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My blush instantly faded.
“What’s going on, Senior?” Bill complained after several moments of silence that, I was pretty certain, Uncle Aidan let fall just to ramp up the tension.
It worked on me—my heart, even with the breathing technique, felt as if it could explode.
“I’m going to ask each of you a question. How you answer will decide your fate.”
Bill frowned, and my father continued staring me down with a sneer curving his lips that I never wanted to see again—I didn’t think he’d evenheardUncle Aidan’s warning. As for Anthony, he just looked plain bewildered.
But then, he’d never been the sharpest knife in the drawer—Sarah deserved so much freakin’ better than him.
“I’ve recently learned that there’s a subsection of my men who think they can force their daughters into marriage by setting them up with a suitor who’ll rob them of their free will by stealing their virginity.”
It was Bill’s turn to tug on his collar.
“How accurate would you say that is, Anthony?”
“I-I ain’t never heard nothing—”
But Uncle Aidan didn’t let him finish.
“Furthermore, Anthony, it’s come to my attention that,” Uncle Aidan stated calmly, “when you met your now-wife for the first time, you were one such man and you forced her into marriage—”
Anthony scowled. “I did no such thing.”
“—by,” Uncle Aidan continued as if he hadn’t spoken, “raping her. Is this true?”
“Where the hell did you hear that?” Anthony demanded, bristling.
“Answer the question.”
Anthony’s Adam apple bobbed. “Of course, I didn’t.”
My fingers clutched at Digger’s.
Liar.
“You’re aware of the penalty of lying to me, I presume?”
Anthony gulped. “Of course.”
“And you still claim you didn’t force her?”
“Why would I have to force her?” he ground out, clearly deciding that the safest defense was offense. “She was as eager as—”
“Liar,” I snapped, unable to listen to him besmirch Sarah’s reputation. “I was the one who had to deal with her in the aftermath of your first meeting. You hurt her! She was bleeding.”
Anthony’s nostrils flared. “You’re the liar. I didn’t do nothing she didn’t ask for.”
The cocking of a gun sounded in the room.
Anthony froze, his gaze darting to Uncle Aidan, who’d turned the weapon on him.
“You’re not only a liar, you’re a fucking rapist. Neither is welcome in my faction.
“Arranged marriage is a part of the life, but that doesn’t mean you get to rape your bride, you fucking animal.”
He pulled the trigger.
