Page 40 of Twins for the Mafia Heir

“I know daddy misses her,” Sidony says, “but I’m glad she didn’t have to see the scary men.”

Only a person who has no true understanding of death could say such a thing. I don’t hold it against her, only feel even sadder that a child could be glad her mother was dead before she could experience another horror.

This question I have to ask with more care. The scary men are Sidony’s most consistent boogeymen. Being reminded of them too vividly might shut her down for the rest of the day, and make it harder to sleep later. Still, I’ve heard so many hints about their existence. I want to know more.

“Your daddy saved you from the scary men, right?” I ask, reminding her right off the bat that she’s safe now, that Achilles already vanquished her worst demons.

Sidony nods. “They… they ran into my room. Daddy showed up just in time, andBOOM BOOM BOOM. He saved me.”

Boom boom boom, huh? I shiver at how close this little girl almost came to disaster, and sorry for what she had to witness. “Do you know where they came from?” I ask.

Sidony shivers herself. I pull her up into my lap, and she obediently curls up against my shoulder, the cold puffs of her breath mixing with mine. “There was lots of shouting,” she says. “Lots of guns. Daddy said the scary men didn’t like that we were in their house anymore, and wanted us out, but Auntie Tasia wouldn’t let them kick us out.”

Interesting.Whodidn’t want who in their house anymore? I thought the house belonged to Fantasia, as the heir to the Warwick family? Was it Sidony and Achilles they had a problem with? Why? It almost sounds like a fight over territory, but if it was happeninginsideWesley Hall, well… that sounds more like some kind of coup.

I open my mouth to ask more, but three men have just come out of the house and onto the terrace.

When they notice us on the bench, they exchange smiles.

I don’t recognize the brutes that harassed Sidony and I before, but I do remember these men from my horrifying wedding banquet. They’re also Fantasia’s generals, and for some reason, they’ve decided to notice us today.

Time for us to go.

“I’m feeling chilly,” I tell Sidony. “Let’s get some tea.”

Sidony nods quickly, but hops off my lap before I can stop her. When she spots the men, she freezes instantly, like a deer in headlights. I step in front of her before they reach us, my heart kicking against my ribs. Too late. I’m going to have to deter them if I can.

If I were dressed as my street persona, Silver, I might still be shorter than them, but I’d walk like I were three feet taller. They’d see nothing but my hood and my masked face, and feelmy authority. I might get away with threatening them, or at least unnerve them with my unknowability.

Unfortunately, I’m not Silver right now. I’m dressed in a jewel green peacoat, a knit scarf, and brown suede boots. These men each outweigh me by a hundred pounds at least.

And they know me as a prisoner bride, a woman who is here to be used for the sake of an agenda and nothing more. I’m not the lady of the house- I’m not evenalady of the house- and in their minds, that means they don’t owe me an ounce of respect.

If I try to tell them off, they’d sooner strike me than listen, and it wouldn’t matter that I’m standing in front of a terrified four-year-old. Achilles may have given other men a brutal warning already, but that doesn’t help me now.

Achilles isn’t here.

“What’re you doing out of your cage, then, love?” one man asks, stepping in front of his companions. “Achilles is slacking.”

“Come inside with us,” the one on his left adds with a grin. “Bit nippy out here, eh? We’ll warm you right up.”

I swallow and make sure to project my voice. Perhaps someone friendlier will be passing by and stop to help, though I don’t have much hope. “No thank you. We were already heading into the kitchen. Achilles is expecting us there.”

The guy’s face twists in annoyance. “Did you just tell me no?” he growls. “Check out the balls on this bitch.”

“Seems like you’ve forgotten your fuckin’ place here, have ya?” the first man sneers. “Achilles is a good guy, but his heart’s too soft with women after his kicked it. You’re not here to be pampered. You’re a hostage, love. We should be roughing you up a bit and sending pictures to your brother.”

“Come on, babe,” the one on the right says, stepping forward right into my space. I can smell his too-strong cologne, and the onions on his breath. “Leave the kid here so we can have some quality time. You’ll like it better with us.”

God, every word makes me sicker, but it’s worse in every way that they’re saying this shit in front of a four year old. I wish I could put my hands over her ears, but I can’t turn my back to these monsters.

“I need to get Sidony inside,” I tell them firmly. “Like you said, it’s cold out he-”

The crack of a hand across my face almost knocks me down. I catch myself on the back of the bench, just barely avoiding falling on Sidony. She’s clinging to my legs, trembling so hard I’m afraid she’ll come apart.

“That’s the last time you get to say no to me, cunt-”

The first man suddenly flies forward, slamming against the back of the bench beside me. His companions stumble back, their eyes wide with shock.

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