Keeley's POV
I'm not sure how long I had spent outside with my father, but by the time I got back to my room, I was exhausted. I kissed Gus goodnight and got comfortable for my first night in this new house, this new bed, and my new life.

***

I watched him circle me like a predator closing in on their prey. This was the third time I had seen him since I've been in this hell hole, and I'm not even sure how long that had been. I stopped counting after two months.

"Ya know Kitten, we wouldn't have to chain you up and gag you if you would just be compliant," he spoke in a cold and malice-filled tone. His taller and stronger frame was standing in front of me, looking directly into my emotionless eyes. His dark brown eyes were roaming my body, taking in the bruised and bloodied state at which I was in. I could tell I looked rough: my clothes were ripped to shreds from the different weapons his men had been using on me, and my ribs were achey and broken from the beatings they had delivered. My body looked like it had been painted with the number of bruises scattered across my pale skin. My blonde hair was now stained red from my own blood, and my face, I don't even know if I wanted to see myself in this state. 

"What no response? Oh that's right, you can't," he let out a bone-chilling laugh that made my blood run cold. I will never be able to forget that awful sound.

He walked closer to me and gently ran his fingers down the length of my arms and back up to my face. I tried to jerk away, but my hands were chained to two poles above my head and my feet were barely touching the floor, allowing him to do whatever with my body. "Now Kitten, what have I said about moving away? I own you now, and there is nothing you can do about it," his hot breath whispered into my ear before taking a step back.

I couldn't take our closeness in proximity anymore, it was making me nauseous. So with all the energy left in me, I pulled myself up by the chains and kicked my legs up, succeeding in landing a solid kick to his nose, ultimately breaking it. He didn't scream, and he didn't yell. The only thing heard was the sickening crack of his nose. He looked at me with a sinister smirk and spoke lowly: "Wrong move, Keeley. Nixon," he turned to one of the men that regularly beat me, "get me my whip."

***

I  woke up gasping and drenched in sweat. I felt a few tears escape my eyes as I tried to shake off the dream. Gus came up to me and laid his head in my lap to help slow my breathing and make the tears subsided. I haven't dreamt of him in months, and the thought alone was enough to make me nauseous. I shot up out of my bed and emptied last night's dinner into the toilet. I could still feel his calloused and dirty hands on my body, so I dragged myself into the shower.

After cleaning myself, I shakily changed into old and tattered, black sweats with a sports bra and a black zip-up jacket. I finish tying up my tennis shoes and call for Gus.

We walk down the stairs, after I had tucked my gun into my waistband, and into an empty living room. For once, I'm glad nobody is around solely because I don't know if I could handle a normal conversation after that dream, or really, a memory.

I open the back door for Gus to use the bathroom. Once he went outside, I headed to the kitchen to make breakfast.

I poured myself a bowl of cereal, but the moment I go to eat it, I just can't. I know I'm hungry, but I just can't kick the queasy feeling inside of me.

"Morning, Keels," Cal greets me. I must have been spaced out because I didn't even hear him come in.

"Morning," I respond so quietly I doubted he even heard me.

"Everything okay?" His voice sounds like he knows I'm not, and his face only confirms my theory, but he doesn't even know what happened to me, much less the details. And as selfish as it may seem, I'm not telling him.

"Yep," I manage to say, but my voice falters slightly. I pick up my bowl and walk out the door, handing the cereal to him on the way out. I don't even look at him before heading outside to get Gus.

***

"So this is it?" I ask Nick while looking up at the enormous house. Somehow when we all piled up in the cars for training, I got put in Nick's car. Great.

There were so many arches and windows, this house seemed weird to be plopped in the middle of the forest.

"Yep. Most of the men live here and most of the men have no manners when it comes to women. So don't wander off, got it?"

"I can take care of myself, Nick. Don't worry about it," I tell him as I hop out of the car and let Gus out of the backseat. When I turn around, his broad frame is towering over me and his face shows he didn't like my little comment.

"I'm serious, Keeley. This isn't a joke." He looks so serious, but it's a different kind of serious. If I didn't know better, I would say it almost looked like he cared.

"No shit, Nick. I get that." I know he's just trying to look out for me, but as of right now, I'm a little on edge and would rather not listen to his commentary.

I saw the other brothers pull up and stumble out of their cars. When we all walked into the house, I immediately saw very large men scattered around the room cleaning their weapons, watching TV, and some still asleep on the couch.

Nick cleared his throat and it was like all noise stopped. Everyone stood up, even the ones that had previously been sleeping, and looked at him, but their eyes slowly moved to me. I made sure my walls were up and my eyes were cold to mask any emotions that had previously been on my face. Right now I looked like a soldier, nothing else.

"Unless you have business to attend to this morning, everyone needs to be in the gym for training. Now." At his command, everyone started bustling around and getting started on what I believe will be a long day.

My brothers lead me down a maze of hallways and staircases till we eventually reach a large, metal door. Callan pushed it open and we all filed inside.

After a few minutes, all of the men were finally gathered and Nick began to speak.

"Listen up! This is Keeley, our little sister," he shouted. You could see every man's head turn towards me and size me up, probably thinking that I am weak and could be easily taken down: big mistake. "She's home for good now, and today she will be training with us. If you've got a problem, speak up now."

I let my eyes roam over the crowd until I saw one man take a few steps forward. "Come on, Nick. You really expect us to train with her? No offense, Kid, but you're tiny. I'd kill you with one punch." I gave the man a once over. His brown hair and light eyes were attractive, but because he opened his mouth, he couldn't be uglier.

I chorus of laughs filled the room till Nick cleared his throat again. "Well then, Pat, I'm sure you wouldn't mind sparring with her later?"

Everyone looked at Pathetic Pat. "I'm not worried. That little blonde thing should be," he laughed out. This time, no one laughed with him. Each of my brothers looked quite pissed off at the moment.

"That is enough," Callan seethed. Cal didn't speak much around other people, so I knew for a fact this caught all of them off guard.

"Let's get to work. Keeley, just join in."

***

Two hours later, I was sweating pretty bad, but I haven't felt this good in a while. For just about every exercise or obstacle we had been given, I either was first or came in close. I had even set a new push-up record for this unit: 206. I was feeling pretty good.

"Alright, I know we're all tired, but we only have 30 minutes left. Keeley, step in the ring," Nick instructed me. I felt my muscles tighten.

I'm an idiot. I knew I wouldn't be able to fight in this jacket, yet I only wore a sports bra. I wasn't ready for everybody to see the pain that was spread across my back, but now I have no choice because I hate fighting in a jacket. Fighting in jackets only leads to mistakes.

I walked over to Callan and handed him my shoes, yet another thing I hate sparring in, and slowly took off my jacket. I put it in his outstretched hand meanwhile keeping my body rigid and my face stern.

Once I enter the ring, I look at my brothers and their faces all hold something different. Cal looked angry, Finn looked sad, the twins were confused. But Nick, I couldn't tell what he thought, and that scared me.

"Pat, please join her in the ring," Nick said after a moment had passed. "This is a no weapons fight. So whatever you have on you, give to someone else."

I took the gun out of my waistband before giving it to Finn who had walked up to the ring.

Pat climbed under the ropes and looked at me like I was just a little girl: I didn't like it.

"Rules are simple: no weapons, no serious injury, first to tap out wins. Fight."

If it was one thing I learned at Mount Reform, it was fighting. They put you through so much torture and so much pain, that when you're told to fight, you're no longer human. You are a machine. You fight till there's no one left, you fight till you completely forget everything else. I hate doing that. It leaves me exhausted and completely wiped. But yet again, I have no choice as it has become second nature. I can't control it.

Pat made the first move as he came barreling towards me. I sidestepped him at the last minute and knocked him to the floor by kicking the side of his knee. I resumed my stance and waited for him to get back up. I could hear every single man laughing at his expense.

He approached me, and this time, landed a punch to the right side of my face. Good. Let him make me angry. He'll get what's coming to him.

The next time he pulled his arm back, I laid into him. Punch after punch and jab after jab, I wasn't going to lose. And apparently, neither was Pat because he wouldn't let up either.

His moves and attempts to land a punch or kick on me were becoming weak, and I felt like he going to soon tap out with the right hit until I felt a sharp cut go straight into my side. I fell backward and looked down at my side then to the knife in his hand. He had sliced my skin and made me bleed. I had been managing to keep my anger under control, but he decided to cross the line. And when people cross that line, I turn into the person Mount Reform made me out to be: a killer.

Bring it on bitch.

Nick's POV

"Man, she's doing really good," Finn commented next to me as we watched her in amazement.

"She looks mean," Sam muttered to himself. All of us nodded in agreement as she landed yet another solid punch to Pat's face.

"I know I'm really impre-," I was cut off by a strangled yelp coming from the ring. I turned and saw Keeley on the ground with blood dripping down her side. I looked at Pat and saw a knife with her blood on it in his hand.

"That's against the rules you little bit-" Callan began to say, although he didn't get to finish his sentence as Keeley was suddenly back up. Only this time, her honey-colored eyes were dark brown and her face looked extremely agitated. I can't say I've ever been scared of Keeley, but at this moment, I was terrified. This will definitely end poorly if she stays in the ring any longer.

"Get her out of there!" I yelled, hoping someone would hear me. As men piled in the ring, she took down each one with a max of two blows to either the head or the gut.

I had never seen one person take on so many people at one time and handle themself so well. It was almost as if with each punch, she became stronger, like she enjoyed the pain she was inflicting.

Some of the men managed to get a good hit on her, but even with being stabbed, it was clear no one was skilled enough to make an impact, much less stop her. I looked at Cal.

"I'll distract her while you get her from behind." He gave me a slight nod and we both entered the ring. Finn, Sam, and Donnie were trying to get everyone who had been hurt out of the room.

"Keeley, you need to calm down!" I yelled. She looked at me and for a moment, it was like she had realized what she had done, but it was gone so quickly I'm not even sure it happened.

She took off towards me, but Callan quickly stepped in and grabbed her from behind. She was kicking and punching, trying to do everything in her power to escape, but Callan's massive frame managed to keep her from leaving. He gently lowered both of them to the floor and began whispering something into her ear.

It took a few minutes, but by the time everyone had gotten out of the ring, Keeley's eyes had returned to their normal golden color.

When she came back from the trance she'd been in, she gasped for air and looked around frantically before her eyes landed on me. She looked scared, weak. Keeley looked like she couldn't believe what she had just done, and to be honest, I couldn't either.

One last look of fear passed through her eyes right before her eyes fluttered shut and she lost consciousness.

"Keeley?" I rushed to where she and Callan were across the ring and tried to shake her awake, but Keeley was out cold. My eyes traveled to her side where a pool of blood had successfully formed beneath her.

"Finn, call Dr. Russo!" I yelled frantically and Finn immediately ran into the other room with his cell phone pressed to his ear.

I stroked her head as Callan stood up with her in his arms. "You're going to be okay, baby sister. It will all be okay."

***

"Nicholas, what the hell happened here?!" I heard my father yell. All of my brothers and I were sitting in the hallway outside of the medical wing waiting to hear from Dr. Russo.

I stood up and started to approach him. "Listen, Dad-"

"You know the rules! All of you do! There is no bloodshed aside from a bloody nose or a small cut when we are sparring. Does that not make sense to you? To any of you?" He was yelling so loud you could hear the window glass rattle.

"This wasn't Keeley's fau-"

"26 men are injured and one is currently unconscious! Not to mention the unbelievable amount of blood in the ring? How could you let that many people-"

"Just shut up for a moment will you!" I screamed back. I was worried sick about Keeley, and not even once had he asked how she was doing. All he did was comment about the amount of blood on the floors.

"Keeley is in one of these rooms currently being treated for being stabbed because one of the men decided to go against the rules and use a knife. Keeley went bat-shit crazy and became more of a killing machine than anything else. She single-handedly took down all of those 26 men and Callan was the only one able to calm her down. So instead of freaking out over some blood, how about you worry about your damn daughter!"

Shit, I actually just said that. He looked at me with anger in his eyes, most likely for yelling and calling him out in front of everybody. It took him a moment, but eventually, he asked me how she was while unbuttoning his black suit jacket.

"We don't know. She's been back there for an hour and Dr. Russo hasn't come out yet." He looked around at all of us with an odd look in his eyes as he rubbed his beard.

"Well then, I guess we'll wait." He walked past me and sat down in an open chair.

He's not used to having a daughter. With us boys, he has always just told us to toughen up, but with Keeley, he's never known how to handle her. She's always been so strong-headed and I don't think any of us know quite what to do when she needs something.

We all reluctantly sat back down in the chairs and waited for an update as silence surrounded us all.

Keeley's POV

"Ah, she's waking up," I heard an unfamiliar voice whisper. I struggled to open my eyes, and once they were open, I was very confused.

Sparring, knife, black-out rage, Nick. Shit, that little punk stabbed me.

I looked up to see an older, Italian-looking man watching me with a small smirk plastered on his face.

"Who the hell are you? And can you stop the smiling thing?" I managed to say in a hoarse voice. I looked around and saw a bottle of water on the nightstand. I snatched it into my hands and downed the whole thing. When I looked towards the man again, he had a full-on grin.

"Can I help you with something? And where are my clothes?" I saw an old t-shirt and jeans sitting on the table across the room that I'm assuming were for me. I felt a small twinge of pain in my side as I stood up, but nothing too bad.

I made my way to the clothes and pulled the curtain around that corner of the room so I could change. I saw that my right side had white gauze taped to it. Nice.

I peeled back the curtains after I finished dressing and saw my shoes at the base of the bed I had previously been laying in. I slipped them on with minimal pain and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gus sitting against the far wall.

"Salve infans!" Gus came trotting over and gave me a big kiss as I scratched his ears.
(Hi baby)

"So I see you feel no pain," the Doctor finally spoke.

"Nah, not really. I've had worse. Where is everybody, and who are you?" I ask him while hugging Gus on the floor.

"I'm Dr. Russo, the residential Mafia doctor. Your family is at the end of the hall. You have a rather long wound, but luckily it's not that deep, so it didn't need stitches, and you had passed out because you basically exhausted yourself while kicking 26 highly trained men's asses." I looked at him and let out a small laugh at the thought of a tiny girl like me taking down 26 grown men.

"Well that's great and all, but can I leave? Not that I don't enjoy your company, but I am rather hungry." All he did was smile and gesture to the door. I yelled thanks as Gus and I walked out the door and down the hall. I could see all of my brothers and-was that my father?

"Oh Keeley, thank God," Finn sighed as he jumped up to hug me. I didn't feel comfortable with the affection as he squeezed a little too hard on my side and it made me let out a small groan.

"Finn, don't squeeze her!" Nick yelled. Now everybody was standing up and starting to bicker over hugging me and how I was just in "critical condition."

"Guys," I said. Still no answer and only bickering.

"Guys!" I tried again. No one paid any attention to me as their voices started to rise and they stood taller.

"BOYS!" This one thankfully got their attention.

"I'm okay. It wasn't a deep cut. I just would really like to eat now if that's okay?" I ask while letting out a small laugh. Who knew after being stabbed I would be in such a good mood and actually cracking jokes? Fun times.

"Let's go eat, yeah?" my father spoke. I looked at him and his eyes were soft, not their normal icy blue. Was he actually worried?

We all walked out of the big house after some protest and got in the cars from which we came.

"So, where are we going?"

***

We pull up to a local diner about 15 minutes later, and it looks packed. For a minute I'm confused as to why, but then I remember I've been up since 4, and training and my little incident only took about four hours. Considering we started training at 5, it's only 9 o'clock on a Saturday morning.

We had dropped Gus off at home, and my father received a last-minute call, so it was only me and my brothers for breakfast.

"You're gonna love this place, Munchkin," Nick told me while stuffing