I was jolted awake by loud banging on the door. I already knew it was Raffaele. Today, we had to tell Dad about what happened yesterday, though we planned to omit some details.

In our world, people would betray their siblings for a chance at power. But for me, my siblings were worth more than any amount of money or influence. I knew that when my brother overthrew Dad and became the next leader, I would stand by him as his Enforcer, through thick and thin.

My brothers were my only companions growing up. Dad was straight out abusive until we became just like him. Killing people without blinking an eye, torturing them to get information. I lost a part of me along the way. I forgot what it was like to feel any emotion other than hatred, detachment and satisfaction at a job well done.

My brother was not much different. He'd also lost his genuine warmth in his eyes. He'd often try to protect me from my father's cruel training, but I was to be an Enforcer so I didn't get much mercy either. Gabrielle is the only one among us who hasn't completely lost the light in his eyes. We swore we'd do anything to keep it that way.

About 15 minutes later, I walked into the kitchen and found Raff making pancakes. He glanced over his shoulder at me.

"Wake Gabe up. He'll be late for college if you don't," he instructed. I nodded and headed to Gabe's room.

As I entered Gabe's room, I found him still asleep on the bed. The room was tidy and well-organized, reflecting his usual meticulous nature. Gabe lay under a neatly tucked navy-blue blanket, his head resting on a pillow that looked just as orderly as the rest of the room.

The bed was positioned against the wall, with a couple of soft pillows arranged at the headboard. Above him, a few framed posters adorned the wall—one of a mountain landscape, another of his favorite band, and a motivational quote in bold, inspiring letters.

His desk was close to the bed, with a sleek laptop closed and a small stack of books neatly placed on one side. A desk lamp, with a warm yellow light, was turned off, but it looked like it had been used late into the night. Next to the desk, a corkboard was pinned with various notes, reminders, and a few photos, giving a glimpse into his daily life and interests.

On the floor, a pair of sneakers sat neatly by the door, ready for the day ahead, and a gym bag was tucked away under the desk, out of the way but within easy reach. The tall bookshelf against the opposite wall was filled with a mix of textbooks, novels, and a few personal items—souvenirs, a small trophy, and a model airplane Gabe had likely built when he was younger.

The room had a serene atmosphere, a quiet place. Right now, it was still, the only sound being the soft, steady rhythm of his breathing as he slept peacefully.

I approached the bed quietly, not wanting to startle him too much. For a moment, I watched him sleep, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room.

“Gabe,” I called softly at first, but he didn’t stir.

I leaned down a bit closer, giving his shoulder a gentle shake. “Gabe, it’s time to get up. You’ll be late for college.”

He groaned softly, turning over and pulling the blanket up over his head. “Five more minutes,” he mumbled, his voice muffled by the blanket.

I couldn’t help but smile. This was classic Gabe—never a morning person. “Raff’s making pancakes,” I added, hoping the mention of breakfast might coax him out of bed.

That seemed to do the trick. He sighed, then slowly pushed the blanket down, revealing a head of messy hair and sleepy eyes squinting up at me. “Pancakes, huh?” he muttered, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

“Yeah, and they’re probably getting cold. Come on, you need to get ready,” I urged, stepping back to give him some space.

With another sigh, Gabe swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up, his feet touching the cool floor. He stretched, yawning as he did, and looked around the room as if orienting himself to the day ahead.

“Alright, alright, I’m up,” he finally said, though he didn’t sound entirely convinced. He stood up and ran a hand through his hair, trying to tame the wild mess it had become overnight. “Thanks for waking me,” he added, giving me a small, grateful smile before heading toward the closet to grab some clothes.

“No problem,” I replied, watching as he began his morning routine. “Just don’t fall back asleep while you’re getting dressed,” I teased, knowing how tempting that might be for him.

He chuckled softly, already pulling out a t-shirt and jeans. “I’ll try my best,” he said, shaking his head slightly as if trying to wake up fully.

With Gabe now up and moving, I headed back towards the kitchen, the smell of pancakes growing stronger as I approached. Raff looked over as I entered, raising an eyebrow.

“Is he up?” Raff asked, flipping a pancake onto a growing stack.

“Yeah, he’s up,” I confirmed, sliding into a chair at the table. “Though you might want to keep the coffee ready, just in case.”

Raff smirked, nodding knowingly. “That bad, huh?”

“Let’s just say the pancakes were the only thing that worked,” I said with a grin.

Raff chuckled, setting down the plate of pancakes on the table. “Well, at least he’s up. That’s half the battle.”

After breakfast, we made our way to the main mansion where Dad lived. The guards let us through upon recognizing us. We soon parked and headed to Dad's office, which was where I figured he'd be.

We knocked on the door. 
"Come in!" Dad's voice called from the other side. I glanced at Raffaele, who gave a slight nod before opening the door and stepping inside.

"Dad, we need to talk," Raffaele said with a cold, detached expression.

Dad gestured for us to continue, his chin resting on his clasped hands. He listened intently as Raffaele recounted the whole story, carefully avoiding the details about the drugging of the underage woman, as well as the subsequent attack on us. We had agreed to leave those out.

Dad's gaze was calculating and unsettling. It was clear he was formulating a plan, and we had unwittingly provided him with the perfect opportunity. This was not going to end well.

"While I'm proud of you for taking out a New York Mafia member, you’ve stirred up quite a mess," he said with a sickly smile. "We can't afford to let this escalate into a long-term war. To prevent that, we'll need a peace treaty. And for that, a marriage will be necessary."

Both of us froze but managed to keep our composure.

"You want me to marry some New York woman?" Raffaele asked, his voice rising slightly. I subtly nudged him under the table, hoping he’d temper his reaction. Dad would relish making things worse if Raffaele lost his cool.

"Oh no," Dad said with a smirk, "that wouldn’t be much of a punishment. Instead, he will be the one offered in marriage." He nodded in my direction. "The woman will be thrilled at the chance to marry the future Enforcer of the Italian Mafia."

Damn it. Raffaele was right. This was Dad’s way of asserting his dominance over us.