PURE HATE

When I was younger, I always saw my older brothers coming home late at night with cuts and bruises across their faces. Of course, newly adopted 10 year old me was unaware of my new adoptive family's relation to the Russian mafia but now I know firsthand that organised fights are a common stress reliever in the underground world.

I remember wanting to be just like them, I mean a split lip and a black eye are kinda badass, no?

I would beg them to teach me to fight, wanting to be tough like my older brothers, and they were more than willing. This resulted in long nights in our training rooms, learning to throw punches and kicks, which lets be real just ended up being them tackling and roughhousing me.

My brothers were very enthusiastic to teach me though, it's something we came to bond and connect over, as well as ultimately the correct way to be bringing me up properly in a mafia household.

Though they taught me to fight from an early age, they always reassured me no one would ever lay a hand on their little sisterwhilst they were still alive.

Never would I have thought my first black eye would be by the hands of my boyfriend.

"You never fucking listen Carlotta!" Emiliano yelled, towering over my shaking form. The impact from his fist to the side of my head made his figure look slightly blurred, a slight ringing sound piercing through my ears.

This fucker did not just hit me.

Pushing myself back to my feet I did my best attempt to look down on him, despite our obvious height difference. "Did you seriously just backhand me?" I chuckled, wiping a thumb across my bloody lip.

"You need to learn your place, Carlotta. You belong with me, to me, I don't want you anywhere near him! You know how he feels about you!" Emiliano retorted, slowly backing me up towards the wall behind me.

"He's my lab partner, Emiliano! We were working on our project, do you seriously think I'm capable of cheating?" I asked, slightly hurt by his implication.

"You were at his house." He seethed leaning down to my face, effectively caging me into the wall with both his hands resting by my head.

"Do you not trust me? I'm your girlfriend, Emiliano. After all the fights I got into with my brothers about dating you, you now question my loyalty?" I respond incredulously, staring into his golden eyes that are swimming with rage.

Rage? Pfft, more like raging toxic masculinity.

He leaned impossibly closer, our noses barely touching, "How am I supposed to trust you when you're whoring around with other boys, hm?"

The shock must've been clear on my face as a glimmer of guilt washed over Emiliano's features, but was just as quickly replaced with his regular glare. Shaking my head slightly, I let out a humorous laugh. This was so unlike Emiliano, he's only ever been loving and caring towards me.

Yes, the boy I was partnered with for our biology project was a notorious flirt, but I would never be unfaithful to my boyfriend, it's possibly one of the worst things you could do.

Emiliano and I met when I was 16 and he was 18 in his last year of high school. My brothers and I were at a race competing against some usual competitors, though Emiliano was a new rival on the racing scene. As my third oldest brother Maxim and I crossed the finish line winning the race, Emiliano's car pulled up next to us, securing his second place victory.

My fourth oldest brother, Levi, ran over to our car screaming his head off and sputtering about all the "fucking sick drifts you did bro!" Such a dork.

As Maxim and Levi did the bro hug-handshake thing that all guys seem to universally know, I looked over to assess the not-so competition Maxim had just beat.

The door to the midnight blue Lamborghini Huracan swung open, and out stepped Emiliano. A 6 foot 3 wall of pure muscle and tattoos. His light brown hair was disheveled and hanging over his forehead and distinctly amber-golden eyes. He wore simple grey sweatpants and black hoodie, looking god-like in the informal attire. The sleeves to his hoodie were pushed up to his elbows, revealing the simple tattoos scattered up both his forearms.

I was openly, and unashamedly, checking him out. That was until he caught my eye looking me up and down and smirking in my direction, turning my cheeks a slight shade pinker. I looked away quickly and back towards my brothers who were thankfully still engrossed in their conversation about the race.

What am I doing? I never blush.

Mentally hyping myself back up again, I confidently turned back to Emiliano and returned his smirk, making his expression falter for a second with what looked like shock at my return of confidence, before he grinned back at me.

Emiliano showed up to the next couple of races, his eyes always seeking mine, until one night he came to talk to me and my brothers. From then on, we saw a lot more of each other in the underground world. There was always a flirtatious relationship between us, one that didn't go unnoticed by my brothers or father resulting in several late night yelling matches about my rights to a relationship.

Being the alpha male mafia bosses they are, they were all "No way in hell are you ever dating anyone" "I'm not letting my princess date some guy!" "You're not getting a boyfriend or girlfriend til you're 90!"

Classic mafia family.

After months of secretly seeing one another, Emiliano and I decided to bite the bullet and tell my brothers and father we were in a relationship. To say it didn't go well was an understatement.

It took 2 months before they'd 'made peace with the idea', which in their books meant not throttle him on sight every time they saw him. Don't get me wrong, to this day they are not okay with us being in a relationship, but fuck that I'm a grown ass woman. If I want to be in a relationship, I'm gonna be in a fucking relationship.

Fuck, my brothers are gonna actually kill Emiliano once they see what he's done to me tonight...

Eh, I'll help 'em hide the body.

"Fuck you Emiliano." I shoved at his chest and attempted to remove myself from the cage his arms had secured around me.

Emiliano however had different plans as I was halfway out of his reach when he grabbed me by the throat and shoved me back against the wall, choking me.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going, huh?" He growled, "You're my girlfriend, you can't just walk away from me."

The viscous words he was spitting sounded foreign coming out of his otherwise gentle mouth. His shift in attitude was completely out of character.

"Not anymore asshole." I coughed out before I brought my knee up and kneed him in the dick. He collapsed forward, grabbing his now probably bent dick as I slipped free of his hold, gasping air down my lungs greedily.

Tears were brimming my eyes as I took in the reality of my situation, as well as from the pain I felt around my neck and face.

Shit, there will definitely be bruises.

I grabbed my purse and walked out of his apartment, taking the elevator down to the parking level to get in my car.

As the agonizingly long elevator ride began its descent down, a sob escaped my sore throat. Looking at my battered reflection in the elevator mirror, I began to cry feeling the emotions of a year long relationship coming to a brutal close.

My cheeks were tear-stained with mascara tracks running down my face. My lip was busted and blood was drying around my chin and mouth. My left eye was beginning to swell and turn a darker shade of purple. Large bruised handprints were forming around my neck, leaving behind only the phantom touch of Emilianos violent hands around my neck.

As the elevator dinged, snapping me out of my trance, I took in a deep breath and carefully wiped my eyes.

He's not worth crying over.

As confidently as I could, I strutted over to my car, the weight of a toxic relationship dissipating from my shoulders. I hope they never have to feel this heavy again.

Unlocking and getting into my car, I sit behind the wheel for a few minutes composing myself. I only had home to go back to now that I wasn't staying over with Emiliano.

I glanced at the clock on my dashboard, 11:47pm. My brothers and father might still be out at work or the underground. They won't be expecting me home so I can try to sneak up to my room and cover up any evidence of my bruises when I wake up tomorrow.

Yes ok, that could work.

Putting my car in drive, I begin to drive out of Emilianos apartment complex once and for all, biting back the painful memories of our endless nights spent together here.

The roads were glistening and reflective with the light pitter-patter of rain splattering on my windshield. The rain relaxes me in ways other things can't.

10 minutes later, I'm pulling up to the front gates of the Vasiliev mansion, smiling warmly at the guards stationed outside. I'd always been fond of them, bringing them cookies and drawings I'd made when I was younger. They'd also developed a small soft spot for me over the years.

"Ms. Vasiliev," Ivan and Dimitry greeted, "how are you tonight darling?"

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Carlotta," I playfully scolded, "and I'm well, thank you." I smiled at their concern.

The night was dark, shielding my face slightly from the view of the two guards. As they opened the gate, I managed to slip away with my bruises going unnoticed.

I parked my car in the unnecessarily large garage filled with 5 cars too many, and mentally prepared myself for my mission impossible trek to my room.

I creeped over to the door connecting from the garage to the main house and carefully turned the handle, slowly pushing the door open.

Just my luck, of course it made a painstakingly high squeak as it opened wider and wider. I grimaced at the sound, thinking how cliche this was to happen.

As soon as the door was wide enough for me to slip through, I quietly closed the door again with my back facing the kitchen and forehead resting against the garage door once it was finally closed.

I let out a breath I was holding in, before removing my forehead from the cold door and turned around.

"Carlotta." A deep voice called from behind me, making me jump mid turn and whip my head towards the source of the voice.

There sitting by the kitchen island with his laptop stationed in front and him and what looked to be whiskey in his right hand was Milan, my second oldest brother.

"The guards told me they let you in, what are you-" Milan began, his eyes still trained on whatever was on his laptop until he finally raised his eyes to see my sheepish expression, as well as the multiple bruises and hand marks around my neck.

Well, fuck.

When I was taken in 10 years ago, the Vasiliev family slowly learnt the full extent of my past, at least as much as I was willing to share.

I can remember everything after my fourth birthday, the day I moved in with my first foster family in Norway. They were possibly the nicest people I'd ever met and the only family my 4 year old self knew. Astrid and Magnus raised me as their own alongside their 7 year old son, Andreas, otherwise known as my best friend.

Andreas and I were joined at the hip, always playing with one another, sneaking out of our rooms and at night to snuggle in the other's bed, building igloo mansions in the garden. I can still remember the ginormous log cabin-mansion we lived in, and the nickname I developed after Magnus introduced Andreas and I to geo-cashing (which I was particularly fond of): little treasure.

That's right, you're in the presence of a polyglot queen speaking Russian, Italian and Norwegian alongside English.

Astrid and Magnus enrolled me in school at the age of 5 and I was escorted everyday by their driver to and from school. I happily attended the same school for two years, getting used to being escorted everyday by a driver due to the busy nature of Astrid and Magnus's business, which at a young age was difficult to comprehend. Looking back at my situation now, I knew exactly what kind of business they were operating.

One day during my second year of school, the driver who picked me up from home had changed. Gone was the warm large man who snuck me sweets when I'd had a bad day, in replacement was a cold white-haired man, claiming to fill in for Jørgen who had previously driven me.

As any 7 year old would, I believed him. I got in the car and we began on the usual route to school, though it wasn't the usual route at all. As soon as we turned off onto the wrong, remote road I heard the haunting click of the car doors locking. A hiss of pain escaped my lips as I felt a sharp prick at my neck. Before I could turn to face the source of the sudden pain, a blindfold was roughly tightened around my eyes and I quickly fell unconscious.

That was all I could remember until I woke up in a stranger's house. I later discovered it was the Swedish mafia who had taken me from what they called the 'norsk mafia', that's when it clicked in my little brain.

I was kidnapped from the Norwegian mafia by the Swedish. Great.

Oskar Nilsson. My captor, also known as the Swedish mafia boss. I endured his wrath abuse for the next three years of my life before they were invaded by the Russians, when the Vasiliev's found me.

Knowing the torment I faced in the hands of Oskar enraged them. My brothers couldn't look me in the eye for weeks, taking out their anger on races and fights. The only other person who knew about my time with the Swedish was Emiliano.

Speaking of Emiliano...

"WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO YOU?!" Milan yelled, standing up abruptly from his chair, knocking it backwards in the process. The glass of whiskey previously perched in his hand was banged down onto the kitchen island, sloshing the amber liquid within.

I stared at him blankly, mentally trying to come up with a plan B to my amazingly successful plan A. Not.

"Carlotta, answer me! Who did this to you?" Milan seethed, now standing directly infront of me, as my brain finally caught up, coming up with the brilliant plan of... fucking nothing.

"Milan! What the fuck are you yelling for?" Maxim shouted, his voice drifting closer with each word until he appeared in the doorway, momentarily frozen when he saw my state.

"What. the. fuck." He seethed, his eyes quickly darkening as he zeroed in on the prominent handprints around my neck. "ANDREI! LEVI! GET THE FUCK DOWN HERE!" He then proceeded to yell into the main foyer of the house, before turning round and taking large strides over to where Milan and I were standing. Urgh, snitch.

"Guys, please calm down okay? Let me explain-" I started, only to be cut off by Milan.

"Explain?" He laughed, "By all means, explain to me the logical reason as to why you have bruises and hand prints around your godsdamned neck!" He retorted eerily calmly.

"I was in the middle of a videogame bro, what do you-" Levi began as he haphazardly ran into the kitchen with a headset slung around his neck and controller in his hand. As soon as his eyes settled on me, thoughts of his game were discarded.

Making his way over, darkness swimming in his eyes he ripped off his headset and placed it on the island along with the controller.

Fuck this is serious, he's abonding mid-game?

Before he could start his repetitive brotherly questioning of 'where the fuck did those come from? I'm an alpha male, blah, blah, blah', Andrei entered the kitchen still wearing his daytime business attire; a black dress shirt, now slightly unbuttoned at the top with his sleeves rolled to the elbows leaving his tattooed forearms on full display. His black trousers were slightly ruffled and hair disheveled, hanging in front of his eyebrows. He'd obviously been working in his office in the late hours of the night.

"Maxim." He begun calmly, rubbing his eyes tiredly with his thumb and forefinger, "If I were you I'd rephrase how you just fucking spoke to me." He said darkly, hints of all the boys' Russian accents poking through when they're angry. He's obviously not in a good mood already due to his work.

He slowly looked up to find Maxim, catching my eyes in the process. I sheepishly turned my gaze down in hopes to escape his simply murderous glare.

"Nows not the time Andrei," Maxim practically choked out, anger lacing every one of his words, "Fucking look at her."

Andrei held my gaze as he took slow and deliberate steps towards myself and the rest of my brothers. He stopped directly in front of me, his 6 foot 6 frame towering over my 5 foot 4 one.

"Who." It wasn't a question.

"Look guys, it's really not a big de-" I began, trying to get out of a potential house arrest when they found out what happened to me.

"Don't start with that bullshit. Why are you even home, I thought you were with Emiliano tonight?" Maxim practically spat his name, my brother's eyes darkening further at the mention of him.

Yup, they're definitely not over the whole dating situation.

Gods, it's about to get a lot worse.

"Yes, but-" I began, only to be rudely cut off yet again.

"No buts! Who the fuck dared touch you!" Levi continued yelling, struggling to keep his temper in check. "The fucking prick couldn't even protect you." He scoffed, shaking his head.

I mentally chuckled at that remark, shaking my head slightly.

My brothers narrow their eyes at me, shit did I actually laugh out loud.

"The fuck is wrong with you, who did thi-..." Milan seethed, cutting himself off as realisation crossed over his features.

His glare became impossibly worse.

"Did he do this?" Milan asked, dangerously quiet. I stared back at him, tears brimming my eyes.

Stay strong Carlotta, don't cry over that dick.

Andrei, Maxim and Levi went still. All their eyes shot to me, watching for a reaction or any sign of confirmation that what Milan was implying was true.

Taking my silence as confirmation, Levi turned around to try and calm himself down, pacing up and down the kitchen and releasing shallow breaths.

Milan and Maxim both started cursing violently in Russian, depicting exactly what they were going to do to Emiliano when they got their hands on him.

At this point a few tears slipped past my defences, making their way down my black and blue cheeks. Andrei was staring at the wall in front of him, fists and jaw clenched.

"Where is he?" He asked sternly, not breaking eye-contact with the wall. Milan and Maxim went quiet, waiting eagerly for my response. Levi had long since disappeared to the gym, probably to let off some steam.

"Tell me little sister, I'll fucking kill him." Maxim growled.

Talking for the first time in a while, my voice was slightly hoarse with the effort of keeping my tears at bay, "I left him at his apartment after kneeing him in the dick." I quickly spewed out, not registering what I was exactly saying, "He backhanded me because another boy flirted with me, then choked me when I tried to leave." I said sternly, growing angry at the recollection of the past hour.

"son of a bitch!" Milan cursed, "I'll castrate the bastard." His accent shows through on his pronunciation of the word 'bastard'.

I look up to Andrei, noticing his unusual silence to find he's already looking down at me. His blue eyes are hard and cold, swimming with violent urges, though when they met mine they softened significantly.

He reached out a hand to stroke my cheek, wiping away a few stray tears. Wordlessly, he dragged me to his chest and wrapped his arms around my frame, sheltering me from the world outside of his protective arms.

"Are you okay, Car? I'm so sorry I wasn't there, we never should have trusted the little boy." He said into my hair, voice turning gravely as he attempts to insult Emiliano as much as possible.

I chuckle at his efforts, nodding my head in his chest as a response to his question. "We okay to hunt down this fucker?" He asks in a hard tone.

"Absolutely." I reply, "Once you get him, leave some fun for me." I tell them, making Milan and Maxim grin psychopathically at me.

"Of course, little sun." Andrei replies, kissing me on the top of my head before stepping away and pulling out his phone, immediately barking down orders in Russian.

Maxim and Milan both kiss me on my head as well before muttering quick 'sorry's' for leaving in such a rush.

Without anymore hesitation, Milan, Maxim and Andrei grabbed the keys to their cars and holstered their guns and knives. With one final conformational glance towards me to make sure I was okay to which I nodded softly, they left the house each with murderous expressions on their faces.

Well... that went well.

Letting out a big sigh, I walked into the foyer, looking around the big empty house. It was dead quiet.

Deciding to get a hold of myself, I went up to my room and ran a shower. I grabbed some sweatpants and one of Milan's hoodies and stripped out of my slightly bloodied clothes.

As soon as the warm water hit my skin, the tension in my muscles began to relax and unwind. I did my best to wash away the events of today, but knew deep down that the months I spent with Emiliano could never fully dissipate.

Getting out of the shower and pulling on my clean clothes, I blow dried my hair and let it fall in its natural state, the dark strands reaching my waist.

Opening my bathroom door, I stop in my tracks, a small smile drawing on my face.

Waiting on my bed was a guilty looking Levi, in dark blue plaid pyjama pants and a black hoodie. His white blond hair a stark contrast to his dark attire and neck and hand tattoos poking out from his hoodie.

As soon as he spotted me, his eyes softened and he made his way over to me. As he got closer I opened up my arms waiting for him to scoop me up, which he did.

Holding me tightly to his chest, he spoke lowly into my hair, "I'm sorry for running off like that, sweetheart."

"It's okay, Le." I mumbled back, pulling away from him slightly to see him grinning widely at my forgiveness.

"I brought ice cream, facemasks and Netflix... wanna have a sleepover?" He asked hopefully, excitement apparent in his voice.

"Yes!" I squealed, jumping into his arms as he carried us back to my bed and switched on my TV, putting on White Chicks whilst handing me a tub of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food ice cream. "Gods, I love you." I voiced, staring lovingly at my ice cream.

"Aw, I love you too, Car." Levi replied sarcastically, placing a hand over his heart as the psychopath dug into his Cherry Garcia flavour. Ew.

I rolled my eyes at his antics and continued enjoying my ice cream, slowly forgetting about my throbbing bruises.

Halfway through the movie, Levi asked to do the facemasks he brought, to which I happily accepted.

"Hold still whilst I put it on!" I scolded Levi as he wouldn't stop twitching his nose.

"It tickles! I can't help it!" He said exasperated, throwing his hands into the air for dramatic effect.

"Okay... done!" I finally announced, admiring my handiwork. We both had clay face masks painted onto our faces, looking like something out of a horror movie.

"Bitch my skin will be glowing tomorrow morning." Levi said smugly, admiring his face mask clad skin in his phone camera, taking some pictures of us together.

"The actual fuck." A voice sighed from the doorway.

Levi and I snapped our heads over to my door, seeing Milan, Maxim and Andrei standing there, amused smirks on their faces.

"Aha... hey guys." Levi and I chuckled, already mentally confirming we were the disappointments of the Russian mafia family.

Surprised? Nah, not really.

The perfect end to an overall bad night was just what I needed to momentarily forget about Emiliano's existence.

When Andrei, Milan and Maxim found Levi and I cuddled in bed with our face masks on, we eventually convinced them to watch a movie with us, resulting in all 5 of us crammed in my bed. I was lying between Levi and Maxim, Maxim lying beside Andrei and Levi beside Milan.

There was still a slightly tense atmosphere leftover from what happened a few hours earlier, though I knew better than to ask about it right then and ruin the moment. I would have to ask tomorrow morning what happened with Emiliano...

I eventually fell asleep like that, cuddled between my big brothers and falling into a dream of nothingness. I don't usually dream, I often find my sleep to be empty and void of memories or aspirations. I don't mind it, it just feels like when you go to bed in minecraft, it's dark for a minute and then you're up again.

It's come to the point where I'm comparing my own life to a block game.

Opening my eyes as the light streamed through the curtains we forgot to close last night, I notice all my brothers still draped across my bed, completely knocked out.

I smile to myself at the sight, Levi somehow having turned himself completely over, so now his head is resting at the foot of the bed and his feet dangerously close to Milan's face.

Andrei has his back turned from everyone else, obviously wanting his own space even in his sleep yet Maxim has managed to drape a leg over his body.

I carefully hop out of my bed, careful to not disturb my sleeping beauties, and grab my phone from its charger to take a few pictures.

Now that my daily dose of blackmail has been acquired, I headed over to my closet to pick out an outfit for the day and brought it into my bathroom. I took a quick shower, only washing my body as I washed my hair the previous night, and got dressed for the day.

Picking out some pieces of jewelry, I slipped those on as well and grabbed my shoes.

After 30 minutes of getting ready, my brothers were still passed out on my bed. I smile appreciatively at them, remembering how they all took the time to cheer me up last night as they always have done.

*5 years ago*

Arriving home from school, I tried my best to put on a blank face as I entered the house.

During lunch break today, a few girls from my class decided to make their opinions about me known to the entire grade.

Apparently I'm an ungrateful bitch who doesn't appreciate the brothers she has and is the hideous adoptive sibling who doesn't fit in anywhere.

I know they're only jealous of my situation, but sometimes I can't help but believe their words considering the awful start to life I've had in my 12 years.

"Carlotta?! Is that you, are you home?" 20 year old Andrei calls from somewhere in the house.

"Yeah it's me." I call back, trying to hide the hurt in my voice, just wanting to go to my room and sob in my bed.

I didn't hear any response, so decided to quickly make a pit stop at the kitchen for some comfort food, ice cream being the obvious choice.

Before I can make it to the fridge, heavy footsteps sound from down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"What's wrong baby? Who do I need to kill?" Andrei's deep voice sounds from behind me, sounding stoic and deathly calm as usual.

I turn to face my oldest brother, tears threatening to fall and lips wobbling with the force of holding in my sobs.

As soon as Andrei sees my state, his face immediately softens and he comes rushing over and pulling me into his chest, my legs dangling above the floor from our height difference.

"Oh, sweetheart. Shh it's okay." He mumbles into my hair as I finally let my sobs escape my throat.

Andrei picks me up properly before taking me into the lounge and sitting me on his lap on the sofa. He drapes a blanket around the both of us and whispers comforting words in my ear as I attempt to calm down and let the worst of my sobs out.

Eventually I calm down enough to be able to speak, "I'm sorry." I whisper slightly hoarsely.

"Never apologise for crying, Car. Sometimes it helps to scream and cry and break things before thinking rationally, never apologise to me." He replies, tightening his hold on my shaking form. "Now do you want to tell me what happened today?" He asks, slightly more sternly but still softly.

"Some girls at school said I didn't fit into our family," I began, "that I was the hideous adoptive sibling and I'll never have a place anywhere."

Andrei's arms stiffened slightly around me and I could feel his breathing becoming slightly heavier under my head where it rested on his chest.

"Listen to me, Car. You are none of those things, you've always been a part of our family, even before we found you. Before you came into our lives there was something missing from our family. After our mother died, that hole in our family gaped even wider. It was always her wish to have a baby girl, and here you are Carlotta. Family isn't always blood, sweetheart, and you sure as hell are our sister so don't let any jealous bitch tell you otherwise." He says fiercely, kissing me on the top of my head.

I smile into his chest, nodding my head at his words and chuckling a little at his finishing statement.

"Now, let's get your brothers and have a movie night, hm?" He asks, as I lean from from his hold to look up at him.

I smile whilst softly nodding my head, my tears glistening with shed tears. Andrei chuckles and wipes my cheeks dry, "so fucking adorable" He mumbles quietly, offering me a rare smile.

Snapping myself out of one of my most prized memories, I continue downstairs, painfully aware that my father is home after a long day and nights work at one of our warehouses.

Gods, I've already dealt with 4 older brothers, now I need to deal with my mob boss father. Great.

My father, Luka Vasiliev, is a terrifying man. Being the mob boss of the Russian mafia, he has no mercy for anyone who crosses him. That and his 6 foot 6 ginormous frame and dark intimidating features.

With me however, he's probably the biggest softie I've ever met.

"Dad?" I ask hesitantly, as I spot him working on his laptop on the kitchen island.

As soon as he hears my voice, his head whips in my direction and a look of relief washes over his features.

"my baby, are you alright?" He asks as he gets up from where he's sat and wraps me in a big hug, his frame practically swallowing mine.

I nod into his check and hear him sigh out a breath of relief. "Your brothers told me what happened, I promise you I will find him Car and I'll rip his balls from his-"

"Dad, wait, what?" I cut him off, before he got too graphic in his description, "What do you mean when you find him? I thought Lani, Lev, Maxi and Andi found him yesterday. Is he not detained at one of our warehouses?"

"We couldn't find him." A deep raspy voice says from behind us.

I turn around to see all 4 of my brothers looking at us tiredly, obviously just having woken up from bed and come down to hear the last part of our conversation.

"We went over to his apartment and the fucker was gone. So was most of his shit. It was like he was expecting us." Milan continued.

"Why the fuck would he flee, he's never been afraid of you guys before." I exclaimed, pissed at his cowardice.

"Language." Andrei scolds me sternly, "The fuckers always been a coward, he's just had you to hide behind before."

I mentally roll my eyes at his hypocritical ways, and try to process what I've just been told. It doesn't make sense. Why would he flee after I ended things with him? Not to have a god-complex or anything, but also yes to have a god-complex, I would've expected him to grovel at my feet the next day, apologising and asking for me to take him back.

"We'll keep searching for him дорогой, we won't let him get away with this shit." My dad reassures me whilst kissing my forehead gently, right above where my eye has begun to bruise.

"Now, I'm fucking starving, what do you want for breakfast Car?" Levi asks, breaking the silence.

I smile at him, "I can make everyone pancakes, if that's good with everyone?"

A chorus of yes's (and a "fuck yes baby" from Levi) told me all I needed to know. I got out the ingredients I needed to make pancakes and got to work, Maxim helping me as the primary chef of the household.

As I'm measuring out the flour, I peek a glance over to what Maxim is doing. He's currently on his phone, smirking at whatever or whoever he's texting.

Hmm. Does little Maxim have a secret lover?

As his little sister, I need to bully him.

I grab a handful of flour and hold it behind my back, slowly walking up to him. "Hey Maxim...?" I ask slowly, a shit-eating grin starting to cover my face.

He 'hmms' and looks up from his phone to acknowledge me, but his face drops when he sees the evil smirk I have plastered on my face.

"Oh shit Car. No. No don't you dare. Whatever you're planning, stop." He starts, backing up from me.

I grin wider and launch my fistful of flour at him, running away before I can assess the damage.

"CARLOTTA!" I hear Maxim roar lividly, as heavy footfalls sound from close behind me.

"I'M GONNA GET YOU YOU LITTLE SHIT! I DON'T CARE THAT YOUR HURT, I'LL DO WORSE THAN EMILIANO!" He shouts, obviously knowing it's soon enough to start making jokes about the dickhead.

I laugh at his threats and continue running through the house, jumping over furniture, and avoiding guards stationed around the house. They send me smirks and winks as I go by, hinting to me where Maxim is and how to get away.

Stan them for clear skin.

"You're getting old Maxim! You used to be good at catching me!" I yell behind me, only enraging him more.

"I'M 20 FUCKING YEARS OLD!" He retorts.

I run and stand on the back of the sofa in the lounge, gaining the high ground. I see him follow after me, skidding into the lounge and glaring at me. He had a large flour stain at the front of his black vest, some of it having drifted down onto his grey sweatpants. His fists were clenched, straining the cords in his neck and forearms. I'm kinda shitting myself.

"Maxim!" I exclaim tauntingly, "Oh my god, is that a grey hair?"

"CAR!" He yells, lunging for me, but I thankfully dodge his attack and continue my escape into the foyer, breathing slightly heavier now.

As soon as I enter I skid to a halt, not having noticed the people present in the foyer. My father and other 3 brothers were standing there, looking at me wide-eyed in some kind of warning. I looked to the front door, where there stood a man and woman, dressed rather formally, badges pinned to their uniforms.

I squint slightly to try to read them, making out the letters 'C', 'P', and before I could see the last one, a loud voice sounded from behind me.

"Carlotta you little shit, I'll kill you!" Maxim raged, lunging at me once again and this time knocking me down, flipping us over at the last second so I don't actually get hurt knowing we're just play fighting.

Laughing slightly, which sounded more like a groan of pain, I look up to my brothers and father, who look between Maxim and I and the two people at the door slightly angrily and worriedly.

Confused as to who the fuck these people are, I look back at their horrified faces and then down to read the rest of their badge.

'S'

My eyes widen dramatically.

Fuck. My big brother just tackled me to the floor infront of the CP fucking S.