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Pressing my finger to his lips silences the words. “We will talk over coffee and muffins. First we get you a shower.”
I start by releasing the cuffs from around his wrists. Once he is free, I help him sit back and gain his bearings.
“Get dressed, it can be cold outside.” While he obeys my command, having a private shower, I call down to Gladys to bring her freshly baked bribery up to my room.
After he's showered and dressed, he waits for me at the large window, staring out as if he never expected to be outside again. If he agrees to be mine, he'll never need to. He is the type of boy that should be pampered and spoiled.
I grab two blankets and open the patio door to the balcony. There are two metal chairs either side of a small table in a faded gun metal green.
“Take a seat.” I cover the chair with the blanket before he sits down, before wrapping the rest of the fabric around his shoulders. It's not too chilly, but the metal clings to the cold until lunchtime. “I want to officially release you from the agreement.”
“Have I done something wrong?” Porter mutters in a nervous whisper.
“No. Not at all.” I wish there was a straightforward way to say this. “I brought you here to save you from your past life. I wanted to show you how good your life could be here for you if you chose to stay. I think if you haven't decided that by now, you're never going to. You are free from our agreement as of this moment. I hope you'll stay willingly, but if you don't, no one will stop you.”
“What about my mum?”
“You need to walk away from her and live your own life. I can't force her to stay in rehab, but I can fund it for two weeks after you leave me. I have no hidden motive. I want you to see what life would be like without the burden of her presence though.”
“My sister?” He asks while nervously biting his lip.
“She will be unharmed for the remainder of the day, in line with my agreement. After that I will question her as I see fit.”
“Will you hurt her?”
“You can't save her, Porter.”
“She's my sister. I have to make sure she's OK.” He demands as he stands up leaning over the table towards me.
“Porter, I can't-”
“If you want me, you'll have to let her go.” His eyes fix on me firmly. Despite everything she has said and done, this boy still wants to save her.
“I need that name.”
“You need to pick.” Porter returns to his seat and leans back in the chair, arms folded across his chest. Looking at me with those beautiful blue eyes brimming with tears.
“I pick you Porter,” I was doomed from the first time I laid eyes on him. “But only if you would willingly choose me for yourself. Not just to save your sister.” In spite of myself and everything my father taught me, I will put love before family. Would my father kill me for it? Yes, just like he did with my sister. Crossing the Thayer cartel is a death sentence even if you’re blood.
“Porter. I will do what you ask, but I want you to know what I am risking.”
“A couple of kilos of drugs?” He replies with a shrug.
“No. I am risking my life.”
My sister died a long time ago, and the blame lies with her. I didn’t understand all these years, but now I do. She fell in love with the wrong man. My father warned her against it, but she was young and in love. The man betrayed the family, and she still picked love over us. She ran, and Dad sent men out to kill her. I tried to find her first in the hope I could spirit her away, but I never did. It's time to finally speak my tale aloud, there are no secrets from Porter.
thirty-nine
Porter
Itisalmostillegalto say this, but the muffin has lost its taste after Knox's bombshell. He's sitting there, cool as a cucumber and living on blood money. I've never encountered this cartel before, we don't live on their turf, but I know what these families are like. Mum has had enough dealings with dealers over the years and never cared if I was there.
His dad had his sister killed and Knox is still on speaking terms with the man. I barely know more than my dad's name, but I'd never forgive him if anything happened to my sister. Just like I could never forgive Knox.
“Get my sister out of the city the way you tried with your sister. She really isn't a bad person.” She has said some pretty fucked up stuff, but this is a fucked up situation. She's always been good to me growing up. I can only hope her unkind words were to protect me; that she was trying to show Knox that hurting me wouldn't help him.
“I'll let her go. But I will not make any promises if she comes back.”
