoulders. We both grinned and Nick snapped away happily. It was quite cute, really. I never would have picked Nick for the sentimental type. If anyone was going to be taking photos, I would have assumed it to be Jack or Damon.

He slipped his phone back into his pocket and picked me up around the waist, spinning me around quickly before putting me back down. "Have a good day, little sis."

I smiled. All this attention was actually quite nice, now that I was getting used to it.

Rocco didn't move towards me, but he did get rid of his trademark scowl for long enough to smile at me. "Have a good first day," he said, raising his hand in a quick wave.

Damon opened his arm to me. "Come on," he said. "We really need to be going. Logan, make sure you find Carrie at lunchtime and tell her where to meet you after school. Okay?"

Logan looked at both of us and nodded. "Yeah, will do."

I swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the anxiety knotting my stomach. The butterflies inside me were going crazy, fluttering around wildly as though there was something after them.

"You'll be fine," Damon said, leading the way out to the car. "Any problems, you go and find Logan. Or ring one of us. We'll sort it."

My heart pounded. Problems? Well. If I wasn't nervous enough before, I surely was now! I mean, this was school. Aside from the ugly uniform, what problems could there possibly be?