Lissy Romano

49| Crazy brothers.

Santino Romano

After we reviewed the camera footage, everything became clear. Two punks approached Lissy, and though we couldn't hear their words, her expression said it all—fear and sadness. My blood boiled. Whatever they said to her was enough to leave a mark, and I knew I'd make sure they'd regret even looking in her direction.

But what surprised me was Xander. He'd punched one of them square in the face, defending my little sister. That's something I won't forget.

"We can't let her go anywhere without one of us or Dario," Dante growled, slamming the office door behind him.

"That's so fucked up," I muttered, shaking my head.

Later that day, we found both boys. Now, they sat tied to chairs in one of our basements, their faces pale with fear. Dante wasted no time, landing a brutal punch to the one who spoke to Lissy. His head snapped to the side, blood trickling from his mouth.

"Dante, let me have some fun too," I said, stepping forward with a calm fury simmering beneath my skin.

"What did you say to her?" Dante barked, gripping the boy's throat as he gasped for air.

"I—I didn't say anything!" the boy sobbed, his voice trembling.

"I think you're lying," I said before slamming my fist into his jaw.

The other boy, desperate to save his own skin, blurted out, "He told her that she didn't...that she didn't suck Cole's dick today, and that's why he was mad. I didn't say anything though!" Tears streamed down his face as he confessed.

Snitch. Normally, that'd be a problem, but right now, it was useful. His disgusting friend was as good as dead.

"And you still want me to believe you didn't say anything to her?" I asked, my hand already reaching for the knife in my pocket.

"No, no! He did! He called you and your brothers crazy—said she couldn't go anywhere without a bodyguard!" the other boy admitted, his voice shaking.

Another snitch. Good. Both of them sealed their own fates.

Lissy Romano

Volleyball practice felt endless, and I was running on fumes. At least the oversized hoodie hid my arm. I couldn't let anyone see—not Dario, not Vi, no one. Dario sat on the gym bench, keeping watch as always.

After practice, I headed to the bathroom, feeling nauseous and drained. My body was shaking, sweat clinging to my skin, and my head spun with every step. Something was wrong—really wrong.

Before I could make it to the bathroom, my legs gave out, and I crumpled to the floor. My vision blurred, and though it came back moments later, the dizziness didn't fade. I tried to get up, but my body refused to cooperate.

Someone crouched in front of me, their voice soft but concerned.

"What happened, baby girl?"

It was Xander. His eyes searched mine, scanning for injuries.

"I...I was just dizzy," I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.