Page 9 of Sins of the Orchid

Dad’s eyes flashed, anger burning in them, and a loud growl echoed through the room.

“When?” he roared, and my tears won. His head turned to Lorenzo and Luigi. “When did this fucking happen?”

Trembling with terror, my breathing accelerated, and adrenaline shot through me. I jerked my hand away and scooted away from him, as far as I could go.

“I won't let you kill me,” I whimpered, and he whipped his head back to me, shock in his dark gaze.

His eyes drilled into me like he was trying to understand me. He hadn’t been able to get a read on me from the moment we met.

The dead, lifeless eyes of my mother flashed in my mind. Would the same fate meet me? I refused. I couldn’t die until I was old enough and strong enough to make those men pay for hurting my mom. For breaking my family. I had to keep my last promise to my mom.

Both Dad’s hands came to grip my face. Though his hands were rough, the gesture wasn’t.

“What are you saying?” His voice was hoarse, full of angst, like he hadn’t spoken in days. “You are my daughter. I will never let anything happen to you.” I blinked my eyes in confusion. I heard the sincerity in his voice, but I was scared to trust him. Trust sometimes gets you killed. “Jesus, Amore.” He sounded disturbed. “Why in the hell would you think I’d kill you? You are family. My family.”

I swallowed hard. He called me hisfamily.

“Ma probably told her that,” Luigi mumbled begrudgingly. “She is getting out of hand, Pà.”

My eyes darted around these men. Even though the Russo family and the Bennetti family didn’t seem to get along, they had a lot more in common than I did with my brothers and my father.

“I want to go home,” I said in a small voice. “Grandma will keep me safe.”

“Never!” The ruthless man underneath the surface was evident in his answer. “You are my daughter.”

He got to his feet and advanced to his sons. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he shouted. I had a feeling he was even more furious because of my request. “That is your sister,” he yelled. “A fucking kid.”

“P-please.” I rocked back and forth, wrapping my arms around me. “P-please.”

My face was a mess, tears and snot running down my face. “I-it’s okay. It’s better if I g-go with Grandma.” I didn’t belong here.

Father turned around to me, his face full of fury, and instinctively, my body flinched backwards again, to make myself invisible, pushing myself further into the corner of the seat.

Santino stepped in between me and Dad, blocking my view of him.

“Cool off,” Santino told him. “The kid is about to pass out from fear.”

“Bennetti, you got to calm down.” Mr. Russo stepped in. “You are scaring her.”

I could hear a deep inhale and then exhale.

“When did it happen?” Father repeated his earlier question.

“I think she’s been hurting her since she came.” Lorenzo’s voice was full of anguish. “I kept seeing bruises, but I only caught it yesterday.”

A string of curses, in Italian and English, left my father’s lips. I couldn’t see him and, strangely, having Santino in front of me made me feel safe. I couldn’t explain it, which made me doubt my reason. But when you’d seen what I’d seen, reason might have fled already.

Father spoke up again. “Lorenzo, stay here and watch your sister,” he ordered. “I’ll be back when it’s safe for Amore.”

“Savio, you stay with your daughter,” Uncle Vincent chimed in. “I can take care of everything for you. Your daughter needs you.”

“No!” Dad’s answer was instant. “I’ve got this. Lorenzo will stay and keep Amore safe.”

“Sure, Pà. I won’t let her out of my sight.” Lorenzo moved over and sat next to Adriano. The latter muttered something about fraternizing with the enemy, but Lorenzo ignored him, his eyes locked on me.

“I really am sorry, Amore,” my brother apologized again. I nodded, hesitant to fully trust him. I knew it wasn’t his fault. He was older than me, but Elena was his mother. I was a mere stranger to him and Luigi.

“Get out of my way, Russo,” Father demanded. “I’m calm, and I want to see my daughter.”