"You've disappointed me, son."

Damien held back a sinister growl as he tightly gripped the arms of his chair, stopping himself from lashing out at the pathetic man he once called his father.

"No. Let me rephrase that, you've disappointed us. She's been here for several months, yet you still haven't secured the document. Surely the little brat has told you where it is."

Veins practically bulged out of Damien's forehead as he listened to his father belittle her.

No one was to belittle her.

"Don't you fucking dare Archer." Damien dangerously sneered, leaning forward in his seat.

"Don't you fucking dare speak of her like that. You are nothing compared to her, ​feccia."

"You treat your poor, old father with such disrespect, boy." Archer mused,a smirk falling upon his lips.

"​Tuttavi, devi ricordare chi è responsabile qui."​ Archer's tone held a sudden darkness.

Much like Damien, Archer's temper was little to none. He was a dangerous man capable of dangerous things.

The fate of his mother was proof of that.

"You forget how easily accidents can happen, especially to that little Charlie. Related or not, the kid holds everything I want, everything we want."

"I would hate to have to ask the child myself, and you know how persuasive I can be. It would be a pleasure, really. You know I'm always up for a little bit of fun."

The aging man relaxed back into his seat as if it were a throne, a triumphant grin plastered onto his face.

Charlie was his weak spot. She was all of theirs.

"She's a little girl Archer,​ un bambina. You harm her,and that lives on  in your consciousness forever."

Not that he had one.

"I will get what you need but make no mistake; if you even think about hurting her for your greedy desires, I will not hesitate to put a bullet through your skull."

With that, Damien stood up and left, leaving his smirking father behind.

"​Proprio come sua madre."

•

Charlie gripped the straps of her large backpack as she waited patiently for her brother outside the school, jumping when she felt a little hand on her shoulder.

"You need to relax a little, fairy." Mason giggled.

The boy placed both hands on her shoulders and brought her into a little hug.

"You're going to be fine," Mason whispered, sensing the girl's nervousness surrounding their prior conversations.

"And do you know why?"

Charlie shook her head, looking up to her friend with her big doe eyes.

"Because you, my fairy, are brave. The bravest fairy in the whole wide world."

"What's this?"

Charlie's eyes widened slightly at the deep voice of her older brother.

Turning around, she looked up to see an unimpressed Oscar standing, not even a meter away with a raging Atlas at his side.

"Monkey. Here. Now." Atlas demanded, reaching his hand out for her to take.

Charlie hesitated slightly, he looked angry. And angry Atlas was no fun.

"Go, fairy." Mason encouraged squeezing her hand one last time before letting go and giving her a little push forward. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Charlie nodded, offering a kind smile his way and then turned back to her bewildered brothers. "Was that-" Oscar stopped himself, taking a calm, deep breath, "a boy?"

The little girl looked up to Oscar, having to stop herself from rolling her eyes. They were a bit dramatic, considering they were both boys too.

"No, it was a unicorn."

Oscars' mouth gaped a little at the sassy comment.

This was a new Charlie.

"All right, cheeky monkey. Enough of the back chat. Are you ​friends​ with that boy?" Atlas narrowed his eyes at the little girl though he couldn't help but grin slightly, she was too adorable not too.

"Yep, that's Mason," Charlie informed, taking each of their hands in her little ones.

Both brothers shared a look before carrying on their interrogation, "And why does this Mason call you fairy, hmm?"

Charlie looked up to Oscar and shrugged. She didn't really know the answer to be honest. "He said it was b-because I was little and quiet, but sometimes I think he forgets my real name." The five-year-old explained, letting out a little giggle at the end.

"Oh, the fucker definitely knows your name." Atlas all but whispered.

It was too early for this. He wasn't supposed to start worrying about boys for at least another decade.

But no, the five-year-old had to go and get herself a little boyfriend still in her baby years.

"A-are you both a-angry at m-me?"
Both brothers' expressions softened at the little angel's question, "No, monkey. Not at you, at least." Atlas gently reassured using his thumb to caress the back of her tiny hand.

Charlie couldn't help but frown a little. She adored Mason. He was kind and funny and always made her smile, so why did her brothers act so hostile towards him.

"Bu-But, Mason's done nothing wrong."

Charlie pouted, peering up at Atlas. "Don't you dare give me those eyes little girl, nothing will change my mind about that little fuc-"

"Excuse me."

All three siblings looked forward to see a tiny little woman hobbling in front of them.

Oscar plastered on his signature charming grin and aimed it towards the older woman.

"Good afternoon, ma'am." The twenty-two-year-old grinned, slightly bowing his head in respect.

"I couldn't help but notice you three from across the street. I must say you make a gorgeous couple. Your daughter is absolutely beautiful."

Atlas choked back a cough as Oscar's eyes widened, and before any one of them could protest, Charlie intervened with a cheeky smirk on her lips.

"Thank you, Miss! My daddies both appreciate it too." The little one grinned, swinging both their arms while tightly gripping on to their hands.

The older woman smiled, giving the little girl a wave and then departed, leaving the two disgusted brothers and the triumphant girl alone.

"You." Atlas glared down at Charlie.

"Oh, god." Oscar shook his head in disbelief running his hand over his face while letting out a groan.

"You little shit." Atlas reached down and grabbed the girl throwing her over his shoulder, gaining a few weird looks from people walking down the street.

"You will never speak of this again, do you understand me, monkey?" He questioned, giving her a threatening look.

Charlie giggled, shaking her head in protest as she hung upside down over her brother's shoulder.

This was way too good to just forget.

"Please, baby girl, it would make Oscar very happy if we just forgot about it." Oscar cooed kneeling, so they were face to face except Charlie's was upside down.

"Ice cream."

"What?"Atlas mumbled, moving her to sit on his hip as her little face soon became red from being upside down for too long.

"If we go get ice cream, I won't tell." Charlie bargained sneakily. If they were going to be difficult about Mason, then she was going to be difficult about this.

Tit for tat.

"You're a little brat. You know that?" Oscar teased, grabbing the toddler from Atlas's hold and throwing her up in the air, gaining loud giggles from the girl.

"Let's go get the princess ice cream then."

•

Charlie smushed her face up against the large window, her eyes widening at the sight of the New York Skyline.

Her little button nose was turned up dramatically, making her look like a little piglet.

It had been a week since her brothers had taken her to get ice cream, of course as soon as she got home, she'd told Leo everything.

He had found it just as amusing as Charlie did.

"You work here?" The little girl questioned in awe.

It was fair to say Charlie wasn't used to fancy businessman Leo. More like big brother Leo who would tuck her into bed at night and make sure she ate all her veggies.

"I do, baby girl," Leo spoke, a soft smile now evident on his face.

"You like the view?" The older brother cooed kneeling, so her little body stood in between his legs, nodding Charlie placed her hand up against the glass.

"The clouds are all beautiful."

Charlie raised her little finger outlining the different shaped clouds littering the sky.

"That one over there looks like Atlas when he's angry." The five-year-old giggled, pointing to a frowny-shaped cloud.

Leo grinned at his cheeky little sister, placing a loud kiss to her temple, "It does, doesn't it."

Charlie nodded, pointing to another, "And that one looks like Paul when he wakes up with his morning hair."

"But don't tell him." She soon added, not wanting him to run away again.

Charlie then looked to a particularly misshapen cloud and then to Leo with a mischievous glint in her eye, "I'm sorry to tell you this bubbie, but the blobby cloud over there looks a bit like you." Charlie whispered, cupping her hands around Leo's ear.

Leo playfully narrowed his eyes at his baby sister, giving her an intimidating glare. "You want to say that again, pretty girl?"

Charlie let out an adorable little giggle nodding her head courageously, and before she could open her mouth to repeat the daring statement, Leo brought his hand up to her sides, tickling her gently.

"N-no!" Charlie shrieked in despair, trying to get out of his rock-like hold. "I'm sorry, what was that, Charlie? I thought you were going to say something." Leo teased, not stopping his attack.

"I-I-s-said it looks like y-" before Charlie could finish, she was swooped off the ground and hung upside down by her giant older brother.

"Will a trip to the bin change your mind, you little rugrat?" Leo questioned, walking over to his paper bin and playfully dangling Charlie over it.

"No, Leo!" Charlie half scolded and half giggled.

Leo finally let her down, placing her on the black leather sofa on the other side of his office so she could catch her breath.

"You haven't called me bubbie in a really long time. Do you know that? Not since you were only about two." Leo smiled, running his fingers through her wild locks.

"Two?" Charlie squeaked, looking up to Leo in shock, "I don't remember being two."

Leo chuckled fondly, pulling her onto his lap, "You were only a little baby back then."

"You still are."

Charlie scrunched up her little nose in disgrace.

She was not a baby.

Interrupting their little heart to heart, the door swung open, revealing a familiar smirking face.

"Well, that was just adorable." Damien mockingly cooed, his large frame leaning against the door.

His eyes fell upon Charlie and instantly softened, "Hello, ​bambina.​"

"Don't call her that." Leo glared dangerously, his fists tightening in anger.

"I see you've come to work with your big brother, Charlie. Are you having fun?"

The little girl had the day off due to a teacher training day at her school, meaning someone had to watch her. That someone being Leo when Atlas had already left in the morning and Oscar had to go to an important meeting with one of his suppliers.

"What are you doing here, Damien?" Leo interrupted, his voice stern.

He didn't want him here, nor need him here. Damien was like a snake, ready to strike at any moment, and Leo didn't want Charlie at risk from his venom.

"I've actually come here with a little request for you cousin." He grinned, noticing Leo's unimpressed stare, "Don't worry it's nothing unreasonable, I just want a little family time with Charlie is all. That is if she is okay with that too."

Charlie could feel Leo tense up behind her at Damien's request. In all honesty, Charlie didn't mind spending time with Damien. He was kind to her, and as she and Mason agreed, she had some investigating to do. However, she didn't want to upset Leo, and no investigating was worth hurting her big brother's feelings in her book.

"You must be fucking mental." Leo chuckled in somewhat disbelief, his hands already blocking Charlie's ears momentarily.

"Baby, I need you to go sit with Jeremy for a bit. Can you do that for me?" The older brother asked, lifting the girl and taking her over to his assistant's desk right outside of the room.

Charlie placed a kiss onto the top of Leo's nose in hopes of calming him down a little and then offered Damien a reassuring smile gaining a friendly little wave back in return from her cousin.

Once Charlie was safe with Jeremy, Leo stormed back in his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What the fuck are you playing at, hmm?" The older boy sneered, harshly running a hand through his dark hair.

"You really think I'd let you be alone with her after all the little visits you've been paying."

At this, Damien was a little taken back, though he didn't dare show it. He hadn't expected Leo to know about their little interactions.

It seemed he had underestimated him.

"I presume Charlie told you then," Damien questioned casually, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets.

"No, actually, unfortunately not." Leo chuckled dryly, shaking his head in slight disappointment. "You seriously think you can just turn up at her school and believe no one's going to tell me, especially with the shit I pay them."

Damien simply nodded, not wanting to anger the beast more.

"I don't understand you, Damien." Leo groaned, looking to him with almost desperate eyes. "Why do you wish to spend so much time with her? I swear to god if it's something fucked up I will-"

"What the fuck, man. No." Damien interrupted, disgust plastered all over his face.

"Then tell me, please. Damien, why are you so obsessed with my little sister?" Leo was begging at this point, begging to know why Damien kept on coming back. He couldn't help but feel scared. He would, without a doubt, slaughter anyone who stood as a threat to the little girl, but Damien was different. He was sneaky and devious and cunning in some ways that Leo couldn't match.

Damien could recognise the despair in Leo's eyes and, for the first time in a long time, didn't enjoy it.

"Because Charlie," Damien began, taking a slow step forward.

"Leo, Charlie is ​my​ ​Sorella."

A/N

Hey lovelies sorry this took so long, I've been getting so much school work lately ( A levels are the worst) and I've been trying to edit some previous chapters with the help of the lovely MsFishyLee

I hope you like the chapter and I'm sorry for the little cliffhanger at the end, well not really ;)

Please feel free to vote and comment!

Also thank you all so much for your comments on the second book, I loved to hear all your different ideas!

Right now I'm steering toward a 12-13 year old Charlie and then maybe another book after that more focused on her and Masons relationship when they're older, cause who doesn't love a bad boy book ?

I hope you're all safe and healthy x

Lots of love xx