Her Mafia Brothers

Part 2 - Four Days Later

As New Year's Day draws close here in New Zealand I wanted to start 2022 off right. So here's an update!

It's almost as though I've been living here forever. Logan and I act like how I think most siblings act - we're friends most of the time, but we fight a bit, as well, probably because I'm feeling comfortable around him now. I feel like I belong. I get on well with my other brothers too, but they're busy and not often around, so it's Logan that I spend most of my time with.

We've spent most of our time in the pool, on my new trampoline, and in the games room playing video games. We haven't left the house since the shoot-up in the mall carpark, but we haven't needed to. There's plenty to do here and I haven't been bored for a moment. Logan had a couple of friends over one day, boys his age, and they were nice enough, but I used that time to curl up in my bedroom and explore Disney Plus and Netflix. I'd never had a TV all to myself before, and it was a new, great experience for me. Besides, I didn't need any more boys in the house. There was enough testosterone floating around as it was.

I'd been trying to make the most of our opportunity to swim whenever I wanted because apparently, the warm weather was coming to an end, and in a couple of weeks, my brothers were throwing a big pool party, and closing up the pool until next summer. They didn't close as it in block it off or anything; we'd still be able to swim if we wanted to brave the cold, but it was a good excuse to have a party, I guess. According to Logan, I'd be able to invite some of my friends too, if I wanted to. If I'd made any, that was.

There's just one patch on the horizon dampening my happy view of my new home: school. I knew I'd have to go eventually, but I wasn't thinking it would be quite so soon. I was not looking forward to it. Not at all. But Damon had enrolled me in the same private school Logan went to, and he insisted I start straight away. School had already been in session for more than a month so I'd already missed the first part of the year, but right now there was a week off, for teacher training or something. I didn't care enough to ask.. But whatever the reason, I'd be going to school with Logan on Monday. Three days' time. I was going to be the new girl, starting right in the middle of term. To say I was nervous was an understatement.

That afternoon, Damon called me into his office for a chat. Except when I got there, trembling because of the closed-in space, he remembered my fear and we went outside and chatted at the table by the pool instead. Damon ordered us both sprite in tall glasses with ice, a lemon wedge and a straw, and we pretended we were on holiday somewhere fancy. Well Damon probably didn't, but I did, and when I told him that was what I was pretending he just smiled indulgently, so I carried on with my fantasy. Somehow, it was easier having our chat while I pretended we were in Barbados or somewhere equally as exotic, rather than sitting at home by our pool. If it was happening somewhere else it wasn't real, right?

"I've never gone to school much," I told Damon. "Sometimes, I was too sore to go. If I'd just been beaten, sometimes I could hardly move. Sometimes the burns were too sore, and weeping. Mom didn't care either way."

Damon listened without interrupting, but the frown on his face got deeper as I continued talking.

"I'm sorry your life has been so hard, Carrie," he told me sympathetically. "But I have a copy of your grades, and they were pretty good, considering."

"What do you mean?" I asked. My grades had never been good. I'd been an average student at best, barely passing most of my classes.

"I mean, considering your appalling attendance, you're still passing most of your classes. You're not getting top marks, but you're passing." There was a distinct note of pride in Damon's voice and, despite myself, I smiled. Secretly, I craved his approval.

"I was never very good at school," I muttered.

"I think you will be, when you actually go," Damon countered. "Which reminds me, I want to go over some rules with you."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course you do," I mumbled, far louder than I'd intended. Those words had been meant to stay inside my head, but instead they snuck out, my thoughts betraying me. Damon was not impressed.

"What did you say?" Damon asked, his voice ice cold.

I swallowed hard and took another sip of my sprite, trying to calm my nerves. "Nothing. Sorry." I put my glass back down on the table between us, steadfastly avoiding his gaze. He lifted one dark eyebrow at me in a manner that sent chills ricocheting through me, then he cleared his throat and continued.

"As I was saying," he said, glaring at me, "the rules are simple, but I do expect you to follow them. If you break them, you won't like the consequences. The first two are the most important: you are never to leave the school grounds without permission, under any circumstances. And one of your brothers must know where you are at all times."

I nodded. They seemed reasonable. "Okay. I can do that." I probably wouldn't, but I could. I mean, wasn't it a rite of passage to bunk school at least once? I intended to do it. I probably wouldn't make a habit of it, but I was going to do it. Once, anyway.

"You will drive to and from school with Logan. If you won't be going home with him for any reason - whether that's for sports practice, or you're going out with friends, or even if you've got detention - I expect you to let him know. I also expect you to ask permission from one of us before you go out with your friends. Not Logan. Alex, Jack or myself, preferably. Nick or Rocco in a pinch. We will arrange for security for you. Finally, I expect you to maintain good grades. If your grades suffer because of your social life, I will need to curb your social life. Do you have any questions?"

Damon spoke so matter-of-factly, like his word was law. I didn't like it. Especially not the security bit.

"Will I have security following me at school?" I asked a bit too snottily. Damon raised an eyebrow at me in silent warning, telling me I was treading on thin ice.

"Not at school, no. You'll be going to a private school that has good security of its own. But security will be going with you if you go anywhere after school other than straight home with Logan."

"What happens if Logan wants to go out after school? How do I get home then?"

"We will make arrangements for you," Damon said, as if that was the most obvious answer in the world. "The school has sent me a list of your stationery requirements and I have ordered them online, but I need to know, how good is your phone? Do you need a new one? I need you to be able to contact us at all times. If your phone freezes or plays up at all, I'll get you another one. I'll put you on an unlimited plan, so you can call and text as much as you like. Unless you're in class, I expect you to always answer your phone."

I hated how Damon asked a question, but instead of pausing to let me answer it, he kept on rambling on. He hated being interrupted, so how was I meant to answer him? But I just meant to remember what the question was, until he allowed me the opportunity to speak? Apparently so, if his waiting silently and staring at me was any indication.

"My phone is old and not the best," I admitted. "But I don't want you to buy me a new phone. You've done so much for me already." My brother's ostentatious display of wealth still made me uncomfortable. New things had always been denied to me, either because mom couldn't afford them, or simply because she didn't want to buy them. And even though my brothers insisted they wanted to spoil me, I couldn't help but think they must have an ulterior motive, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

Damon gave a harsh laugh and a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and swept his hand around the perimeter of the yard. "We can afford it, Carrie. Our father worked hard for all this, and we're carrying it on. Let us spoil you. If you need a new phone, I'll get you a new phone. It will arrive tomorrow, along with the rest of what you'll need for school. Do you have any other questions?"

"Only one," I said, giving him my best puppy dog eyes. "Are you sure I have to go to school?"

Damon smiled. A proper one this time, that made his eyes flash with laughter. "Yes sweet girl," he said. "School is not negotiable."