Amelia confessed everything to Theo. Out of all our brothers, he was the most approachable and most likely to not burst out in rage. Aside from Victor of course. I was happy that she did tell an adult because Theo made her go to therapy.

A lot of people don't take eating disorders seriously so I was happy to see that our brother did.

Amelia was hesitant to go but after a talk with Victor, who regularly visits a therapist, she became more open to the idea.

It would take time for her to heal. She was still hesitant to eat certain things. We had to make up an entire routine. Someone had to make sure that she ate her plate and she wasn't allowed to go to the bathroom alone.

Usually, that person was me because I had more patience than most of my brothers. It made us grow closer and I think that I'm starting to like Amelia.

She's under a lot of pressure to always be perfect. Everybody expects perfection from her. It was something that was an issue in this house. I wasn't used to the demand for perfection. She had that pressure on her shoulder since she was a child. It was only self-explanatory that she'd break down.

"It's so nice to see you get along!" Mom smiled.

We sat in my bedroom. It was Christmas Eve and our parents had arrived for the annual Christmas party our family organised. I was so happy to see them again! Especially mom because she was helping us get ready for the party.

She was doing my hairdo. She softly put waves in my hair and then took a part of my hair and put it up with a beautiful pin. The pin had real rubies in it to match my red dress.

"Well, Amelia isn't as bad as I thought she was." I grinned.

Amelia chuckled as mom turned me around so that I could look at her. She took a few strands of my hair to frame my face and then smiled brightly.

"You look gorgeous."

I felt gorgeous. The red dress mom had given me was beautiful. It had a heart-shaped neckline and had short sleeves decorated with little gems. The dress went wide down my waist and had two different layers that were mismatched. She had also given me red earrings and a matching diamond necklace.

This Christmas party was a whole event apparently. I've never celebrated Christmas in so much style.

"We have to leave. Are you ladies ready?" Theo knocked on my door.

Amelia got up from her seat on my bed. She was dressed in a night-blue dress with long sleeves. It went to her ankles and was very classy. Mom had curled her hair and also given her a necklace and earrings.

"You look gorgeous, Lia." Theo kissed her cheek.

She giggled slightly and then his eyes fell on me. His jaw dropped and I felt a blush rush to my cheeks. This was the first time that he had seen me dressed up like this. Aside from my school uniform, I wore a lot of street style types of clothes. So a lot of mom jeans and comfy sweaters. Especially during the winter.

"You're supposed to compliment your sister, Theo." Mom chuckled.

Her long blond hair was tied up in a bun and she wore a stunning green gown. My mom was in her late forties but she looked like a goddess. It was as if she drank from the fountain of youth.

I prayed every day that I got passed down those genes.

Or maybe unproblematic people just age differently?

Am I unproblematic?

"You look...wow." That was all he could manage to say.

I've never seen Theo so stunned. It made me feel shy but I couldn't help but giggle at his expression. I got up from my seat behind my vanity desk.

"Let's go, babies." Mom told us.

We walked out of my room while Theo shook his head.

"Silas is going to be mad at you, mama." Theo warned her.

"All I did was enhance her beauty!" She shrugged.

He sighed and helped Amelia down the stairs. Her heels were longer than mine so I walked with mom. The others stood in the foyer waiting for us. All the guys were dressed in a tuxedo.

The kind with the waistband and bow tie.

Dad was combing Nicolas' hair back while he looked annoyed. His hair was long and Theo kept telling him to get a haircut. He wouldn't listen and often he let me braid his hair!

"For fuck's sake." Silas cursed when he saw me.

He's just jealous that I'm more beautiful than him.

"Topolina." My dad's hands froze on top of Nicolas' hair.

"I still want a new nickname." I commented.

I don't want to share the same nickname as Hector! My eyes went to him. He was leaning against the wall, looking ever so perfectly in his tuxedo, while looking at his phone. His blue eyes met mine before he gazed down to see what I was wearing.

He stood up straight and put the phone in his pocket. My brothers were being weird. They looked at me as if I was an alien. I was just dressed up for once.

It was nothing spectacular.

"Rules for tonight." Hector spoke.

Rules? We were going to a party as a family, did we really need rules?

"Don't ever leave your brother's side. You're not allowed to walk around alone or unchaperoned."

"Do we even have to hold hands in the bathroom?" I rolled my eyes.

Mom tugged my hand and gave me a look. 'Behave' she told me. She wants me to be nicer to Hector which was never going to happen.

I like being a brat to him too much.

"I'll make that a rule just for you."

Oh, he had comebacks today.

That was a first.

"This is a party filled with narcissistic men. Be aware and careful."

This would be my first mafia party. Kinda exciting but also terrifying. What if someone pulled out their guns?

"It'll be alright." Mom spoke.

"I pick Theo!" Amelia hung onto his arm.

Shit, I wanted Theo!

He smiled warmly at her while I took a look at my brothers. Hector was definitely not an option and so was Silas. The twins gave me devilish grins, so I turned to Victor.

I grabbed his hand. He'd been standing by the side trying to calm down. Social situations stressed him and I could see how hard this was for him. Silas had been assuring him for the past week that everything will be fine.

"I take Vic!"

He smiled shyly and tightened his grip on my hand. We were best friends and he'd been teaching me the violin and guitar. I was a quick learner and I really loved being able to play multiple instruments.

"Well, you're still staying with me." Silas snapped.

"I didn't pick you!" I pouted.

"If you think I'll let you walk around the party like this filled with all those assholes, you're an idiot."

I didn't like it! He came to me with my coat and helped me in it while I grumbled. Victor gave me a soft smile while looking at our older brother.

I'll need all the strength I can get to survive this night with Silas by my side.

///////////////////

The event was held at the Four Season's Hotel. We arrived in a limousine and were guided inside by a fancy looking doorman. Before we entered the room, they took our coats. I kept holding Victor's hand as I noticed his breathing becoming quicker.

"I'm here." I whispered in his ear.

He gave me a panicked look before he calmed down slightly. I was proud of him for doing this. No one was forcing him to come here. He wanted to come.

Silas laid his hand on my low back and walked us inside. The room was beautifully decorated with a lot of silver touches. My eyes directly went to the buffet and I couldn't wait to taste everything.

The twins already went and I wanted to do the same, but Silas first directed us towards a table obviously reserved for our family. It was the biggest table and positioned so that all the attention was on it.

We sat down. Victor is next to me and mom on his other side. She sat close to him to reassure him that everything will be fine. I was planning on staying here next to him the entire time. Perhaps I could get Nicolas to bring us some food.

But then Hector opened his mouth.

"Let's go, Elena." He held his hand out for me.

"Why?" I frowned.

"You need to be introduced to my capos."

Silas rolled his eyes but reluctantly let go of my hand. He's been watching everybody who passed us like they were a high threat. I think that he's overreacting but when isn't he?

A little backstory for you all.

My family owns the country. That's the simplest way to put it.

They had a gigantic organised criminal network. And I'll try to explain it simply because it's quite complicated.

So, Hector is the big boss also called the Don. Everybody answered him and he made sure everything was running smoothly. Theo was his consigliere, which was kind of a lawyer and right hand. Silas was his left hand and he usually did the kind of things that involved violence.

When they explained their world to me, they didn't specify what they meant by violence. But I wasn't stupid.

That was the first layer of the hierarchy. The second layer was the capos. There were fifty for fifty states. So each state had one Capo who basically was the boss over that state. They weren't very autonomous because Hector stood above them and they had to answer to him.

The third layer was the underbosses. All the cities or counties in the country had one. They organised their crime locally but still had to answer to their Capo and Hector.

Only the Capos were invited to the party and the underbosses from the state of New York. Otherwise, this room would be too small.

That was it summed up.

A whole Bible. I know.

Hector held my hand as he pulled me along to greet each Capo. It was terribly boring and I felt uncomfortable.

For once I shuffled closer to my older brother since I couldn't stand some of the looks those dirty old men gave me.

They freaked me the fuck out.

"This is my son Marcelo." The Capo of Ohio, Vincenzo, pulled forward his son.

The poor guy was not very attractive. He had curly red hair and dark brown eyes. He also had braces that didn't fit his mouth. He wasn't one of the most handsome guys but that's not why I disliked him. It was the way he watched me. Like I was water after years of drought.

"Perhaps they can dance together?" Vincenzo suggested.

"And traumatise the poor girl?" A man spoke walking up to us.

Holy.

Fucking.

Hell.

Life is one big ass joke.

He is not real.

I refuse to believe this man is real.

He looked like he stepped right out of those perfume advertisements. His dark hair was combed backwards which made his intense green eyes pop out. He had a smooth olive skin tone as if he'd been blessed multiple times by the sun.

I'm not even going to try to describe his features. Just pure perfection. I couldn't understand how he was a human just like us.

My heart fluttered and did a whole backflip when he smirked and flashed his pearly white teeth.

Calm your titties, Elena. Calm them before you embarrass yourself big time.

"Capo Alexander Ferrari." Vincenzo snapped harshly.

Alexander Ferrari.

I'll never forget that name and face.

"I was only suggesting a dance between my son and Elena Cassano." He added.

"Why would she dance with your son? The kid is already drooling all over her." Alexander chuckled.

Fuck, this man.

I need to stop simping over handsome men. ASAP!

"My son is the future Capo of-" Hector interrupted Vincenzo.

"Thank you for the suggestion, Rossi, but my sister is not allowed to dance with anybody except for her brothers."

Vincenzo Rossi opened his mouth, to probably protest, but closed it immediately when he saw Hector's expression.

"Perhaps another time." He nodded before taking his son away.

Thank god that creep was gone.

"Elena Cassano, it's a pleasure to meet you." He held out his tanned hand for me.

He had big hands.

Fucking hell.

Somebody put me in timeout.

Reading smut has fucked me up.

"It's nice to meet you too." I shook his hand.

I've been shaking hands for what seemed like an hour but I enjoyed this one the best. My hand seemed to disappear in his and he felt so warm.

Please, don't let me blush.

"You're Capo of New York?" I asked carefully.

"Yes, I am." He nodded and let go of my hand.

It lasted too short.

"We'll talk later." Hector told Alexander but his eyes were on me.

"Of course." Alexander nodded at him before turning to me.

"Good luck with beating up boys in the future. Try not to sprain your hand this time." He winked.

How did he know that?

Shit.

"You're blushing." Hector stated with a stern look.

"How old is he?" I ignored his statement.

I knew I was. I could feel my cheeks burning.

"Twenty."

We had a five year age gap. That wasn't so bad.

If only I wasn't fifteen.

He'll just have to wait for me. When I'm grown up, I'll go seduce his sexy ass.

My eyes followed him and I noticed that a lot of women walked up to him.

I had a feeling that he won't be available when I'm grown up.

"You and Alexander Ferrari are never going to happen, Elena." Hector spoke.

I looked up at him, his eyes filled with determination. My oldest brother always hid his emotions very well but I know that he hates the idea of me ever dating.

If he only knew how wrong he would be about that.