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I wince, trying to pry his fingers off. "Please, you're hurting me."
He shoves me away. "You think I want another mouth to feed in this house? Get rid of it."
"No." The word comes out stronger than I feel. I wrap my arms over my stomach. "I won't get an abortion."
Uncle Craig's eyes bulge. "Then get out. You and the brat. I don't want to see your faces again."
My heart freezes. He couldn't kick Adam out. My brother is only ten. I reduce myself to begging, "Please don't do this. We have nowhere else to go."
"Should've thought about that before you let some guy knock you up."
Tears stream down my face as I think of what to do next.
There is only one thing I can do. I have to convince him to let us stay. "I'll do anything you ask," I say quietly. "Just please don't kick us out."
He eyes me shrewdly. I know what he wants. Obedience. Subservience. I swallow and met his gaze.
A slow, wicked grin spreads across his face. "Prove it."
My nails dig into my palms. I lift my chin, refusing to back down. For Adam, I would withstand anything. "Name it."
He studies me for a moment, his cold eyes narrowing. "Fine," he finally says, tossing me the set of keys to his car."You can start by running some errands for me today. Go to the locations I send. Pick up a shipment from the first, deliver it to the second. You’re stupid, but not so stupid as to mess this up. And don't think this changes anything. One misstep, and you're out."
"Thank you, Uncle," I whisper, clutching the keys tightly in my hand as if they're a lifeline.
***
I follow the instructions Uncle Craig gave me and arrive at a dingy warehouse in his car. I grip the steering wheel tightly, ready to pick up what it is I need and deliver it. I have no idea what it might be, but I’m in no position to ask. This is it. This is my chance to prove I'm not a burden.
I step out of the car and make my way toward the entrance.
As I push through the heavy metal doors, I'm immediately hit with the strong smell of oil and rust. I expected a simple delivery, but something feels off. The building is dimly lit, and I squint to adjust my eyes, trying to find the person I'm supposed to meet.
"Hey there," a gruff voice calls out from behind me. I spin around, startled, and come face-to-face with a man nearly twice my size. I look around and see I’m surrounded by a few men, all of whom are eyeing me with suspicion. The main guy is covered in tattoos, his arms crossed over his chest. "Who the hell are you?"
"Uh, yeah," I say nervously, my voice shaking. "My uncle sent me."
“Your uncle?”
“Uncle Craig,” I explain.
“Hand over your phone,” he says.
“Excuse me?”
“It’s just protocol,” another guy says from behind. I’m about to protest when I notice one of the men push his jacket aside, revealing a gun holster.
I fumble to take out my phone, my hands shaking more visibly now. As I hand it over, I feel a surge of panic rising within me. This is way more than an innocent delivery errand. What the hell has Uncle Craig gotten me involved in?
"Follow me," he says, turning on his heel and leading me further into the warehouse. As we walk, I notice crates stacked high along the walls, some of them cracked open to reveal their contents. To my horror, I see rows upon rows of guns, their dark metal gleaming under the faint light.
I freeze, my stomach churning with dread. This isn't what I signed up for. Something tells me this isn’t a legitimate operation. My uncle is involved in illegal gun sales? The shock and conflict rage inside me, threatening to tear me apart.
If I carry on with this, I could get involved in something there’s no escape from. My mind begins scrambling for an escape route. I could make this delivery and get arrested. Even if I don’t, I could in the future.
I have a baby to think of. Adam to think of.
I can’t do this.
