Mafia Stepbrothers

03| future plans?

Daisy, sensing the tension, decided it was the perfect moment to bring in the cookies she'd made earlier. She'd hoped they would serve as an icebreaker, a simple gesture of kindness to ease everyone into the awkwardness of meeting new people. She rose from the couch and walked towards the kitchen.

Christina watched as her mother navigated the kitchen so easily meaning she had come to his house quite a lot. It made Christina think for how long she had been dating him. she placed the cookie tray on the counter, arranging the treats in neat little rows. The oven clock ticked loudly in the silence, counting down the seconds until she would return to the living room with her peace offering.

She offered the first cookie to John with a shy smile, her eyes searching his for approval. He took it graciously, his teeth sinking into the soft dough with an appreciative murmur. "These are excellent, Daisy," he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

Christina watched as the tension in the room seemed to ease slightly. The other brothers took a cookie, their expressions unreadable, but the act of sharing something so simple seemed to crack the icy facade they had put up. Aidan finally looked up from his phone long enough to take a bite "These are pretty good," he admitted grudgingly.

John set his cookie down on the side table and patted the cushion next to him. "Daisy, darling, come sit with me. Let's give the kids some space to get to know each other." Daisy blushed and hurried over, sitting down next to him, her hand finding his. Christina felt a warmth spread through her at the sight. Maybe this was the start of something good. 

John, seemingly oblivious to the tension, stood up with a clap of his hands. "Why don't we leave these kids to get to know each other?" He winked at Daisy. "I need your expert help in the kitchen."

Daisy's eyes lit up, and she set her half-eaten cookie on the plate. "Of course, John." She took his outstretched hand, and the two of them disappeared down the hallway, leaving Christina with the five Grey brothers. The silence was deafening, the only sound the crackling of the fireplace and the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner.

The brothers looked at Christina, their expressions ranging from mild curiosity to outright hostility. Aidan spoke up first, his voice a low rumble. "So, what brings you to our neck of the woods?"

Christina took a deep breath. "Mom and John are dating," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "They thought it was time we all met."

The room was quiet for a moment before James looked up from his phone and snickered. "So, you're the new girlfriend's kid," he said, his voice dripping with condescension.

Christina felt her cheeks burn. "I guess so," she mumbled, focusing on her cookie.

Aidan leaned back in his chair, his arms folded across his chest. "So," he began, his eyes never leaving Christina. "What do you think of our little family?"

Christina took a sip of water, her throat dry from nerves. little, yeah definitely "It's...different," she admitted. "But everyone's been nice." She offered a tentative smile, hoping to ease the tension.

The brothers exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable. It was Lucas who spoke next. "Don't let James get to you," he said with a smirk. "He's just like that with everyone."

Christina offered a weak smile, hoping her nervousness wasn't too obvious. "Thanks," she murmured, taking another bite of her cookie. The sweetness of the sugar helped to soothe her nerves a bit.

Though it seemed less awkward than before, she still couldn't process all of it whole heartedly. Aidan seemed cool while Davin seemed better than others. James and Justin weren't really someone whom she would dare to mess up with. Lucas seemed unbothered by everything.