No! I'm not into him. That's what she wanted to say at first, but then she decided to annoy them.

"Oh, I'm totally into him" she said in fake confidence. "He's so hot you wouldn't believe it"

This made Valentino choke on his pasta.

"I beg your pardon?" Francesco was shocked.

"How come you didn't tell us about it until now?" Valentino asked Alessandro in a betrayed voice.

"Jeez, chill guys, I'm just teasing you. I have no intention to date him or anything. We're just friends" Sofia said before Alessandro had a chance to pour a gasoline on a dumpster fire with his response.

"Who said anything about dating? You just admitted you're into him!" Valentino pointed a finger at her rudely, while he spoke in an accusatory voice.

"I am sorry, are interrogations the part of this family's birthday traditions?" she asked in exasperation. "You know what teasing is?" she stressed.

"You know what grounding is?" Francesco responded calmly, using a napkin to wipe his perfectly clean lips. His manners were excellent, Sofia noted, but let's go back to the topic.

"But you can't ground me! He can't?" Sofia looked at Alessandro to make sure. Just in case.

"He can" Alessandro said simply as he continued to consume his meal.

"What? No... That sucks" she whined, and laughter erupted by the table. She had no idea what's so funny to them.

After a few more minutes of family banter, Sofia realized they're more playful than serious, and they don't really mean it in a mean, controlling way. They just showed curiosity about her relationship in a weird, a bit overprotective way.

But Sofia wasn't hearing anything her brothers were saying at this point, she was focused on watching the unnerving scene unfolding right in front of her eyes.

One of the customers, a man who was in his forties, with zero hair on his head, decided to act like he owned the place.

"Sweetheart, get me a drink" the man said loudly, snapping his finger in an annoying gesture. Sofia looked at her brothers, who seemed to be focused on their conversation. Maybe they didn't notice what's going on, or they didn't care.

The waitress, Elena, who took their order before now had to go back to the same table three times in a row and there was always something wrong if not with the food then the wine was too sweet or there were no napkins, etc. this guy was impossible to please.

What an asshole. Sofia's mother was owning a restaurant, a failing one but still. Sofia was sometimes helping her out, but she was never officially employed. She knew these type of customers, and she hated them with passion.

"Earth to Sofia, everything okay?" Valentino asked, waving his hand in front of her face.

Sofia realized that and blinked twice in confusion. "Y-yes. I just-" she glanced at the table again because the guy just make a remark was just touching Elena's ass while explaining what else can she get for him. Sofia felt nauseous.

Sofia turned her head towards Alessandro who summoned the manager with a wave of his hand, and she wondered how much power he had, at this point she was certain he was a magician.

"Yes, how can I help you, sir?" A woman asked politely, her blonde hair were tied in a bun, and she had vibrant red lipstick on her lips.

"This person is making my sister uncomfortable" Alessandro said, looking pointedly at the man Sofia was watching so far.

"You mean the waitress?" The blonde-haired woman asked. "I will fire her right away"

"No, the customer" Alessandro explained patiently.

Surly, they won't throw away the customer with that reason alone. That's what Sofia thought, but she was wrong.

"I will take care of it right away sir" the woman responded and Sofia watched in disbelief as the manager is getting closer to the rude customer's table just to tell him to leave, when he refused she said something quietly and gave a nervous glance to our table. When Alessandro met gaze with that man suddenly he started to look terrified. He quickly apologized, bowed for several times and left in a hurry.

"Happy now?" Alessandro asked after the whole scene was over. Sofia didn't say a word, she just stood up and threw her arms on his neck.

"Thank you" she whispered wordlessly. He returned the hug.

"You're welcome piccola, if something makes you uncomfortable just tell me I will make it disappear" he promised with full certainty. She believed him.

❤️ ❤️ ❤️

After they arrived home, Sofia was planning to go back to her room, but she was stopped by Alessandro'.

"Sofia, please wait for a moment. There's something we need to discuss" he said, her heart sank after she heard his serious voice.

Three of her (half) brothers, were sitting on the sofa. The atmosphere in the room was heavy for some reason. Sofia was worried.

"What exactly do we need to discuss?" She asked cautiously.

"Our family business"

"Um.. Okay?" she said, plopping down on the sofa next to Valentino. She appreciated the warmth and sound of the fireplace.

"Have you ever watched The Godfather?" Valentino fired up without thinking. His older brothers sent him deadly glares.

"...What?" Sofia asked, with confusion. This was so random.

Alessandro looked over at his youngest brother with a flat expression, "What are you doing?"

"I am just trying to make the topic more approachable" Valentino said with his hands up in the air, in sign of surrender.

"Don't" Francesco and Alessandro said simultaneously, not amused.

"What's going on? Are you guys trying to tell me you're in a mafia? Iannielo crime family?" Sofia asked jokingly. She just wanted them to stop being so serious.

"That's exactly what, we are" Alessandro responded calmly.

"No. What are you saying? There's no way. This must be a joke" she shook her head in denial. She was in denial for a long time. Absolutely forbidding herself to think any of the weird things she experiences during the short time with her brothers. The protective wall she has former around herself was suddenly gone, as if it was never there in the first place.

Sofia felt as her heart drops into her stomach. Suddenly nothing about this situation was funny anymore.

"We're not joking Sofia"