Older Brothers | Mafia Overprotective

chapter twelve - planning the mission

isabella's pov

Monday morning crept up slowly, and as I opened my eyes, yesterday's events rushed back to me in fragmented, uneasy pieces. Lucian had taken care of me after finding out, gently cleaning my wounds before a nurse checked me over. She promised to send the results to my primary guardian, but Lucian insisted she copy him and Dante on the email too.

By the afternoon, the house had been chaotic, everyone shouting, emotions spilling over. I couldn't take it and ended up locking myself in my room. The rest of the day was a mix of calls with Liam, trying to finish homework, and a bit of math practice before I packed my bag for today. I wasn't even sure if I was going to school, but eventually, I fell asleep on top of Don Quixote, my mind still reeling.

Now, as I grabbed the book and threw it into my bag, I decided to get ready, even if the whole morning felt like moving through fog. I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and slipped on my shoes, pulling on the dark blue school uniform—a reminder of normalcy in a world that felt anything but.

I walked down the stairs, feeling a strange hollowness in the silence of the house, and saw Nero and Lucian sitting at the kitchen table. My stomach twisted at the sight of Nero's wrists, completely wrapped in bandages with dark spots seeping through the gauze.

I gasped, the question spilling out before I could stop myself. "Nero... what happened?"

He shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Stayed at the rink too long."

Lucian caught my gaze, quietly pushing a packed lunch across the table and then sliding over a plate of pancakes. "Just eat a little," he urged gently, his voice kind, though I could see the weariness in his eyes.

I sat down, cutting small pieces of pancake with my fork, nibbling slowly. It tasted good, but I could barely focus on eating. My mind was already drifting, and I glanced up. "Where's Vincent?" I asked, noticing his absence.

Lucian gave me a brief look, his brow furrowing. "Not sure." He turned to Nero.

Nero thought for a moment, then shrugged. He pulled out his phone, dialing Vincent's number, but the call was cut off almost immediately. With a small frown, he tucked his phone back into his pocket.

Lucian turned to me. "Are you done?" he asked gently.

I nodded, setting my fork down. He sighed and said, "I'm going to drive you to school today."

I blinked in surprise. "Where's Walter?"

"He's here, but I wanted to spend some time with you," Lucian explained, a small smile softening his expression.

That felt reassuring, and I couldn't help but agree. As I stood up, I gave Nero a small wave. He walked over, his usual serious look melting into something warmer. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Take care of yourself," he murmured. "And text me every five minutes, alright?"

I managed a small smile, nodding, his words grounding me for just a moment.

As we pulled out of the driveway, Lucian glanced over with a soft smile. "You ready for school?"

I nodded, but there was a question gnawing at me. I turned to him, hesitant. "Is everyone... okay?"

He kept his eyes on the road, but his fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel. "Everyone's going through things," he said, his voice thoughtful. "We're mostly mad at ourselves for not knowing sooner."