Impact | #1

eighteen

I gulped loudly, trying to swallow my nerves as I sat down next to Joziah on the couch. I didn't think I'd done anything wrong but maybe in Alexi's eyes, I did.

His brown eyes bore into my green ones as if trying to figure out a puzzle. I didn't look down even though I wanted to, if he really was mad, I hadn't done anything. That was what I would stick by.

"What did you tell that officer?" He abruptly questioned, folding his arms while the others either glared at Alexi or me.

"I told him what he wanted to know." I answered cryptically, trying to figure out where this conversation was heading. Plus the relevance.

Alexi rolled his eyes before speaking,"And what did he want to know?"

"What I saw. If I knew anything. Who Reuben was." I replied simply. I supposedly caught his interest as he looked up a bit more.

"Why did he want to know who Reuben was?" He furthered the topic and I held back a small smirk.

"Well, Reuben was giving me a death glare. It's in the job description to help people and notice threats. Maybe he didn't think Reuben was a very nice person." I stated, sarcasm lacing my tone as Reuben scoffed and stood up quickly.

He began striding toward me and the small confidence I had collected was slowly slipping away. In that moment, he reminded me of him.

Before I even had the chance to jump over the couch for a quick escape, Joziah was stood too and pushed Reuben back momentarily. Wyatt pulled him back with the help of Damon who for once, wasn't pissed at me.

"Go to bed." Alexi sighed in defeat, running a hand through his hair as he pushed Reuben toward his office. None of my brothers said a thing, Alexander brooded in the back and Joziah stared into space.

I pushed myself up and walked quietly back to my room, not turning back once to look at anyone.

Vic doesn't look back at us but I stare at her retreating figure. She didn't deserve this. Being questioned for what she told the police when all she knew was that someone lost his wife and a boy would have to grow up without his mother.

She didn't deserve the fear that filled her eyes when Reuben was striding toward her. She deserved a better life away from this, and us. Because once she knew what we did, she wouldn't want to know us anyway.

"May I be the first to kill Reuben?" Damon questions, anger lacing his tone.

"Nope, that's my job." Creed interjects.

"I'm pretty sure Alexi has already sorted him out." Callan says quietly, a sad look on his face.

On that note, Alexi's office door opened. Reuben walked out behind him, no bruise on his face or pained expression like I had expected. Most of us turned our heads to Damon, already knowing from the calm expression on his face, what he planned to do. And we didn't stop him.

He casually stood up, walking toward Alexi and stood directly in front of him, looking toward Reuben only once.

"So, what, he didn't get a punishment. You were there, you saw the look in her eyes when he was walking toward her. Not to mention questioning her when she literally doesn't know anything." He states in wonder, the underline of anger in his tone.

"Reuben thought it was a way of getting her to speak, he just misjudged how his technique would work a little-" and that was when I knew his calm demeanor wouldn't stay present any longer.

"You thought it was a fucking technique? To get her to talk? Victoria doesn't know anything because we haven't told her anything. What did you think she would tell that cop, oh yes, my brothers are in a gang, they kill a lot of people and you should definitely arrest them. That's not even the main point, she's our little sister, did you see the fear in her eyes, probably comparing you to our father." Damon yells, nothing but fury present in his tone and stature.

"Look, we needed to know what she told him, I don't see a problem with what I did." Reuben answers, not the least bit interested.

The entire room goes silent, not one of us uttering a word. It seemed like an hour had passed but in reality, it was only a few seconds before the sickening crack and pain filled scream was heard.

My attention was drawn to Reuben, now laying on the floor with both hands on his jaw. Alexi was quick to push Damon, who had a satisfactory look in his eyes, back and kneeled next to Reuben.

He pulled his hands away momentarily and sighed.

"I'm sorry, but that is so fucking weird." I state, looking at Reuben's jaw which was slanted at an awkward angle and blood that stained his lips.

The rest of them look at me and I raise my hands in defeat. Alexi pulls Reuben to his feet and turns back to Damon.

"We don't hurt our family." He seethes, this was probably the most angry I'd ever seen him.

Damon doesn't reply, instead leaves us to think about what Alexi said. Alexi was either lying to himself, or just had short term memory. On countless occasions when one of us had done something wrong, he at the least, punched us.

He had broke Creed's arm once, for miscalculating how many guards there would be to get to our rival gangs shipment.

Damon shut the front door quietly as he left and Alexi walked away with Reuben not moments later.

"Well that was entertaining-" Alexander starts, only to be cut off by Joziah.

"Shut the fuck up father."

Alexander looks in question but shakes his head in defeat and wanders off to the kitchen.

Joziah stands up, turning, and heading upstairs only for Zane to stop him.

"Where are you-" Zane begins.

"I thought my family was messed up but now I see it isn't half as bad yours. Victoria didn't deserve any of that and you all don't deserve her as your sister." Joziah snaps, pushing him away and continuing toward the stairs.

"Wait. Your brothers, are they coming tomorrow?" Zane shouts at his retreating figure. He stops, turning back and nods before continuing upstairs.

"Well tomorrow will be one hell of a day." Zane runs a hand through his hair.

"Technically it's only...six hours." Adrian adds, looking at his phone.

"We'll make this up to Victoria. We need to show her we love her, and from Reuben's antics, I doubt she thinks that," Zane continues,"but having all three of the Ivanov brothers in our house will make it a lot harder."
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I decided to show you another side to the brothers. The bad side but also the determination not to let their sister hate them.

Also, turns out Joziah has two brothers...why do you think Zane was worried about them coming?

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and sorry for not updating in a while.