Page 38 of Finn

“There’re plenty of women who would see it differently.” Would it be too much to trip him and watch him fall flat on his face?

“You didn’t marry those women, did you?”

“I’m beginning to realize you aren’t like most women I’ve ever met, Alessia.”

“I’m not sure whether or not to take that as a compliment.”

Finn smiles but doesn’t comment. The trail leads us to the river flowing wildly through the back of the property. As a clap of thunder sounds overhead, both of us look up and notice the clouds that were just peeking over the horizon when we began our jog have moved directly overhead. And now they’ve decided it would be the perfect time to open and dump buckets of rain on us.

“Ah!” I yell as the cold rain pours over my heated flesh. “Fucking spring storms.”

Finn points to a little weather-worn boat house at the river’s edge a short distance from where we’re standing.

“I’ll race you,” he calls as he takes off in a sprint to the small shelter.

“Asshole,” I mumble as I bolt after him.

Finn beats me to the boathouse with a triumphant smile on his face.

“You cheated.” My balled fists rest on my hips as I cast a glare in his direction.

“Of course I did,” he laughs out. “I never said it was going to be a fair race.”

I look around the small wooden structure, with a rowboat on a lift so it’s not resting in the water.

“Do you row?” I ask.

Finn shakes his head. “No. This place is left over from when my family was in the bootlegging business.” He has a seat on one of the old wooden benches as he catches his breath. “My family has owned this property since before my dad was born. They used the river to transport whiskey.”

“I didn’t realize your family had owned the property that long.” I sit next to him as the raindrops splash violently against the roof and the river.

“Longer,” Finn begins. “My great, great—hell, there might be another great in there—grandfather came over during the potato famine in Ireland. They started as farmers and thieves.”

“Quite the combination,” I joke.

Finn shrugs. “They fought for everything they had, and when others couldn’t survive without some help, they did what they could, and sometimes that was by less than legal means.”

“So…philanthropy and thievery.”

“Survival,” he replies. “Back then, the community of Irish immigrants who settled here looked at my family as their leaders in a sense. Then came prohibition and that’s where we really made a name for ourselves. Of course, that ended, and we had to learn to adapt and change.”

“I’d say you’ve done a good job, considering you haven’t been pushed out yet.”

“Your father and I are alike in that, I think. We’ve both worked to get where we are and work hard to stay here without sacrificing part of ourselves to do it.”

I think about that for a few minutes, and for some reason, the thought angers me. No, my father and Finn didn’t have to sacrifice themselves, but I did. I sacrificed my freedom and plans for a different future.

“That’s easy for you to say, isn’t it?” I stand from the bench and walk to the other side of the boathouse to try to get some space from Finn in this small building. “You’re not the one who gave up their future to make sure this war with Cataldi ended in our favor. You’re not the one who was married off to unite two powerful families.”

“Hey, there’s a ring on my finger too, Alessia,” Finn replies. “I’m in this marriage, same as you. You think I wanted a bride who barely looks at me, who barely tolerates my presence? I did what I had to do because, without this marriage and show of a united front, he was going to force us all out, so the only family standing in Massachusetts was his. We all agreed we couldn’t let that happen. No one forced you.”

I let out a humorless burst of laughter. “No, I wasn’t forced. I was told if we didn’t get married, none of us would survive this war. You’re so right, Finn. You gave up just as much as I did.” It would be impossible for him to miss the caustic sarcasm dripping from my words. “I never had a choice. I was born a girl into a man’s world, and there’s nothing I’m good for besides keeping my husband happy and popping out a couple kids.”

“Whoa, I’ve never asked that of you.”

I open my mouth to argue, but he cuts me off. “If you bring up redecorating or shopping one more time, I swear to God, Alessia.” Finn stands from the bench and stares at me. “I thought I was doing something nice. I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing here, either. But I sure as shit never wanted you to feel like some second-class citizen who holds no power. There’s nothing about having that kind of wife that appeals to me in the slightest.”

“Oh really? Then you’d be the first. Men in this life don’t like their women to have power, as though it would make them look like less of a man. They certainly don’t want them to have opinions or lives outside of whatever their husbands deem safe and respectable. You can’t honestly expect me to believe you’re any different.”

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