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He turns away from me, letting me know he’s done with me. Franco smirks as I stand and waver on my feet. “Have fun killing my nephew,” he says.
I force myself to walk away when all I want to do is stand there and object to everything my father and Franco want from me. I do not want to kill Antonio, but … if I don’t, Anna will get hurt. My sister or the man I just married. I have no choice because the choice is clear. I have to save my sister.
The one problem, I’m not a killer. I don’t know how I’m going to do it. Just thinking about it makes me want to pass out.
I’m ready to bolt from the house when the front door opens and Mom and Anna return. They have shopping bags in their arms. Mom is looking only a little glassy eyed, which is progress. Maybe she really isn’t taking her pills as often.
I stop short when I see them. The urge to cry hits me like a boulder when I see how happy Anna looks.
“Hey, Nina,” she says, approaching me. “Check out this cute top I got.” She pulls out a green t-shirt that looks to tiny, I’m amazed anyone can even fit in it. And then I remember—Anna’s only thirteen. She’s so skinny. There’s no way she can take the force of my father on her shoulders. She’ll buckle and break before I even get the chance to save her.
“Isn’t it great?” she asks, flinging it at me.
“Yeah, it’s cute,” I murmur. My voice sounds like it’s behind a wall of glass, slightly muffled and pained.
She cocks her head, looking at me quizzically. “You ok? You seem weird.”
I glance over to the living room to see it empty. Father and Franco left. They must have moved to Father’s office. Even so, I can feel each of their presences, reminding me of the danger Anna is in if I don’t do what they want.
“I’m ok,” I say, turning back to her. “But listen, Anna.” I grip her arms. “If Father tries anything with you, you leave and come to me. You can stay with Antonio and me, ok?”
She wiggles out of my grip, looking at me like I’m crazy. “Nina, you’re being weird. What would Father do to me?”
I look behind her to see Mom is leaning against the wall, practically falling asleep. Maybe she took more pills than I realized. I desperately need her help, but my mom is no help, not when she’s doped up on pills. She can barely remember her name when she’s like this. “I think Mom needs to lie down.” I hurry over to her side and let her lean on me. “Come on, Mom.”
I take her to her room, with Anna following. Mom lands on her mattress with a thump. Staring at the bed, all I can think about is the time I saw my father’s bare backside as he thrusted into a woman not much older than I am now. They were on this bed. The thought makes me skin crawl.
“Is she going to be ok?” Anna asks, gripping the bags tighter in her hands.
I swipe Mom’s hair back and check to make sure she’s breathing. I relax when I feel her steady pulse under my fingers. “She just needs to sleep. But, Anna, remember what I said. If Father starts treating you any differently, you come stay with Antonio and me.” That is if Father even lets her go. He’ll probably hold her under lock and key until I kill Antonio. But I have to try at least.
“Fine. But I still think you’re being weird. I’m off to my room. These clothes”—she waggles the bags at me— “are dying to be worn again.” She walks off without a care in the world. It breaks my heart that her safe, little world will change if I don’t kill a man. If I don’t murder my husband.
I grip Mom’s arms and give her a little shake. She groans, her eyes fluttering open. “Why do you have to be like this?” I whisper at her. “Anna needs your help. You can’t be on drugs all the time. Father will hurt her. Mom, please. I need your help.”
She stares at me for a moment before her head lops to the side. “I just need to sleep,” she says, her words slurring.
A sob escapes me. I’m truly on my own. I can tell Antonio the truth, about what my father and his uncle want me to do. But unless Antonio can kill his uncle, which he hasn’t been able to for the past five years, Franco will keep coming after him. Which means Anna could be hurt at any time.
I can’t risk it. My sister can’t be punished because of me. I won’t allow it.
Which means I need to think about how I’m going to kill Antonio. Even if it breaks my heart.
* * *
I takea moment to stand outside Antonio’s apartment door. My apartment door, I remind myself. We’re married after all. What’s mine is his.
I keep pushing back the tears threatening to escape. I can’t do this. How am I going to do this?
With a deep breath, I open the door and walk inside. Antonio is at the kitchen table, bent over a sandwich. “Hey, baby,” he says, standing up and pulling me into a hug. We’ve only been married a day, and he’s already given me a pet name. Gosh, why does Antonio have to be so sweet? This would be so much easier if I hated him. But I like him so much. Really, really like him.
He kisses my cheek before pulling back. “How’s your dad? I’ve been meaning to set up another meeting with him to discuss what we’re going to do about my uncle.”
His words make the tears come. Antonio looks surprised as I cry, but he does his best to comfort me. “Hey, Nina. Baby. Are you ok? Did something happen? Are you hurt?” He’s worriedI’mhurt when I’m the one who’ll have to kill him.
I can’t stop the tears, but I can’t tell him the truth, so I bury my head into his chest and let out all my fear, frustration, and anger. Antonio just wraps his arms around me, being the good man he is.
“Talk to me, Nina.” He sounds so worried, and it just makes me cry harder. “Did something happen to you?”
