AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know I’m not.”
“You could have helped save my sister,” Emilia says in an eerily calm voice, “and yet you didn’t?”
“How could you?” Mom whispers.
Franco crosses his arms, looking more annoyed than anything. “I handle the business. Not you. You’re just a bunch of women. Stay out of it.” He shoots me a glare. “Welcome back, Gemma. Now, excuse me while I find a way to kill Viktor.” He practically runs from the room, too much of a coward to face the three of us.
“I hate him,” Emilia says.
“Me, too,” I add.
Mom looks withdrawn as she sits down. “Sadly, there’s nothing we can do. Franco is in charge here.”
“Fuck that!”
“Gemma,” Mom scolds. Just like old times.
“What about Antonio?” I ask. “He can take over.”
“He’s not old enough yet,” Emilia explains. “Not until he’s at least eighteen.”
“Which is still four years away.” My shoulders deflate. “Well, when we get the chance to kick Franco out, let me be the first person to kick him in the ass.”
Mom doesn’t scold me again, but she does shake her head.
“Come on, Gem.” Emilia grabs my hand. “Let’s go talk, just the two of us.” We go into my old room, which feels so juvenile now. It may have only been a few weeks, but so much has happened. I flop onto my bed while Emilia sits down more gently. “Happy to be back home?”
“You know what? Yes and no.”
Emilia frowns. “Why?”
“I know Mom missed me, but it feels like things are just going to slide right back to how they were, and I don’t want that.” I lower my voice. “Emilia, with Viktor … everything was so exciting. Terrifying, but exciting. He opened my eyes to a world of possibilities. Now, being back here, it’s not even been an hour, and I already feel like I’m stuck again.”
“Why do you sound like you miss him?”
Moment of truth. “Because I do.”
A flash of pain goes through Emilia’s eyes. “How? He kidnapped you.”
“So everybody keeps telling me,” I say dryly. She rolls her eyes.
“Serious, please.”
“Fine.” I sit up. “Em, I know you’re not going to want to hear it, but I … care for Viktor. I know it doesn’t make any sense.”
“Yes. Because it doesn’t!”
“But I need you to listen to me.”
“No! Not when my younger sister was hurt by this man. He beheads people for sport, Gem. There’s no way you can care for a man like that. I’ve spent a lot of my life protecting you, and I am telling you that youcannotcare for Viktor!”
“But I do! And you can’t make me stop feeling this way.” Emilia huffs and turns away from me. “I know you think I’m just some silly, immature younger sister. But I know myself, Em. I know what I want in life. And what I want is for Viktor to not die.”
“No. No way. He’s horrible. He needs to be dealt with, and Marco will deal with him.”
“You don’t even know him.”
“I know he shot me!”
