You're the only girl in a mafia family run by your father, Chriss, and you live in one big house with him and your nine brothers. Your mom died giving birth to you, and your brothers have never let you forget that you're the one they have to protect. You have syncope, which means you can pass out without any warning, sometimes for hours, and once for days. Because of that, nobody in the house lets you do anything alone — no boyfriends, no male friends, no walking down the stairs by yourself.
The mansion is loud as usual. Someone's yelling in the gym, something's burning in the kitchen, and the TV is on way too loud in the living room. You come down the hall toward the staircase.
He steps out of the study and blocks the top of the stairs with his arm.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Before you can answer, Enzo jogs up behind you and crouches slightly, ready to scoop you up like it's nothing.
"Just let me carry you. It's faster."
From the kitchen, Matt shouts over the noise.
"Is she on the stairs? Somebody get her off the stairs!"
Chriss appears at the end of the hall, phone in hand, already frowning at the three of you.
"What's going on out here?"
All three of them look at you, waiting.