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“Gambling again? After everything? How could you?!”
“It’s my life! You don’t have the right to tell me what I can’t do!” He wraps his fingers around mine, trying to pry them open.
“But you can ruin mine?”
“Fuck you, Ravenna!” he yells in my face.
A thick arm wraps around Vitto’s midsection from behind. I stare in shock as Alessandro carries my brother out of the room, then I run after them. Vitto tries his best to free himself, thrashing around with his legs dangling a foot off the ground and shouting obscenities along the way. Alessandro puts him down in the middle of the living room and points to the sofa.
“Sit down.”
“What the fuck, man?” Vitto hollers. “Who do you think . . .”
Alessandro takes a step forward. “Sit. Down.”
My brother drops down onto the sofa and crosses his arms over his chest.
“Now, apologize to your sister.”
Vitto looks at Alessandro sideways, then turns to me and tucks his chin. “I’m sorry, Ravi.”
I shake my head and come to sit on the sofa next to him. Alessandro walks back to his place next to the front door, but he keeps his gaze fixed on my brother. My mom is still in the kitchen, her hands gripping the counter and her head hanging low. I can’t see her face, but I know she’s crying by how her body shudders.
“You need to stop, Vitto. It’s not a game.” I take his hand in mine and cast a look at Alessandro. He’s still watching us. “You know what happened the last time.”
“But it turned out good, Ravi. You live in a nice place now. Rocco has a ton of money, and he always buys you fancy clothes. You have a great life and—”
“Shut the fuck up, Vitto,” my mom snarls from the kitchen.
“But it’s the truth, Ma. If it wasn’t for me, she wouldn’t be rich. I have to wait at least a couple more years before I’m allowed to join Cosa Nostra and start making money like Rocco.”
My mom storms into the living room and grabs my brother by the front of his hoodie, jerking him around. “Did you ever wonder why your sister wears sunglasses almost every time she comes here?” she yells into his face.
“Mamma, don’t.” I grab at her forearm. “Please.”
“Did you, Vitto?” she keeps yelling while tears roll down her cheeks. “Because she doesn’t want us to see the bruises! Rocco has been beating her from the start. You fucked up and she had to pay the price! And you are still doing it.”
Vitto stares at Mamma, then turns to me. “Ravi? That’s not true, is it? You like Rocco. You told me so yourself.”
I press the heels of my palms to my eyes and shake my head. Mamma promised she’d never tell my brother the truth.
“Jesus fuck,” Vitto chokes out. “I’m going to kill him. I’m going to fucking kill him.”
He springs off the sofa and runs to the front door.
“Vitto!” I jump to stop him, but there’s no need.
As my brother reaches the door, Alessandro wraps him in a bear hug. Vitto thrashes, shaking his head left and right, trying to headbutt Alessandro. But my protector just stands there, his furious eyes scorching right through me.
“Stay there,” he says and opens the door, carrying my brother outside.
“Let me go, you motherfucker!” The kid twists, his spit flying everywhere.
I put him down and pin him against the hallway wall. “Calm down.”
“I can’t fucking calm down! That son of a bitch has been hitting my sister! I’m going to kill him.”
“You’re not going to kill anyone.”
