We Were Villains

4

My heart quickened; this was fucking impossible.

"This isn't possible. My mother didn't have any more children."

Heidi sighed. "Okay, what I'm about to say next is going to be overwhelming ..." she paused for a few seconds, but I wished she'd spit it out already. I don't have much patience, not when it comes to this, when it's about me. "Your mother had a brief relationship with a man named Lorenzo La Rosa before she met Micheal. Lorenzo had been married to a woman named Sofia, and they had three sons. Your half brothers."

"You must be mistaken. I've never heard of this, these names, ever."

"The DNA test proved otherwise, Alessia."

"Why didn't I ever hear of them? Why did my mother keep me away from them? She never said anything ..."

"When you were three years old, Dahlia took you and fled from Lorenzo. We call that parental kidnapping. Dahlia lived in Mexico until you were two ... when she met Michael and married him."

I ... I couldn't process this.

"So ... Michael isn't my biological father?" I asked, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks. I didn't know how to feel about that, goosebumps forming on my arms. That monster wasn't my father.

"No, your biological father is Lorenzo La Rosa."

"You said Angelo was on his way from New York. Where is my father?"

Heidi frowned. "I'm sorry, Alessia. He passed away in a car accident five years ago."

For some reason, despite never meeting the man, it saddened me. I would never know what having a caring, doting father would feel like. One that doesn't rape and beat his supposed daughter.

+++

Angelo.

I had an older brother named Angelo.

Apparently, I had two other brothers too.

Mattia and Luca.

I always wanted siblings.

But three older brothers?

Somehow I didn't feel good, my heart thundering in my chest. What if they hurt me like he did? I had no idea who these men were. They were complete strangers.

A man entered the interview room. He wore a black leather jacket, dark jeans, and a white t-shirt underneath. His dark coffee eyes searched the room until they landed on me.

"Hello, Alessia," he said in a deep, husky voice. "I know you don't remember me, but I'm Angelo. Your oldest brother."

I swallowed my nerves and nodded to him. "I didn't even know you existed."

His lips twitched with amusement. "Well, I exist."

I rolled my eyes, and before either of us could say another word, the door opened again, and Heidi stepped in. "Angelo, I assumed you'd wait in the front."

Angelo furrowed his eyebrows. "Why would you assume that?"

"I asked you to," she mumbled, holding up some papers. I smirked when my older brother shrugged, not seeming fazed at her dismay. "I have some papers you must sign before officially becoming Alessia's guardian."

My brother nodded, clapping his hands together. "Okay," he said and sat across from me, taking the pen from Heidi's hand. "I have a social worker checking out the house as we speak. My brother Mattia is showing him around."

Heidi nodded. "Good, good. Alessia, how are you doing? Do you have any questions?"

I shrugged. "I just ... am overwhelmed. Worried, I guess, about the school and stuff." Stuff, as in, are these people going to hurt me?

Angelo stopped signing and glanced up. He reached out and gently took my hand. "You have nothing to worry about. We'll figure it out," he murmured and smiled softly. Heidi moved her hand to her heart. "We'll figure out school and everything else when we get to New York."

I hadn't even considered moving to New York. Angelo caught my eyes and seemed to understand my thoughts. "Don't worry, New York is amazing, and you'll love it." What if I don't, though?

I didn't say anything, doubting it. I hadn't lived in a big city before. I didn't know what my anxiety would be like with lots of people everywhere and lots of noise. I watched as my brother finished signing documents - making Angelo my guardian.

Heidi glanced down at me. "That's all we have. You're free to go, Alessia. I don't believe the police have any more questions -"

"If they have more questions, you can contact my lawyer, Francis Lavella," Angelo stated coldly. Heidi swallowed, nodding. She looked terrified for a second before it disappeared from her expression. Angelo glanced over at me and smiled. "Are you ready to go, bambina?"

I would need to practice my Italian. I smirked. "Si, fratello."

Angelo grinned and held out his hand. I took a deep breath and reached for it, trusting him without hesitation.

+++

Thoughts on Angelo?

He's not the typical mafia brother, that's for sure. 

What stereotypes/ tropes do you want to see broken in the mafia genre?! What do you want to see more or less of?

Chapters will likely be shorter to allow me to update more frequently.

Vote. Comment. Thanks for reading - Charlie 🧡