I Want You Close, I Want You Closer

Chapter Five

You sigh internally, psyching yourself up in the car as you punch the numbers in to allow you through the iron gate and up the driveway to your childhood home. You park behind Leo and Mathias's car, happy that they arrived before you so you don't have to spend unnecessary one on one time with your father.

Angelo invited you over for Sunday dinner, claiming he had something important to discuss with the three of his children, and he wanted to do it over a nice meal.

Which you laughed at. No meal any of you shared since he cheated on your mother was "nice."

You suck up your pride, deciding that there was really no getting out of this one, and made your way inside. Your brothers were on the couch watching TV in the living room, and at your entrance, the three of you exchanged the same "I can't believe we have to be here" look you normally do every time your father has you all over.

His housemaid, Dawn, comes to summon the three of you to the dinner table, where you dig into your meals without waiting for him to be seated.

Angelo sits down about ten minutes after you and your brothers start eating, frowning a little that you didn't wait for him.

But really, what did he expect?

You and your brothers used to have an amazing relationship with your father - he was always there for you, never threw money at you, always was considerate, kind, and respectable. You didn't quite understand the family business as children, but as you grew up, it got even harder to grasp the possibility that your down to earth father could be capable of such heinous things.

Until he cheated on your mother.

Then his true colors came out. He was selfish, only did things for show, made it look like he was a family man but really - how could he claim to be one if to the rest of the world he had no children?

You originally didn't carry his last name for protection - technically that was still true - but you and your brothers knew that by now, it was by choice.

"So dad" Leo says when he's finished his own plate, smart ass smirk on his face. "What brings us over this time?"

Your father frowns, wiping his mouth with a napkin before he says "I would like it if you could protect your sister a little more."

Mathias raises a brow and says "What do you mean?" at the same time that you say "I can protect myself."

"Clearly not." Angelo says. "Not according to Danny."

Your heart drops into your feet.

Danny wouldn't.

Except he probably fucking did.

"Danny?" Leo scoffs. "What does that egghead know?"

Your father looks right at you when he says "Danny tells me that there was an incident last week at a club. He ran into you and your boyfriend and that your boyfriend beat him up."

So maybe he didn't tell your father everything.

"And?" Mathias asks. "Danny probably deserved it."

Your father ignores him. "He also told me that your boyfriend is Shawn Mendes."

That fucking useless creep.

Leo and Mathias both look at you a little in shock, but you remain unfazed under your father's scrutiny.

"And? So what if he is?" You challenge, taking a sip from your wine glass.

"Well, it's now Leo and Mathias' responsibility to make sure you don't continue to see Shawn. At all."

"Like hell it is," Mathias says.