An alarm wakes me up, at first I think I'm at home but the second my eyes open I remember everything that occurred yesterday. I can't believe this is my life now.

One of the girls shuts off the alarm. I haven't met any of them formally yet. I fell asleep before anyone came in last night.

Each of them get up and immediately begin gossiping. They act like I don't exist which is fine with me. I'm getting that this whole group of maids are very cliquey.

I follow their lead getting changed. They all begin putting on copious amounts of makeup. I mean they're all beautiful so go them. I decide to go the more natural route, covering up the bruises that still linger from my father. Half my tube of concealer was gone by the time I'd finish covering them up. So I guess it's not really a natural look, more cakey.

I pulled my hair back into the mandatory slick bun like everyone else and put on the black stilettos. Seriously, why do they not allow any form of comfort in this place?!

I follow the three girls out the door. They're all skinny and pretty but very bitchy, the amount of shit talking that went on is so mature. They still haven't even acknowledged me. Not that I really mind. I'm not looking to make friends in this place. I've got to come up with a plan to escape this prison. No way am I spending the rest of my life here in which seems to be some high school.

We all gather in the abnormally large kitchen where the chefs are cooking away, did I mention that it's five in the morning?! Who wakes up that early!

Mrs Romanos at the front listing off everyone's jobs. As soon as a maids name is called she immediately heads to her station and gets right to work. I waited for my name to be called, by the end I was standing in front her her alone. She still had her bright smile lighting up the room. How is she so positive? "Alright hun, you'll be shadowing me today, I normally would have you shadow one of the other girls but unlike them you're the only one I can actually stand and I could use some company anyhow."

That made me smile. I liked her too. She also is the only person I can stand, I haven't even known her twenty four hours yet and I'd adopted her to be my own grandmotherly figure.

"Ok so we're going to begin by supervising the chefs in here and the maids who are helping out, this way you'll get an idea of how we operate." I don't say anything, just follow her as she continues to explain things to me. She's very informative and open to questions which I appreciate.

After walking around the kitchen for an hour and absorbing as much information as possible, we make our way to the dining room. Inside there's a massive buffet table and a very large wooden dining room table.

"Alright, I'm going to place you at the head of the table where Dante sits. I'll be sitting next to him. Normally I'd eat on my own but I have some things I'd like to discuss with him before he leaves for the day."

"Do I-I do anything other t-than stand?"

"Yes, if anyone at the table asks you for something, you go get it in a timely fashion. They'll be her in any minute. You ready?" She gives me a reassuring smile, to which I return.

"Yep."

"Great. I'll be right beside you so no need to worry too much." I'd explained to her that I have really bad anxiety, especially social anxiety so I appreciate the extra concern she's given me.

We're distracted from the large oak doors opening and the men file in. There's more of them than I'd anticipated. The tables definitely going to be packed. They all take their assigned seats, one of the men who looks similar to Dante- I mean- Mr Romano (I'd heard the maids calling him that.) maybe they're related?

The man walked up to Mrs Romano- I mean Rosanna. She'd insisted I call her by her first name since she decided she liked me.

He pecked her cheek "how are you nonna?"

She pats his cheek like a loving grandmother would "just fine. I'm planning on talking to your older brother during breakfast."

Ahhh, so he's Mr Romanos younger brother. He kissed his grandmothers cheek before moving down the end of the table so he'd be facing his brother.

Everyone got settled in their seats not moving towards the food. The head of the table remained empty. I guess they were waiting for there boss.

We all waited until we could hear his steel capped boots hitting the floor. Everyone stayed deathly silent while he walked to the end of the table and sat in his chair. His eyes briefly looked at me before he turned his attention to his men. "You may eat."

Everyone stood and made their way to the buffet table, including Mr Romano who went first in getting what he wanted.

All eyes were on him as he passed me and sat down in his chair. The smell of his food wafted to my nostrils. Dam that smells good. My mouth watered. What I would do for just one bite.

My stomach rumbled... and it was loud. I'd hoped no one heard it but Mr Romano and Rosanna both look at me. Ahem... awkies (awkward for those who don't know).

"Dear? When was the last time you ate?"

"Um, uh, t-two days ago?"

Her eyes widened. "Well that just won't do! Go grab a plate and sit down." She was interrupted immediately by her grandson.

"Nonna, she cannot sit here, she can eat later with the rest of the maids." His voice was firm and left no room for an argument, but oh his dear nonna argued.

"Dante, she hasn't eaten in two days. Look at her! The poor girl is skin and bones. I will not allow it!"

"Nonna-"

"-Don't nonna me!"

Heads turned and I think Mr Romano noticed as his face is red with anger. But that anger wasn't directed at Rosanna. Oh no, it was directed at me.

"Fine. She can eat, but not here. In the kitchen." Rosanna huffed.

"Fine. I'll be joining her." She stood from the table and grabbed her plate.

"Dear go get some food." I followed her orders placing a piece of toast, a mini muffin and some fruit on my plate.

I walked up to her, ready to leave. Everyone's staring and it's making me uncomfortable. She looked at my plate and grimaced. "Give me your plate." She held out her hand, I didn't argue. Rosanna can be scary as fuck. I mean she argued with the ruthless Dante Romano.

She gave me her plate to hold while she walked over to the buffet and dumped the food I'd placed on my plate onto some other plate. Why not just grab a new one?

She began loading up the plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, toast, tomatoes and three mini muffins. She walked back and handed me my now very full plate. "Rosanna, I'll never be able t-to eat of this."

"Of course you will. You need to put some meat on those bones. Now come along." I guess she's really living up to the stereotypical Italian grandmother, not that I'm complaining. I love this woman.

We both took a seat at the island bench. She dismissed everyone so it was just us two in the kitchen. "So," she says digging into her eggs. "Tell me about your life before you came here."

I took a bite of bacon and swallowed before answering. "Well, I'm an o-only child. I spent the first seven y-years of my life with my grandparents. My mother died giving birth and my d-dad was unstable so they t-took me in. Those were the best years of my life. They passed away in a c-car crash and that's when I was taken back to my d-dad. He did the best he could. I went to school. I've never been very social, m-mainly kept to myself, pissed off my teachers with b-back talk and then your grandson killed my dad and took me here." Wow. That's the most I've ever talked to a person since my grandparents.

"I'm sorry dear you must miss him." I laughed

"Not r-really. If anything he did me a favour... other than kidnapping m-me but then again I never would've met you so it's not all bad." She placed her hand over mine.

"Well for what it's worth I'm happy I met you also. Do you have any other family?"

"No. My parents were both only c-child's."

"You can consider me family. In fact! I demand you call me nonna. I really should introduce you to my other granddaughter, she'd like you." Man this woman knows how to make me cry. Before I knew it I was balling my eyes out as she held me in her arms.

I sniffled "I'm so sorry Rosanna." She gave me a look.

"I-I mean nonna." She smiled

"Much better, now to cheer you up. Let me tell you some stories from Dante and Leonardo's childhood."

"Is Leonardo the man who you were talking to e-earlier?" She nods her head and begins telling me about her grandkids. The safer I feel the easier I find it is to talk to her.

"When the boys were little around eight and nine. Leonardo loved to bully his little sister Bianca, she's the same age as you actually. Just started school late because her father the old bastard didn't care for education. Anyway they used to play in the garden all the time and one day Leo decided that it would be funny if he scared her. So he went through the garden and gathered up around twelve slugs. He'd put them in a bucket. Bianca was picking flowers for her mother when he snuck up behind her and tipped the bucket on her head. She screamed and cried. That caught Dante's attention, he's very protective of Bianca. Once he saw what Leo did, to cheer Bianca up. He pinned Leo down in their mothers bathroom while she gave him a little makeover with their moms makeup. It was precious really. I walked in there and Leo looked like a pretty princess. Safe to say he didn't mess with Bianca like that again." I smiled at that story. I wish I had siblings.

"That's precious." She smiled at my comment.

"Indeed. At their parents home there's a picture I took of them after the incident. Leo hates that we have photographic evidence." She chuckled.

"Are y-you sure it's ok that we're just sitting here? I don't want to get into trouble." We'd been sitting here for quite a while and I got the feeling my big bad boss wouldn't be too pleased.

"Don't worry, if he says anything I'll put him back in his place. He never argues with his nonna."

I smirk "it's amusing watching the man the whole cities terrified of be put in his place."

"If I didn't his head would be so big it'd explode. I better end up in heaven for putting up with his shit."

We both laugh and continue chatting away.