Jim Butcher wrote, "There's nothing that makes you more insane than family."

The dude surely knew what he was because as I stood behind the door to my new room, I had already contemplated seven different scenarios in my head of how the conversation with my brothers would go in the morning. Not going out of my room was sadly not an option given that I went back to school today, so finally with all my showy confidence, I opened the door and walked to the dining hall. Marcello and Gabrielé were the only ones present making me breathe out a sigh of relief.

"There you are tesoro", Gabrielé exclaimed joyfully before placing a bowl full of yogurt in front of me, "I was just about to go nag you to come out of your bed. Grazie al cielo you're not your brothers."

[ Thank heavens]

I furrowed my brows in curiosity and finally asked the question I'd wanted to ever since I met them.

"I'm sorry but what language is that you all use?"

Gabrielé fully turned to look at me with a soft smile but his eyes had a hint of question in them, "You don't need to apologize baby. It's Italian. Our family are all Italiani."

"Oh", I nodded going back to my yogurt, "So, do I get to learn it?"

If possible, Gabrielé's smile widened and I had an inkling as to why. I would tell him to lower his expectations because all I really wanted to do was eavesdrop on their conversations in the corridors but I was grateful he or anyone else didn't bring up last night so I let him have it.

Declan and the twins chose that moment to come strolling into the room.

"Of course you do. Infact Declan would be happy to teach you some."

My eyes widened, so did Declan's and we both startled looking at each other and then Gabrielé at the same time with a resounding, "WHAT?"

Ercole snickered beside me and I would have glared at him if Eraldo wasn't sitting right beside him.

"Him?"

"Her?"

Ercole continued with his stupid stream of annoying giggles.

Me being the more mature person, ignored him.

"It'll be nice family bonding time for you guys", Gabrielé said as if it justified the blasphemous act he just committed and turned to look at me, "Declan's not home that often so this way you both could get some get-to-know each other time."

I eyed the tattooed giant with huge eyes. Why would Gabrielé do this to me? This man hated me. He absolutely loathed my prescence in this house if his constant glares were anything to go by.

"Gabrielé I don't have time for this nonsense", Declan grunted as he poured his coffee into a mug.

For once I agree with this dude.

"You're doing it. No questions", Gabrielé glared- glared. I had never seen him to anything other than have a straight face or a huge smile.

Fucking Declan and his depressing prescence. But I couldn't exactly argue with them yet. That would take more time. So instead I went with-

"You really don't have to do this", I partially addressed Declan as well as my second oldest brother, "I'll just learn from Duolingo or something."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because Declan let out a mocking laughter, "Why? So you can go to the pet shop and ask for directions to the groceries? I'll teach you." He muttered with finality before strolling out of the kitchen just as soon as he came.

I didn't even have the chance to argue.

Freaking moody non teenagers.

"Okay, I want you guys out of here in three minutes", Gabrielé told the three other boys before turning to me, "And you're going to follow me so I can introduce you to your new bodyguards."

My face surely turned incredulous. "Bodyguards?"

What am I? The President?

"Yes bodyguards", Gabriele nodded sagely like he was gifting me a unicorn or something, "Now that people know you're a Costa you need extra protection. And our security is pretty good if I do say so myself."

Why was Gabrielé talking so casually about this? What was so casual about a fucking bodyguard. My face must have still been incredulous because Gabrielé continued,

"I know Fed told you some things last night. You should know why we really want you to be safe at all time tesoro."

I nodded slowly, tendrils of unease lingering in the depths but I still couldn't believe it. How can someone's life change so drastically?

"Yeah but bodyguards?"

"Yes", Gabrielé put an end to my musings before dragging me outside. I noticed the boys had already left, "Now come. You need to leave soon."

***

As I sat in the passenger seat with Dean driving a flashy new car, I was grateful for once that I didn't have to enter with my new siblings.

Outside the mansion, Gabrielé had introduced me to a stoic Dean Coulson, a straight faced Rochelle Martinez and one scary as hell dude named Luca Cortez.

Dean would apparently stay close to me while the other two were supposed to protect me from a distance. I was still stuck on the fact that I had three- three people trailing me everywhere I went.

Gabrielé didn't even bother listening to my extremely valid and justified arguments.

"Do you have any preferences?", I curiously asked my driver/bodyguard as I pointed to the aux chord dangling on my fingers.

Dean remained quiet. His eyes stuck to the road.

"Okay", I awkwardly nodded before abandoning the aux all together and connecting my phone to my airpods, playing a random song on it.

School turned out to be way too uneventful and considering how eventful my life had been in the past few weeks, this was something I did not anticipate. I don't know why I expected life to just halt, take a moment and breathe in fascination but what I should have thought twice about was that teenagers with true crime obsessions, detentions and pop star dreams really did not have the time to pay attention to week old news.

So apart from the soft whispers and points everywhere I walked the day was relatively normal.

Until lunch.

Because lunch was when the human shaped insects needed gossip in front of them and not just the ones formulated in their heads.

The first thing on my agenda was a heartfelt reunion with my friends, where I made sure to hug everyone extra tight, because Sandy unfortunately hadn't been able to make it to my new lodgings and I wanted to be surrounded by people of my choosing for once.

"I still cannot comprehend the fact that you are a part of that beautiful clan", Theo mumbled dreamily before narrowing his eyes at my face like he was concentrating on something invisible to the others, "It's true what they say. DNA really does matter if it's related to the X chromosomes or the Y ones because obviously the Ys know what they're doing with those genes."

I slapped the hand poking my now disappearing dimple away, "Fuck you too Theo."

"I'd rather fuck them."

"How are you? How are you adjusting? Are they being nice to you? Because if they're not I-I can talk to them-m. I'll do it. Just say the word and I'll-", Lexi stuttered through the last sentences but even the effort that my pacifist friend put into uttering the sentences made me realize how lucky I really was.

I cut her off with a hug.

"Don't worry Lex I'm fine. They haven't done anything yet and if they ever do I hope you will bake me a few muffins instead of taking up arms against them yeah?"

Lexi's smiling face greeted me in reply and I definitely had accomplished my good deed of the day.

"It's still so weird", Sandy mused as we finally took a place at our table, "They usually don't have a problem with their friend's coming over -the twins I mean- infact Ercole even said yes when Seb first asked but an hour later he called back saying that his older brothers refused. They never refuse."

I curiously turned to look at her, "Is that why I've never seen anybody around? Because a mansion that empty us just creepy you know."

"I just hope the bed is big enough for both of us", Alex smirked leaning forward and pouting his lips as if he wanted a kiss.

I rolled my eyes as a snicker escaped my mouth at his stupid way to alleviate the atmosphere, "My standards are-"

I was cut off as a hand slammed down beside my plate. Cursing I turned around to tell off whoever decided to barge in on our conversation but as soon as I did, all words disappeared from my mouth.

Because there stood a furious Eraldo Costa glaring for the first time, not at me but at the opposite end of the table.

What?