Older Brothers | Mafia Overprotective

chapter ten - (not so) party time

As I slipped out of the house, a bag slung over my shoulder filled with clothes and makeup, I passed by Lucian. Of course, he was standing by the front door, and naturally, he had to question me.

"Hey, stop," he said, his voice sharp. "Where are you going?"

I took a breath, already prepared with my answer. "I'm meeting Vincent. We're going to the movies later."

He looked at me for a second, pausing like he was trying to figure something out. Then he gave a slight nod, as if he'd decided it wasn't worth pushing. "Alright," he said.

I gave a quick, casual smile and walked out before he could change his mind. Once outside, I pulled out my phone and texted Walter, who was already nearby. Less than a minute later, his car pulled up.

As I got into the passenger seat, Walter gave me a smirk. "What's in the bag, trouble?"

"Only the essentials," I said with a wink. "A killer outfit, some makeup to look less like death, and enough supplies to survive a girl's night."

He laughed and shook his head. "Girl's night or war zone? Sounds intense."

I snorted. "You don't know the half of it. Ever had to fight over the last hair curler at a party? It's every woman for herself."

Walter raised an eyebrow and grinned. "You make it sound like some kind of gladiator arena."

"With more glitter," I quipped, pulling down the sun visor to check my reflection. "And tears, lots of those."

As we cruised toward Amaya's house, Walter tapped the steering wheel in rhythm with the music playing in the background. "So, what's the plan tonight? Party hard? Drink 'til you drop?"

"Not *exactly*," I said with a grin. "First, we get dolled up, then we drink, then we party. It's a whole process, very strategic."

He gave me a side glance. "And Vincent's cool with you partying?"

I shot him a look. "Vincent doesn't own me, thank you very much. Besides, he's the one who got me into this whole 'going out' thing in the first place."

Walter chuckled. "Fair enough. Just don't drink anything that glows in the dark. That's always a bad sign."

"Noted," I said with mock seriousness. "I'll stick to boring drinks that won't melt my insides."

We pulled up to Amaya's house, and I waved at Walter as I hopped out of the car. "Thanks, chauffeur. You're the best!"

He smirked. "Try not to get too wild. And if you do, I want all the details later."

I flashed a grin. "You wish."

As Walter drove off, I turned toward Amaya's house. The door swung open, and instead of Amaya, I was greeted by her older brother, Derek. He leaned casually against the doorframe, smiling. "Hey, you must be Isabella, right?"

"That's me," I said, giving him a nod. "Is Amaya around?"

"Yeah, she's upstairs," he said, pointing down the hall. "Fourth room on the right. The other girls are already there too—Sophia, Luna, Mia, and Annabelle."

I nodded, remembering the names from my first day of school. "Thanks, Derek."

"No problem," he said with a grin. "Good luck up there."

I gave him a quick smile before making my way upstairs. As soon as I reached the door and stepped into the room, a chorus of screams erupted. Before I knew it, all five girls rushed toward me, enveloping me in a massive group hug.

"Oh my God, you're here!" Annabelle squealed, hugging me the tightest.

I couldn't help but laugh as they all clung to me. "Okay, okay, I'm here! You can stop squeezing the life out of me now!"