Her Mafia Brothers

Damon is Human

Damon led me back outside to the patio table and sat down next to me.

"How are you feeling, Carrie?" he asked gently, concerned.

I shrugged. But Damon just looked at me quietly, clearly waiting for me to answer.

"I don't like them fighting over me," I said. "It makes me feel like I shouldn't be here, because I just make life difficult for everyone."

"That's not true." Damon spoke firmly, but there was compassion in his voice, and I wanted to hug him for trying so hard to reassure me. But I stayed where I was.

He leaned over and took my chin in his hand.

"You listen to me. Our brothers fight all the time. They don't need much of an excuse. I let them, because it's good training. But they won't be doing it in front of you anymore, I'll make sure of it." He shook his head and a low growl escaped his throat. He sounded frustrated. Far more frustrated than I'd ever heard him sound. "I have no idea what Nick and Rocco were thinking, letting you watch it like that, but when I'm finished with them, they won't be doing that again, either."

I watched as he let go of my chin and clenched both his hands into tight fists, before relaxing his fingers briefly. I shuddered at the potential consequences to my brothers.

"No!" I yelled.

Damon raised an eyebrow. Just the one, making my insides squirm.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't want more of my brothers getting in trouble because of me!" I cried.

"They're not getting in trouble because of you," Damon said. "They made a bad choice, and there will be consequences for that."

"But don't you see? This is why I should be in foster care. I'm coming between you all, I'm causing all kinds of problems, and before long you're all going to hate me."

The events of the morning were too much for me and I burst into tears, sobbing wretchedly into my hands. I felt Damon wrap his arms around me, pick me up, sit me on his lap and cuddle me close. He rubbed my back and whispered "shhhhhhh," in my ear, over and over again, and slowly, my sobs began to subside.

"We will never hate you, my sweet girl. I promise. And you will never, ever be going into foster care. You're our little sister and you're staying right here with us."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Carrie-girl, I'm sure."

He spoke so sincerely, that I believed him. He looked at me with so much love in his eyes, and I knew he was telling me the truth. I wrapped both my arms around his neck and squeezed, kissing his cheek happily.

"Thank you!" I semi-whispered.

"You don't need to thank me," Damon whispered back. "This is where you belong."

Warmth enveloped me like a security blanket and I smiled happily, moving back to sit in my own chair. I needed to stretch my leg out to ease the throb in my knee.

"What are you going to do to Nick and Rocco?" I asked.

"You don't need to worry about that," Damon told me simply.

"Are you going to use the strap on them?"

"No." Damon shook his head. "They're too big."

"But Rocco was big when you used it on him."

This whole 'too big' excuse didn't make any sense. If I got spanked when I broke the rules, I didn't see why my brothers shouldn't be as well. Fair's fair, right?