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Chapter 23

** REBEL SIMMONS POV **

"What do you mean our security is shit. I did everything myself!" Damon exclaimed as I typed away on my laptop.

Damon was 24, a bit older than me, however he had the mental age of a teenager, something he shared with majority of men in this Mafia. His father worked for the Vino's for many years, so Damon was quite close with their family. He was tall, around 5'11, and had shaggy light blonde hair and ocean blue eyes. His skin was pale, with his arms covered in sleeves of tattoos.

"Your programs are flawed. You're lucky no one has tried to hack into your main frame." I said calmly as I finished up the new security system I created from scratch.

For over a week, I've been working with Damon at the mansion, working on updating every code of cyber security for the Mafia. Everyday was the same, pick the lock on my door, work with Damon, hangout with the twins, sleep, wake up to a new, upgraded lock, repeat.

Damon's room/ office was a disaster. Pizza boxes towered in the corners, beer and soda cans littered the floor, and grease and dirt lined his computer keyboard. He had a large desk in his room with four high definition screens that looked like they've never been cleaned.

"That's bullshit, this place is a cyber fortress!" He boasted, crossing his arms defensively. I stopped typing and looked at him bewildered.

"Then tell me why I'm able to do this." I said as I quickly typed an algorithm on the laptop and hit enter. The lights went out throughout the entire house, his computer screens soft glow transforming into the recorded footage of him yelling "That's bullshit" on a loop.

I couldn't help but smirk as he looked at me astonished. I clicked enter again, and the house was once again illuminated.

"What the fuck just happened?" Dante growled as the bedroom door swung open.

"Just showing your tech master over here that the security in this place is shit." I said with an amused tone as I nodded towards Damon, whose hand was running through his blonde hair.

"Then fix it." He said coldly before he walked away, leaving the door wide open. All traces of the gentle and caring Dante were completely gone. I've hardly seen him since the meeting 12 days ago, and if I do, it's only momentarily. It's as if he's purposely going out of his way to avoid me. Even in his absence, he's upgraded the lock on my door 12 times, unsuccessful in his attempts to keep me subdued.

It took me five days to update the horrid security systems for the warehouses and the Vino mansion. The phone that belonged to the Russian member was already wiped clean by the time I tried to hack into it.

My new iPhone started to ring in my pocket, I quickly exited Damon's room and answered the incoming call from my mother.

"Rebel oh my god! This is too expensive." My mother shrieked from the other line.

"Happy early Christmas mom." I laughed. I ordered new iPhones for me and my mother before the meeting almost two weeks ago. I had it shipped to the hospital so she could call me whenever she would like.

"Oh honey, you're amazing. Thank you so much." She said as her voice cracked. I could already tell she was crying. How she was so overemotional was beyond me.

"It was nothing, mom. I just wanted to be able to keep in touch. Any word on your surgery coming up?" I asked as I continued to walk down the hallway.

"My bloodwork came back a little funky. So they're pushing it back another week." My mother said in a nervous tone.

"Mom, I'm sure everything will be fine." I said opening my bedroom door. "The surgery will go great, I know it will." I pushed open the door to see the twins sitting on my bed and staring at me curiously.

Shit.

"You're still coming to visit me, right Rebel? I always love seeing you." My mother asked.

"Yeah, I'll be there for Christmas." I said eyeing the twins. "But I have to go, I love you." I said sitting down on the decorative chair.

"I love you too dear. I'll call you tomorrow." She said as I hung up the phone.

The twins rushed over to my side, practically hitting everything in their way.

"Spill!" They both said in unison as they leaned forward.

Fucking shit.

"What do you want to know?" I asked as I leaned back into my chair.

"Everything!" They said as in unison once again.

I made the twins promise to never speak a word to anyone about what I was about to tell them. They vowed to secrecy, and I took a deep breath, and told them everything. My abusive past, what I had to endure, the things I'm not proud of, my mother being diagnosed with cancer, the trouble I got into at Stanford, everything. I've never opened up about my past before, and it was therapeutic to finally let it all out.

"Wow, and here I thought you couldn't get anymore badass than you already are." Isa said laughing.

"Seriously! We committed our first murders when we were 17. You're a legend." Natalia said as she bowed playfully.

"So... you aren't freaked out by my past?" I asked somewhat nervously.

"Fuck no. If anything, we admire you more for overcoming what you did." Isa said smiling.

"We'll accept you no matter what Rebel." Natalia said as they both leaned forward and hugged me.

It felt incredible, to actually have genuine friends. Friends that will be there to listen and will stand by my side despite my flaws and mistakes.

"Well now that our heart to heart is over, come with us to go Christmas shopping!" Natalia squeezes as she stood up.

Isa groaned while I laughed and nodded.

We piled into the blacked out Cadillac and started heading towards the mall. The twins spent hours dragging me into different shops, spending thousands of dollars on gifts for their family.

"Rebel," Natalia asked me as she swiped her card and purchased a new Louis Vuitton purse for her mom. "What do you want for Christmas?"

"I stole a few million from your family and currently living at your mansion rent free, I think it's safe to say I've been very naughty this year and won't be receiving any gifts." I laughed.

"Well tough shit. We're still getting you something." Isa laughed as we walked out of the store.

"I was honestly thinking of buying myself something for Christmas." I said, looking through the windows of the luxury stores that we passed.

"And what would that be?" Natalie inquired curiously, leaning in a bit towards me.

"A new car so I wouldn't have to go out with a babysitter." I said sarcastically as I nodded towards the chauffeur following us around like a lost puppy. I haven't driven a car since I left for college, the thought of hearing an engine roar to life filled me with excitement and anticipation.

"You could always borrow one of Dante's. He has hundreds in our garage." Isa stated. "He'll probably let you. I've never seen him kill a member of our mafia for anyone, including us. I think in some sort of weird and twisted way, our big brother has a thing for you." She added. Her words made my heart flutter at the thought.

"If I take one of his cars, I might crash it intentionally just to piss him off." I scoffed, causing Isa to laugh. I couldn't help but slightly resent him for his distance the past few days.

"Touché. Well, what are we waiting for then?" Natalia said as we made our way back to the Cadillac.

As I watched Natalia and Isa walk towards the car, I sighed. My time with the Vino's has been beyond anything I could have ever expected, and a slight frown stretched on my face at the realization that this will all come to an end once my time has been served.