The life of a Mafia princess

• e p i l o g u e •

Third PoV

Bang.

Elena's door collides with the wall. She flinches and hastily turns around. Her eyes land on her grinning brother, leaning in her doorway right away. She rolls them at him and watches mischief light up his eyes.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"I believe I did, Ivano." Elena shrugs and continues to gather her hair together for a ponytail. Her clothes for the day are already on and she's close to being able to leave the house.

An activity she didn't think she would follow through with so relatively soon but the house is starting to feel suffocating. After the endless conversations with her brothers and their constant reassurance, she started feeling comfortable inside of her own home but she can't stay at home forever. She needs to go out and experience all the things she missed out on during the last years. Weirdly enough, Ivano even put this thought into her head and encourages it.

It's weird for her to think about how months ago she came to live in a house she wasn't welcomed in and now she lives in a house that's a home. A home that includes her brothers. Even Ivano.

She never would have believed anyone if they had told her months ago that the brother that was set on letting her know at every possible opportunity that she isn't his sister and not welcome in the house would now be leaning in her doorway and tease her in a friendly manner.

"I suppose you did," he exaggeratedly sighs before changing his entire demeanor, "you don't happen to take so long to get ready because of Leandro though, right?" He teases her and laughs out loud at the expression she makes.

Elena's eyebrows are furrowed and she attempts to look annoyed but the blush on her face betrays her, "I haven't talked to him in weeks, Ivano. And I never actually talked to him before that, so no. I'm not taking so long because of a boy."

"Liar." He grins.

"Ivano!" She throws her head back, groaning, "I'm taking so long because you keep on bothering me."

"I'm your brother. I can't bother you."

"Well, you're bothering me right now so leave or I'll take even longer just to annoy you."

"You can stay in here for as long as you want, Elena," he reassures her, "I'm not the one that's going to drive today."

"Are you staying home?" Elena asks surprised.

"And give you an opportunity to be alone with Leandro? Never."

"We barely talked, Ivano. I'm not even sure if he likes me."

"He does like you. I saw it." Ivano seethes out and another voice interrupts their conversation.

"We need to leave!" Cedro calls from downstairs and she yells back, letting him know that she is on her way.

Ivano continues to stand still in her doorway though, blocking her way. She gestures for him to move but when he doesn't, she just attempts to walk beneath his arm, ultimately bumping into him.

"Watch where you're going." He says annoyed.

"Don't stand in my way." She retorts back and quickly rushes down the stairs. She runs right into Marcello who only through some miracle must be able to keep his balance and not let both of them fall onto the hard wooden floor.