Charlie

We were back home now, well, the mansion. Sam was in her room after a very long discussion from Adam and our grandfather about the importance of safety, where my grandmother sat in the room nodding the entire time, an annoyed look on her face. A look I never wanted to earn. 

"We had to send everyone out to look for you. That put many of us in danger, we look out for each other in this family", She had said rather harshly, as Sam stood there with no emotion on her face. People may think she was rude and a bit of a brat when in reality she just wasn't the sort of kid to show them, the sarcasm was new though. She has never been that sarcastic with me other anyone else before. She kept a wall up from everyone, even me, and refused to show if she was upset or sad about something, rather it would wait for it to be something serious for her to show some sort of facial expression. 

She nodded and headed up to her room, Max and Aiden showed her the way as she reluctantly followed them down the hallway, looking back at me with an odd expression, as if she was shocked I had let her leave my side. I needed to let her experience other people and learn to trust others except from me. And of course James and his mother, Juliet. 

I hadn't called them in a long time and I think we should probably have a catch up of some sorts, just so I knew that they are okay and vice versus. Juliet was like a mother to me and James was like a little brother, he always managed to make Sam laugh which was a very rare thing, so whenever they could hang out together, I would always make it happen. I got my phone out and started heading down the hallway, passing Raymond and a cousin as they both stared at me, the same look of curiosity in their eyes, questioning who I was calling. 

Ring, Ring, Ring.

Speak of the devils. What a coincidence.

"He-", I started saying before I was cut off by a very worried James, rambling on about Juliet and a shot of something. Rum? Juliet always loved rum. I quickly went into the bathroom down the hallway and asked him to slow down, locking the door behind me and speaking in a hushed tone.

"James, James, slow down, I don't understand a word you are saying", I asked him quickly, my nerves coming out as I started to chew my lip. After a few moments of quick breathing from both sides of the phone, I tried to settle my nervousness. 

"What's going on?", I asked him calmly as I heard him crying on the other side of the phone, though he seemed to be trying to muffle it up. 

"Mum got shot", He said quietly as my eyes widened.

"What do you mean she got shot?", I asked him quickly, my hands gripping the phone tightly in my hands. He kept crying, this time sobbing for a moment. 

"We went to the address you gave us", He said quietly as my breathing stopped completely, my heart sinking like I was on a rollercoaster. I sat down onto the toilet seat as he kept talking.

"There were guys with guns there. Like really big guns that I had never seen before. We just made it before we realised she was hurt. I drove her to the hospital but I'm scared Charlie, where are you? Can you come here?", He asked me as I hit my head gently against the wall.

"I can't James, I really want to but me and Sam are out of town, I should of told you that we moved before you went and got into this mess", I said apologetically as James suddenly went quiet. 

"Where out of town?", He asked me as I shook my head. It was silent for a few seconds before James started to shout down the phone.

"You left town because of those men right? The ones who shot my mum, but you didn't think to tell us before we went to see you, to check if you and Sam were alright", He yelled down the phone, his voice becoming higher due to all the crying. 

"I'm sorry James, I didn't realise you and your mum would come and visit us so quickly otherwise we would of told you we don't live their anymore", I said back quickly in a whisper, a few tears falling down my own face. I couldn't lose another mother. Juliet was all I had within being an adult, I talked to her about Sam all the time, and she would tell me what to do, how to fix it. 

"Sorry really doesn't do anything unless you come here right now", He said to me as I sat for a moment, thinking about the likeliness that Sam would go into panic if she knew someone she loved was hurt. 

"James, it will takes hours to get there", I said to him quietly once again, worried that a brother had his head to the door. 

"My mother might only have hours. Either get here soon or never come at all", He said with determination in his voice as he hung up the phone, messaging me the hospital as soon as he hung up. What the hell was I going to do?

Tears were falling faster as I felt a sense of nausea down my throat. It soon travelled up and sprayed into the toilet as I knelt on the ground. Being sick and crying surely wasn't healthy for you. 

"Are you alright?", I heard someone's voice outside the door. It was a mans voice so at least I knew it wasn't Sam. 

"I'm fine", I said quietly as I wiped my mouth, drinking water straight from the tap. 

"You don't sound too fine, is that you Charlie", They asked me again as I laid on the bathroom floor. I had two choices, tell the others about James and Juliet and hope for the best that they will let me go and see them or choice two, take Sam and we can go together to see them. 

Choice two seemed tempting. I wouldn't have to worry about questions and my private life would stay private. However, Choice one seemed the most logical as Sam would say, and I also wouldn't have the entire Italian mafia out looking for us. Sam seemed to have taken a liking to Scar face so she would question it all the time, she also knew now anyway so she will know that something is wrong even if I didn't tell her. 

"The doors locked Charlie, can you let me in please?", They asked me calmly as the door handle moved up and down, getting quicker as I sat in silence. 

Choice one it is. 

"I'm alright, one sec", I said, building the courage to tell and ask the others when I open the door. I felt as if I was opening the door to my trust, that when I do, it will be like the first step. I got up slowly and hesitantly opened the door. 

It was my grandfather stood at the door with his expression that used to be one of dislike to one of worry and concern. 

"Were you throwing up Charlie?", He asked me he tried to look past me, as if there was some sort of mess inside of the bathroom. 

"Yes", I said with a fake smile as he shook his head, putting his arm around my shoulder and guiding me towards the kitchen. 

"What is on your mind?", He asked me gently as he pulled a cigarette of his pocket and balanced it on the side of his mouth, fumbling through his pocket for what I'm guessing, is a lighter.

"Okay, I need a favour", I asked him, slowly becoming more confident with telling him what was wrong, something I didn't do with anyone but Juliet. 

"A friend of mine got hurt in England and their son wants me to come over and make sure everything is okay", I told him quickly as he turned to me, putting his hands on either shoulders.

"You do realise the danger that is going on in the UK within our Mafia at the moment?", He asked me as I shook my head, unaware completely. 

"Well, lets just say we got into some bother about a drug cartel which we own, suddenly they got too big for their boots and decided to go independent", He said as he shook his head, lighting up his cigarette. 

"So?", I asked him confused, that this was what all the fuss was about. 

"So? They are one of the biggest in the country, having control over that gives us a very big advantage. It gains us revenue and shows to the competition how big of an advantage we have. So if they ever wanted to plan something, they would give up before the notion even comes to head", He said with a grin, flicking me on the head jokingly. I nodded in agreement before turning to him.

"So, can I go?", I asked. He waved his hand at me as he walked off.

"Sure, but Sam stays here. No argument. Take Raymond and a cousin with you, I'll let you pick", He shouted back down the hallway, turning to me at the last second and giving me a small wink. 

Right. James, here I come.