Nobody messed with Damon. Damon would only follow his father's instructions out of respect but when he didn't agree, he would ignore his father.

He was a ruthless killer, his tone itself was enough to bring fear into you.

Everyone avoided him, nobody dared cross him, everyone who saw him would wonder from a distance, were the stories true.

Was he really the devil in disguise?

His cold emotionless eyes would pierce your soul and have you shaking in fear, begging for your life.

They say that if you were on Damon's bad side, if you had done him wrong in any way that a quick death would be a privilege. Damon was said to torture his victims until they begged for death but he refused to kill them, hr kept them alive, suffering in pain until he grew bored and killed them.

Damon Russo was deadly.

He took what he want, when he wanted.

Any media source wouldnt dare publish information on him or his family, they feared the consequences. The last media source featured him on the front page of the news, the publisher and writers ended up dead within a week.

There was never any proof he did anything.

He spared no prisoners.

It was quite an unusual sight to see, Damon Russo debating on how to wake up the sleeping girl whilst looking at her with a somewhat less deadly expression.

He took a step closer, he had never woken a person up gently, even his brothers he would just rip their duvets off and if that didn't work he pushed them out of bed.

As if she knew he was struggling to decide how to wake her up, she opened her eyes.

Emilia had been asleep when she felt the presence of somone getting closer. She watched him with fear in her eyes, waiting to see what he did.

Damon didn't think to much about the fear, he saw it but everyone feared him so he ignored it not seeing any reason to be concerned.

"It's almost dinner time" Damon spoke.

Emilia's fear grew hearing this. She thought herself to be selfish and stupid, selfish for sleeping and stupid for forgetting to wake up, forgetting to make them dinner. She couldn't help but think about what kind of punishment they would give her. She was well aware Damon could break her in half if he wanted too.

"Come on, you won't know the way yet" Damon said, knowing he would need to show her around later.

Emilia couldn't help it when she slowly got up but her body still shook with fear.

"I think we are having spaghetti tonight, you don't have any allergies or anything do you" Damon said not wanting to address her fear.

Emilia was confused when he said we. She didn't think she would be fed, she wasn't used to eating maybe this was a trick.

She simply shook her head in response to his question. She didn't know if she had any allergies because she had never been allowed to eat much, in fact she had never had spaghetti before, the closest she had gotten to pasta was when she had cooked it.

"Great. Let's go" Damon said.

Emilia followed Damon out of the room, usually Damon wouldn't slow down for anyone but when he saw Emilia struggling to keep up with his long strides he slowed down.

Emilia was confused at Damon's actions. Why was he waiting for her.

Why was he walking at the side of her, she should be walking behind, she wasn't his equal.

Damon saw a flash of fear when he started walking side by side.

"No need to fear me little one" Damon said, his thick Italian accent coming through as he spoke.

Emilia didn't speak, not that he expected her too. Damon sighed as they continued walking, he subtly held out his hand for her. She didn't take it at first but then they both heard a loud clatter coming from below and she instinctly grabbed his hand. When she realised what she had done, she removed her hand and looked down in fear, her body was starting to shake.

Damon knew this wasn't normal but he knew he was a scary man, he had this effect on people who didn't know him and even people who did know him.

"Its okay, I held it out for you to take, you're not in trouble" Damon said mustering up the same gentle tone he used in the airport.

He didn't know how to comfort or reassure people, he hadn't done that in a long time.

"Look at me tesoro" Damon said

Emilia was terrified to disobey him now, she was scared of the consequences, she had taken his hand, she had fallen for his trap.

She looked up and was surprised to see Damon had no anger. Sure he still had his cold emotionless expression but this time it was mixed with something else, something she wasn't familiar with.

Damon looked at her with worry and concern. He didn't like knowing how terrified she was.

"See it's okay, I'm not angry" Damon said knowing he looked far from angry.

"You're okay" Damon reassured her not knowing how to comfort her anymore.

"How about we go have dinner then I can show you around or one of your other brothers can if you want"

Emilia simply nodded, she had come to terms with Damon not being angry with her but at the same time, what if he was going to tell his brothers, the unknown brothers that would surely get angry at her for what she had done.

They entered the dining hall, everyone was there waiting. Emilia instinctively put her head down. She didn't belong here.

Damon couldn't help roll his eyes at the new table layout.

"Sit anywhere you want" Damon told Emilia, Emilia was confused, she was actually being allowed at the table.

She saw a glare from Lexi as Damon spoke.

She decided she didn't want to sit near Lexi so she took a seat next to Matteo and across from Dante.

Damon smirked, he expected her to go sit next to dad but was glad that she had chosen the seat next to Matteo as it also meant she was next to him. He took a seat at the table across from his father.

Alessandro

|

Lexi. | | (Empty seat)

Matteo.|. | Mason

Emilia |. | Dante

|

Damon

"Hi I'm Matteo" Matteo energicticlly said when Emilia sat down.

Emilia was taken back that he spoke to her, but she could speak back. She nodded in acknowledgment

"Emilia is mute so just introduce yourselves" Damon told his brothers.

"Good, at least I won't have to listen to two brats begging father for attention" Dante snapped.

"How dare you. I want you to apologize now" their father bellowed.

Emilia didn't dare look up but Dante's comment did make her smile, Dante managed to see through Lexis act.

Dante noticed the smile when he glanced back at Emilia. He was obviously right about Lexi if her own twin didn't take offense to what he said.

"I apologize your highness" Dante mocked directing it at Lexi who only glared.

Emilia couldn't help but look up, she really wanted to see how Lexi would react.

"I haven't done a thing to you, why do you insist on insulting me" Lexi said putting on the waterworks.

Damon found himself rolling his eyes, he was well aware of her dramatics. He knew their father couldn't see past the fact he had his daughters back.

"Anywayyyy, I'm Mason, don't pay any attention to Dante he's always like this, I'm 22"

Lexi couldn't help but take note on how much nicer, Mason was towards Emilia and she hated it.

"Oh I forgot to tell you, I'm 17, we will be going to school together isn't that great" Matteo jumped in.

"I'm Dante, 18" Dante added bluntly.

Emilia didn't know how to respond to her brothers but thankfully she didn't have to because at that moment a maid walked in serving food.

Alessandro was first to be served food, he nodded in appreciation and thanked the maid. "Thank you Mary"

Damon was next to be served, he only offered a nod of appreciation. Mason was next, he thanked the maid, then Damon who nodded, then Matteo who not only thanked her but started asking about her day. Matteo was definitely the maids favourite.

The maid served food in order of eldest to youngest but she couldn't remember who was the elder twin, but when she looked at Emilia and saw how thin she was, she no longer cared if Emilia was the youngest, the girl needed food, so she served her.

Emilia smiled and nodded at the maid. The maid smiled back, already planning on feeding her every chance she got.

Lexi was annoyed that her sister dared get served first. She didn't deserve food and she would make sure that her father put a stop to it soon.

She didn't acknowledge the maid when the food was set down, the maid instantly didn't like her. She had worked for the Russo family for years, she knew them all to be men of few words but they all would show there thanks and appreciation even through gestures if it wasn't verbal.

"That was quite rude, you must thank the maid" Alessandro said, the brothers weren't pleased either but they had waited for their father to say something.

Emilia knew Lexi could never do it so she waited to see what would happen.

Alessandro had just gotten his daughters back again, he didn't want to loose them so maybe he was a little to soft. "I apologize for my daughter Mary, thank you for the food" Alessandro said, he wasn't happy with his daughter one bit but he was afraid to loose them again.

Mary nodded and went to leave but she never maid it out of the door thanks to Damon's cold command "wait".

It had been a while since she had heard Damon speak, but he still used the same dark tone. Mary didn't dare defy him so she stopped in her tracks and bowed her head at Damon.

"Father I understand your reasons for letting it go however Alexia's behaviour was rude and I won't tolerate it" Damon said, his voice was cold. He then turned to Lexi "I want a apology from you young lady" his tone was demanding and cruel. At first Lexi didn't reply, she just looked away. "Now" Damon's voice was deadly calm.

Emilia shuddered knowing that Damon wasn't one to go against.

"She's just a maid though" Lexi shrugged not seeing the big deal.

Damon smirked, a sinister grin appearing on his face. "Mary I believe you requested Wednesday next week off didn't you" Damon said.

"Yes sir but it's okay, I can rearrange my schedule"

"No need, in fact you may take Thursday off too" Damon said.

"Oh there is no need for that sir, I only need a day, I don't want to take more than that if I don't need it"

"Nonsense, take it off as an apology for my sister. Besides even if you do come in you won't be doing anything" Damon said, he turned to Alexia "for your rudeness and clear lack of respect towards Mary, you will be doing all her chores Wednesday and Thursday"

Dante snickered, pleased with the punishment Lexi was facing. Even Emilia smiled, she had done it for so long now it was lexis turn.

"He can't do that" Lexi cried as Damon dismissed the maid.

"It is a bit drastic, she doesn't know our customs yet" Alessandro said sticking up for his daughter but he knew Damon was right to do what he did.

"It's not just about that, she defied you, she defied me and she was rude to Mary. I will not allow that sort of behaviour to be encouraged" Damon spoke lowly, he then started to eat. Everyone knew then that he was done talking about the subject.

Emilia couldn't help but stare at the food whilst the others began eating, she wasn't sure if she would face Damon's wrath if she ate. Was she even allowed or was this a trick? Just like when Henry and Alice tricked her. They had decided to include her in a family meal but when she ate, Henry dragged her away and punished her.

"Why aren't you eating" Damon quietly asked so only Emilia could hear.

Emilia didn't anwser, not wanting the truth to come out.

"Eat" Damon simply said before going back to his own meal.

Emilia picked up her fork, she carefully started eating. No one bothered her, Alessandro didn't say anything, he didn't drag her away, Damon didn't get angry, he didn't insult her.

Lexi didn't look happy though especially when she saw her sister eating.