She back with another one...enjoy and don't forget to let me know what you think 💕

~Jordan's POV ~

2 months later

"You're scaring him."

"I'll hit you."

"Do you really want to go there Jordan?"

"No I'm sorry."

Carlotta laughed to herself at my reaction to her warning tone. She might be one of the nicest people I've ever met when she doesn't hate me, but she's still a De Mancuso and therefore still comes from a Mafia family. She could kill me with a spoon.

"You need to be less angry around him." I turned my head to face Carlotta when a rush of annoyance came over me. "I'm not angry!" My attention was brought back to Leo when he whimpered at the loudness of my voice causing guilt to replace my annoyance. "Sorry baby." I kissed his forehead before feeding him another spoon of his food. "Told you."

I sent Carlotta a warning glare before turning back towards Leo. I scrunched my nose up when he spat the banana back out of his mouth onto the table of his high chair. Leo sent me a small grin before attempting to pick the banana up but I quickly shook my head and caught his hands - oh the joys of parenthood. "No baby, leave it." He frowned at the mushed up banana on the table but listened and put his hands back to his side while I finished feeding him.

"Here." I took Leo out of his high chair and passed him to Carlotta who held the grinning 1 year old as far away from herself as possible. "You couldn't have cleaned him up first?" I sent her a small smirk before taking some wipes to clean the the banana off the high chair table. "That's your job."

"I don't like you when you're in your moods."

"I'm not in a mood Carlotta."

I heard her mumble something to Leo quietly while she cleaned him up but I chose to ignore it knowing it was about me. I know she's only trying to push my buttons and so far it's working. In the time I've been on good terms with Carlotta, basically when she found out I was pregnant, she's figured out a lot of different ways to annoy me. You could say we've just become more like sisters which is true because she's been there for me whenever I've needed her since that day when we made up. We may have a good relationship but she always jumps at the chance to annoy me.

Once I'd cleaned up I took Leo from Carlotta and took him into the living room to play with his toys. I sat with Leo trying to keep him happy and entertained although I could feel a headache coming on - probably because I hadn't eaten all day.

"How long is Adrian going to be? I'm starving. It's been two hours." I rolled my eyes at Carlotta's loud voice coming from where she was sitting on the couch trying to find something to watch on TV. "Maybe you should have gone with him and given me some peace and quiet."

"Oh I see how it is." She chuckled to herself before coming over to where Leo and I were sitting on the floor; she kneeled down next to me and held one of Leo's toys out to him causing him to drop what he was holding and snatch it out of her hand excitedly.

"Somethings up with you Jordan." I glanced over at Carlotta who was giving me a look which I couldn't decipher. "Are you sure you're not-" Carlotta was cut off by the sound of the front door opening. The sounds of voices travelled into the living room before Adrian, Matteo and Angelo came in. Carlotta stood to her feet to go and give Angelo a hug, I would have usually smiled but the lack of food in their hands ruined my mood - not that it was good before they got home.

"Where's the food Adrian?" At the mention of the food Adrian let out a sigh before picking up his keys which he had just thrown onto the table. "We forgot. We'll go now." I shook my head and stood to my feet feeling my frustration and irritation peak. "Forget it. I'll just cook something."

I pushed past Adrian who was frowning at my sudden outburst, I avoided meeting anyone's eye as I pushed through them and out the living room door. I made my way into the kitchen and started taking out some random pans and ingredients. I heard the door close behind me but I ignored it and stared at all the ingredients sprawled out in front of me trying to come up with a dish to make.

"What's wrong?" Adrian's voice cut through the silence. "Nothing Adrian."

"Don't lie to me." Instead of responding I walked over to the sink to wash some vegetables hoping Adrian would get the hint that I didn't want to talk to him. But he didn't.

"Jordan." His footsteps came closer to me just as I turned the tap on, but it was still set on the separate hose from when someone used it earlier; causing the water to spray all over me. Adrian quickly turned the tap off but it was too late and I was completely soaked.

I let out a sound of frustration and tried to walk past him but his hands went to my waist to stop me. "Hey."

"What Adrian?!"

"Did something happen?" I scoffed and shook my head trying to push past him again but he just tightened his grip on my waist. "Jordan dimmi, cosa c'è che non va tesoro?" (Jordan tell me, what's wrong sweetheart?)

His tentative tone was enough to push me over the edge; using all my force I pushed him away from me which wasn't very far at all but it was enough to get him to release his grip on me. "I'm fine, okay? Just leave me alone."

I walked past a shocked Adrian and made my way upstairs to change my clothes. I took my time deciding to take a hot shower to calm down before going back downstairs. Leo was in good hands anyway, they'd never let anything happen to him.

You're probably wondering why my temper is so short and it's because it's my brother's birthday today - the one I haven't seen or spoken to since my wedding. He's turning 22 today. He was only 19 when I left. I know it's been such a long time and so much has changed but that doesn't mean I don't think of Riley and Grace all the time. I grew up with them, I love them like crazy and it hurts like hell to imagine that they're both growing up in London without me.

Also, just to add to the problem, I should be getting my period any time soon. Every girl knows it's the worst time of the month especially for the people around you if you suffer from mood swings like I always do. Adrian is pretty used to it now so he doesn't react to what I say if he knows it's my time of the month, he just lets me say whatever I need to say - obviously within reason.

By the time I got back downstairs Adrian and Angelo were busy laying out a number of take away dishes on the table. At the sound of my entry Adrian turned around and flashed me a small smile causing guilt to instantly wash over me after my outburst towards him.

"I got all your favourites, and an extra portion of egg rolls for you." He kissed my forehead before going back over to the table I followed him and sat next down next to him. "Where's Leo?"

"I put him down for his nap and yes before you complain, I've got the baby monitor." Carlotta slid the baby monitor over to me before going back to eating her food - something I had expected from her after the argumentative tone our conversation had earlier. I listened to the random conversations that were going on while I ate my food which, by the way, tasted amazing.

"Thank you, for this." Adrian shook his head while swallowing his food. "It's okay, don't worry about it."

I decided to wait for us to be alone before I apologised for my outburst in the kitchen only because I didn't want to explain why I did it with everyone else sitting with us.

"Jordan, Mia is coming over later to see us. She said she had an announcement or something, you weren't here when she called Adrian to tell him." I nodded in response to Matteo's statement and thanked him for telling me. They all know I hate it when people turn up to our house without me knowing in advance. It's different with Matteo, Angelo and Carlotta because they've been around me since I moved to Italy and we even lived together for all those months in Florence when I was pregnant with Leo. They're my family now. Mia however, isn't - yet.

We get on really well, it took some time for me to get used to having her around and I'm still not as comfortable around her as I am with everyone else but only because she hardly spends much time with any of us since she's a model like Carlotta she's always away; I can actually count the number of times I've seen her since she turned up a year and a half ago. Adrian and I think she still spends a lot of time with his parents but she doesn't tell us because of what happened between Adrian and his father. It's a bit suspicious. Oh and she's super annoying when she's around me - it's just her personality that gets on my nerves sometimes.

An hour later Leo was awake from his nap and was busy playing with Matteo when Mia rang the doorbell. Adrian stood up from his place next to me on the couch to open the door and seconds later returned with Mia grinning widely behind him. I can't lie and say it didn't irritate me. Because it did. Probably because of my awful mood which will only get worse with her happy go lucky presence.

I sent her a small smile while Carlotta did the same. I actually don't know if Carlotta ever forgave Mia, if she did they're not the same as they were before when they were so close. That's probably down to the fact we never really see her and she obviously betrayed her sister when she left.

"So-"

"You said you had an announcement?" Mia's eyes met mine hardening slightly after I cut her off to stop her going on and on for ages which I knew she would do, before quickly softening again. "Yes actually, I do."

Apart from Leo's babbling the room fell silent while we waited for her to tell us whatever was important enough for her to make a rare appearance.

"I'm getting married."

It took Adrian a moment to understand what she said before he quickly stood to his feet. "Married to who, Mia?"

"You guys can meet him in a few weeks when he comes to Milan. You'll love him."

I could tell Adrian wasn't happy with what she said, but he wasn't about to ruin his sister's moment of happiness either. Angelo and Matteo both congratulated her before I finally did too. Her eyes met mine and she sent me a wide smile, her eyes lingering on me for a second longer than they needed to.

"How did you manage to find someone to deal with all of that?" Carlotta gestured at Mia before looking down at Leo who had crawled over to her. "Oh please. I'm not that bad-" I let out a small scoff at this causing Adrian to send me a glare. I knew he was thinking it too but oh well.

"- He loves me anyway." Mia's eyes narrowed at me before she returned to her full smile and turned to face me completely. Like a predator staring at its prey.
"Anyway, how are you Jordan?"

"I'm okay." I kept my response short and curt which didn't go unnoticed by anybody in the room. "You don't sound very okay..." I resisted the urge to tell Mia to mind her own business knowing it wouldn't go down well at all.

"She's been in a bitchy mood all day." I glared at Carlotta who was shaking Leo's rattle infront of him keeping his undivided attention. "No I haven't! I'm fine Carlotta." She nodded and sent me a sarcastic smile. "Of course you are."

"Carlotta." Angelo's warning to Carlotta in attempt at diffusing the situation went ignored when I stood to my feet feeling all the anger and frustration take over. "I wouldn't be in such a bad mood if it wasn't for your God damn family Carlotta so don't use that tone with me."

The room fell dead silent while I glared at Carlotta who eventually slowly stood to her feet too. I didn't want to listen to anything that anyone had to say so I made an attempt to pick Leo up off the floor but a hand on my wrist stopped me. I turned to my right to see Adrian glaring at me, the same look Carlotta and Matteo were giving me.

"Our fault? How the hell is your bitchiness our fault?" I didn't respond to Matteo's question, instead my eyes stayed locked on Adrian's. His brown eyes were so full of emotion - anger, concern and confusion.

"You're just a selfish-" Carlotta's impending rant was cut off by Angelo who also stood up off the couch. "Carlotta! Leave it, let's go."

"No." Once again all eyes were on me as I pulled my wrist out of Adrian's grip, I turned to look at the rest of the angry faces, not missing the glint of satisfaction in Mia's eyes probably from knowing her family once again hated me.

"Tell me how this is selfish Carlotta. The reason I'm in such a bad mood is because it's my baby brother's birthday today. The same brother who I was forced to leave to come and live here. You've all got your family around you, all four of you are blood siblings and Angelo is basically Adrian's brother. But you think I'm selfish for being in a bad mood because I'm missing yet another important occasion in my family. I've already missed multiple birthdays and my sister's wedding - that's if she even got married, I haven't spoken to her in over a year and a half, and whatever else I don't know about. And since you want to talk about being selfish; they don't even know about Leo! They don't know they have a nephew or a grandson - they have the right to know. But, if all that's selfish in your eyes Carlotta, then I don't want you, or any of your family, around my son because your morals are screwed up."

If I wasn't in such a bad mood I would have taken a bow because that was the best thing I've ever said.

Once again the room fell silent, my last words lingered in the air and I knew I would have cut each and every one of them deep with my last line. Because it was absolutely true. They're all part of the mafia one way or another - all their morals are screwed up; they can't deny it. I'm just pretty sure anyone with the courage and the stupidity to say it to them would be dead in seconds, but because it was me it makes the situation a whole lot crazier.

I used their shock as an opportunity to pick Leo up who was completely oblivious to the tension in the room and with a toothy grin showed me his favourite rattle like I'd never seen it before.

I sat back down on the couch and kissed Leo's forehead while placing him on my lap. I know you're probably thinking I should have made a hasty exit and I probably should have but then I'm stubborn and it's my house. They can leave.

"Jordan...I.." I shook my head at Carlotta indicating I didn't want to hear whatever she had to say. She eventually took the hint and soon left the room followed by Angelo who came to me to place a kiss on Leo's head. Mia and Matteo followed behind Angelo leaving me alone with Adrian - the one person I didn't want to face. As soon as I'm face to face with him I'm pretty sure my confidence will drop.

Leo continued babbling and mumbling in an attempt to interact with me. Adrian just sat in silence next to me on the couch but made sure to keep a distance between us. "Papa." The tense silence was broken when Leo tried to get away from me to go over to Adrian.

Eventually he managed to break free out of my hold and crawled across the couch to Adrian who seemed to be trying to mask whatever emotions he was feeling at that time with a smile. "non è il momento di andare a dormire?" (Isn't it way past your bedtime?) Leo didn't even acknowledge what Adrian said - not that he would understand, and instead showed him the rattle which he showed me.

Adrian was busy with Leo for a few minutes so I decided to tidy up since it was getting pretty late. I'd just finished up in the kitchen when Adrian called me and I left the kitchen and found him coming down the stairs.

"He looked like he's about to fall asleep so I put him upstairs in the nursery." I nodded and made my way past him heading upstairs. Neither of us made any attempts to speak to each other which just brought my mood down to the lowest possible. The one thing I can't deal with is being on bad terms with him, I love him.

I wiped away a few tears that silently fell down my face before opening the nursery door. Leo was half way through a small yawn when I walked up to the crib, his eyes landed on me and he reached his arms up towards me.

"Are you ready to sleep baby?" He rested his head on my chest when I picked him up out of the crib. I quickly changed his diaper and put him in some better clothes to sleep in before placing him back in the crib. By this time he was out like a light.

Adrian and I avoided each other for the rest of the evening, not that there was much left of it. I finished off tidying up in the living room before going upstairs to get ready for bed. Adrian only made an appearance when I was finally just about to get into bed.

"You shouldn't have said all of that tonight Jordan."

I continued getting the bed ready, fluffing the pillows properly is something I have to do or I just can't sleep.

"I'm not in the mood for a lecture Adrian."

"I'm not going to give you one." His statement caught me off guard and I looked up at him in confusion. "You're not?" He shook his head and came over to me. "I should have known about your brother before tonight happened, I'm sorry. I forgot." He wrapped his arms around my still frame which was motionless from the shock from what I just heard.

"What?"

Adrian sighed and let go of me so that he could speak to me properly. "You heard me. I'm not saying it again." I cracked a small smile at the irritation in his voice. "I'm not angry at you Adrian, if I was I would have said something to you earlier. I didn't want to say all of that but Carlotta-"

"She pushed you, I get it. Just be careful next time, I don't really need you being on the bad side of my siblings. That's just too much stress." I nodded and kissed his cheek before turning towards the bed but Adrian pulled me back into his arms and kissed me on the lips softly. "Do you want to call your brother?"

It took me a moment to comprehend what Adrian had just said. He gave me my phone back a long time ago after my conversation with Grace, but he never let me call my family after that. "I don't know. You were right to keep them away, it's not safe for them to be in contact with me, or safe if they know about Leo - anything can happen. But they are my family..."

"Call him. I was wrong to keep them from you, it's never too late to try again with them." Adrian passed me my phone off my bedside table which I tentatively took out of his hands.
"What if he doesn't want to talk to me?" I couldn't hide the worry in my voice, it was the one thing that would really hurt me. If I tried to speak to Grace or Riley and they pushed me away I would be heartbroken.

"You don't know if you don't try."

I found Riley's number in my contacts, my thumb hovered over his name until I finally pressed it. Adrian made a move to leave, probably to give me some space but I grabbed his hand before he could. I needed him with me for this. The dial tone rang and after each ring my anxiety increased and increased until it stopped.

"Hello?" The sound of his familiar yet foreign voice filled the silence.
"Who is this?" His question brought me out of my daze, I glanced unsurely at Adrian again who nodded in encouragement for me to speak. "Riley...it's me, Jordan."

My little brother stayed silent, all I could hear was his breathing on the other the side, my palms were sweaty and my heart was racing with anxiety. I opened my mouth to speak again but before I could get a sound out, my phone beeped three times and cut off, my screen showing the call had ended.

He was gone.

Hi guys! Thank you so much for reading. If you've got the time I'd love to hear what you guys think about what I should do for my next story, check my last authors note, just so I can write something everyone would read. Thank you ❤️