I force myself not to rub the pain away from my arms.
“You think it’s enough?” His mouth kicks up in sinister smile.
Michael had the same grin. And just like when he would flash it, my blood goes cold.
“What about little Tommy?” He asks. Poison drips from the question. “Do you have enough for him, too?”
My throat tightens. He can’t be this cruel.
“Tony swore?—”
“Tony is dead,” he snaps at me.
“You can’t?—”
“I can do whatever I feel is necessary for this family. Because of your brothers we are in trouble. Because of them, trouble is knocking at our door.” He slashes his hand through the air.
“There has to be something else. A marriage? This man can’t want to marry me.”
“He’ll do what’s right for his family, as will you.”
“I don’t want this. I won’t do this.” I stand my ground. I’ll find a way. There’s always a way.
“You will.” He brings his face close enough I can smell the stench of the whiskey he’s been drinking.
I swallow hard. My insides shake. A bead of sweat rolls down my back.
“I won’t. This isn’t the old days. I don’t have to do this.”
He falls quiet for a moment. Hatred builds in his expression.
His steps are soft, but the crack of the back of his hand across my cheek is loud.
My ears ring. Tears flood my eyes, but I blink them back.
Working my jaw open and closed, I raise my chin.
“You don’t tell me what you will and won’t do. Your brothers fucked this all up, now you’re going to fucking fix it.” He points a finger in my face.
Rage trembles his lips. Whatever the problem is, he’s desperate to mend it. I’ve never seen his eyes so wild before.
“Think of Tommy. Of how horrible things can be for a boy like him.”
“He has nothing to do with any of this.” Not that being innocent would stop my uncle from using the six-year-old as a pawn.
“Choose, Sienna. Your little rebellion or his safety.”
My stomach twists. I’ve buried my brothers today. Three caskets lowered into the depths of the earth, but only now does my soul cry.
“You’ll leave him alone?”
He straightens up, running his hands over his hair, tucking back the little pieces that have fallen out of place with his rage.
“I’ll leave him alone.” He gives a firm nod.
As with the majority of my life, there is no true choice here to be made. No one protected me from the cruelty of my family, but Tommy has me. If this is the cost to keep him safe, I’ll pay it.
“Fine. I’ll marry this man.”
