“I know,” I admit.
“Explain to me, Soren,” he motions to me. “Explain to me why you’re sleeping with Carmine instead of killing him. Enough of this don’t agree bullshit that you’re going on about.”
I scoff this time. “It’s exactly about what I don’t agree with, Uncle,” I remind him. “I can’t tell you and avoid it at the same time.”
“Just tell us, Sor,” Rose demands from her place. She steps closer. “I want to know what the hell you’ve had me involved in.”
“Yes, tell us what you’ve gotten your poor sister into,” Patricia demands.
“Everyone that isn’t a man needs to shut the fuck up,” Eivor hisses.
Rose tenses, but my aunt just leans back in her seat and folds her arms.
Rosalie looks to me, locking eyes with me for just a moment. I see hurt there, but now I’m not sure it’s just about me.
“Rose is anything but poor,” I defend her.
“I don’t give a damn,” Eivor leans forward and grabs the bottle again, pouring half a glass and downing it with a huff. “Just tell me why you’ve really been saving Dresvanni’s ass. Does he really have that good of a dick?”
I glare at him and grind my teeth. “I’m protecting him because I want to,” I insist. “Because your plan of destroying their family just to take power is fucking terrible. Eivor, you’re making all enemies and no allies. The Dresvannis have a dozen families on their side all around the world. Who do we have, the Carvels? The Greers? What are they gonna do?”
“Taking is the only way we’re going to end up on top. Don’t you want the best for this family?” he asks me as he finally stands up and starts to gesture with his hands again. I stand up as well, not wanting to be below him. I tower over him instead, and I get some kind of sick pleasure in knowing he hates it. He’s always hated that I’m taller than him.
“Yeah, of course I do,” I tell him. “But maybe…for one second, you could think about how dangerous your plan is. The way I see it, you’re gonna get us all killed if you keep insisting we take over people for their power instead of making a deal with them.”
“No!” he shouts at me. “Youare going to get us all killed! You could have ended this days ago. Killed Carmine, got us into that goddamn house, and taken care of the rest. Then we’d already be on top. We’d have even more power. We could convince the others to take our side. Take those twelve allies.”
I step closer to him. “And do what? Do what, Eivor? Kill those twelve allies and take their power too? I know you. Better than you realize.”
“Goddamn, the Dresvanni really got up your ass, didn’t he? What did he do, tell you he can give you more power if you side with him? Fuck you so good that you forgot who you really are?” Eivor grabs me by the front of my shirt and I rip myself from his grasp so quickly that I nearly fall to the floor. My heart is pounding in my chest.
Aunt Patricia looks wildly uncomfortable, but she doesn’t say anything.
“You’re not going to say anything?” I ask her. “Your husband wants to wipe out twelve families, and you’re just going to sit there.”
She looks away from me.
Rosalie looks less angry with me now but more so sad. Her body language is closed off and she’s inching her way toward the back of the room away from us.
“Shut your disgusting fucking mouth,” Eivor growls out at me. He steps over and pulls his gun out in a flash, placing it under my chin.
I freeze.
“This isn’t about sex, Uncle,” I tell him, tight lipped.
“I don’t care what it’s about. You’re going to close your trap, then you’re going to go and find Carmine, and you’re going to kill him. Do you understand me?” he places his finger on the trigger. His eyes are wet with tears, and I want to spit at him for it.
How dare he? He doesn’t deserve to say Carmine’s name. Have it come out of his mouth. He doesn’t deserve to feel sadness or pain in this situation. He’s not the one being asked to kill.
No. He wants me to do his dirty work.
“Okay,” I say slowly. “I understand.” My voice is cold and robotic. I ignore the ache in my stomach.
Eivor removes his gun from my chin and shoves it back into his pants. He pats me on the side of the face. “Atta boy.”
I take a step back from him, and turn around, I walk to the entryway to the room, past my sister.
Rosalie’s brow furrows and she mouths at me.I’m sorry.
