Her Mafia Brothers

Boys are home!

Blondie tugged her friends and stalked off and my friends and I broke out into giggles. I felt like such a bitch! I'd never really been a bitch before, I'd never felt the need to do so. I'd always been too busy hiding, trying to remain unnoticed, so people wouldn't see my bruises or my pain. But now I had nothing to hide, and I was slowly coming out of my shell. Sticking up for myself like that was such a good feeling.

School dragged on slowly. I couldn't wait to get home and see my brothers. Even though they'd only been gone for a day, I missed them. I knew Jack wouldn't be home until tomorrow at least, but the others would be home tonight, and that was good enough.

I didn't say much in the car on the way home, and neither did Logan. He just blasted his music through the speakers, and he had seriously bad taste in music. Lots of bass and swear words, and I couldn't help but think, slightly bitterly, that I would never be allowed to listen to music like that. My brothers had insane double standards.

Rocco got home at almost the same time as we did, but there was no sign of my other brothers yet. I racked my brains, trying to remember what time Damon had said they would be home, but came up blank.

"They should be home for dinner," Rocco said, seemingly reading my mind. Damn, I hated the way they all did that! It was disconcerting, to say the least.

"Don't do that, it freaks me out!" I complained, but Rocco just smirked. He was either smirking or scowling, that boy. He very rarely just smiled nicely or looked relaxed. He always looked grumpy. Logan seemed to be semi-afraid of him, but I knew better. I knew that he was a big softie underneath it all so I gave him a big grin.

"What are you looking so pleased with yourself for?" he asked, as Logan walked out of the kitchen holding a bag of chips. I stared after him longingly.

"You can share if you want to," Logan said.

Rocco was still looking at me expectantly, clearly waiting for an answer, so I shrugged.

"Nothing really," I said. "You're just funny. You always look so tough and scary but I know that you're sweet, inside. To me, anyway," I clarified.

Rocco relaxed his scowl for just a moment. "I'm only sweet to you," he insisted.

I went upstairs and got changed out of my uniform and when I got back downstairs, both Rocco and Logan were engrossed in Xbox. I didn't want to be alone so I sat and watched them, and whiled away the afternoon scrolling through TikTok and messaging my friends.

And then, just before dinner, I heard a car, then a door, then footsteps.

"They're home!" I yelled, leaping up from my seat on the couch and running for the door.

Nick was the first one in so I ran to him and leaped into his arms. He caught me and spun me around as I squealed with laughter and tried to wrap my arms around his neck so I didn't fall. Not that he would have ever let me fall, but still, I felt safer holding on.

"Carrie!" Alex called from behind me, and Nick put me down so I could run to him.

"Alex!" I yelled as I jumped into his arms. "Rocco watched The Lion King with me and he liked it and now you have to take me to Disneyland!"

Alex chuckled as he hugged me. "Did he now?" He kissed my cheek and put me down. "Well I'll talk to the boys and we'll sort something out, okay?"

Just then, Rocco walked into the room to greet our brothers.

"How was The Lion King, little bro?" Alex asked, grinning widely.

Rocco glared at me.

"Fuck off," he retorted. "At least I didn't get roped into watching Moana."