Her Mafia Brothers

Furious Rocco

"Jack is hurt," I pointed out.

"He managed to shoot a gun just fine to rescue you," Damon argued, "so I'm sure he'll have no problems wielding a wooden spoon."

My mouth dropped open in shock. Horror. I didn't even know what to think or how to react. I didn't know how I could possibly take another spanking - especially with a wooden spoon - when my butt was already throbbing so bad.

Slowly, I backed up, twisting out of Jack's hold, edging away from my brothers. I didn't want to be here. I couldn't be here.

"No!" I screamed, on the verge of hysteria. "No! You can't do this to me! You can't! I'm not this puppet that you can just control, ignoring me whenever you want to and just bringing out when it's convenient! You don't care about how that makes me feel, the only thing you care about is whether or not I'm doing what you want me to do!" I spin on my heel and try to run away, but before I can, Rocco grabs me. His arm wraps around my waist and hauls me backwards, into him, and even though I fight and kick and scream "let me go!" at the top of my lungs, he holds me fast.

"Be quiet," he tells me firmly, but I'm not inclined to obey. Not this time. I'm done with doing as I'm told, not allowed to have a mind of my own, or any feelings. I'm done with having to suppress my emotions, desires, wants, and not having any choices or freedom. I'm done with all of it.

"Let me go!" I scream again, trying to get away, but Rocco wraps both arms around me and cuddles me into his chest, holding me firm, and no matter how hard I struggle, it's futile.

"Carrie!" Damon's voice is sharp and instinctively, I quiet down and listen to him. My oldest brother always speaks decisively, with authority, and even when I don't want to, my brain knows that I need to listen. There's just something in his tone that compels me to pay attention.

"Of course we care about how you feel, sweet girl," Damon says softly. "But most of all, we care about keeping you safe. And we can't do that if you intentionally defy us and break the rules. I explained to you why it was important for you to stay home, and you didn't take me seriously. Explaining things to you doesn't work, Carrie. It's not enough to keep you safe. That's why we use punishment - to reinforce the rules and remind you that you need to listen. It's the only way I know how to keep you safe, Carrie."

My brothers all stand there, staring at me, as Damon's words wash over me. I know that what he's saying makes sense, but it's still no easier to swallow. It doesn't make it easier to accept the punishment he's decreed I must have. It doesn't change anything; not really.

No one speaks. The only sound is my heavy breathing, and the steady beat of Rocco's heart, in my ear. I don't know how long we stand there for. It feels like forever.

Suddenly, Jack breaks the silence. "Nick, can you go check on Logan? If he needs a doctor, get one for him."

"And if he's okay, give him a whack for trying to hit Carrie," Damon adds. "But if he's really sore, that can wait. I need to have a chat with him, anyway. His attitude hasn't been great, lately."

Internally, I smile. The heat is off me, just briefly, and I like not being the only one in trouble. I'm sick of feeling like I'm doing everything wrong. I can't even breathe right, it feels like.

Nick nods, and walks away to do Damon's bidding, and Rocco loosens his grip on me, putting one hand on my chin, instead, and tilting my face up so I'm looking at him.

"You're going to be my shadow, Carrie. You're going to get all the attention you want. You're not going to be left alone for a second, okay? You're going to be stuck to me like glue. And if not me, then Jack or Nick. You're not going to have the opportunity to do anything stupid again, because you're going to be with one of us at all times. Don't even think of trying to anything by yourself because it's not going to happen. From now on, I'm going to show you just how important you are to me by not letting you out of my sight for even a second."

I smile. This punishment is familiar - Rocco did something similar when I played a prank on him by pretending to drown in the pool. I didn't think of it as a bad punishment then, and I don't think of it as a bad punishment now.

"You wanted attention; you've got it. You won't even be sleeping alone, Carrie. You'll be bunking with me."

Now it's starting to sound a bit disturbing. I have to sleep in his room?

"Why?" I ask, not even caring that I sound petulant.

"Because you made the most monumentally stupid decision because you wanted attention, so I'm going to give you all the attention you could possibly want, and then some."

I shrug. I guess that kinda makes sense - I understand his reasoning, anyway.

"Look, I have to go," Damon says, his tone suddenly urgent. "I'll ring later to check in, but you've got this under control, Jack, yeah?"

"Yep." Jack nods into the phone. "Take care, brother."

And just like that, Damon is gone. And I'm reminded again that Damon isn't necessarily safe, either. He's off battling some mafia war somewhere that I know nothing about, that I can't help with, and that impacts my safety.

"I hate the Mafia," I whisper furiously, but none of my brothers respond.