Page 36 of Blackmailed to the Altar

His wet hair dripped, and he had a beard growing, which made him look a bit unhinged. Perfect. He looked at the food, but didn’t move to take a bite. I placed a straw in his water cup.

I wasn’t sure how he wasn’t more dehydrated. Maybe he drank his piss down there. I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. Silasate a bit of applesauce on his spoon, and I watched as he slowly swallowed.

He breathed out a sigh of relief. “What happened?” His voice cracked from the use.

“Your girl’s not as safe as we thought. Apparently, her good old uncle is getting out, and since he’s obsessed with your woman, I figured it didn’t matter if she was in another country. He could come for her. We need to act fast before he pays her a visit.”

Silas nodded slowly, tearing off the tiniest bit of bacon before placing it on his tongue and savoring the flavor. “Why would they let him out after all the evidence they had on him?”

I ducked my head. “Well, that’s kind of my fault.”

Silas glared at me. “Explain.”

I stabbed the knife on the table between his fingers and snarled, “Need I remind you that you aren’t in charge. You don’t make demands of me, little brother.”

Silas nodded, and I let go of the knife. I wasn’t afraid that he was going to stab me. I almost hoped he tried. It’d been a long time since I put Silas in his place.

I fixed my suit jacket and crossed my legs. “Now, apparently the nice little psychiatrist I kidnapped put in a good word for your dear old uncle-in-law.”

“What?” Silas tried to rise, but his legs wouldn’t hold him.

“Yes, I know. She’s sorry. You need to recover your strength, so we can kill that motherfucker before he tries to come for your wife.”

Silas was nodding, trying to eat more food. “He will come for her. He’s so sick and twisted in the head. Do you think she had therapy sessions with him?”

I nodded. “There’s no doubt in my mind.”

“We’ll start by getting into his home. He’s got a place in the States, some quiet neighborhood where he thinks no one willbother him. We’ll get what we need there, make sure he knows Eden’s off-limits.”

We started to plan over breakfast, until Silas was too exhausted to go on. I called our family doctor, and cousin, Antonio. I helped Silas into one of the guest rooms on the bottom floor. I wasn’t sure he could walk up steps.

Antonio arrived and looked over my little brother. I waited in the hall. When my cousin came out, he was drying his hands on a cloth towel.

“It should take a few days, but he will recover in no time. I’ve got him on antibiotics and an IV drip. I also splinted his left wrist, which was broken from the fall down the stairs.”

I nodded, unsurprised by Silas’ injuries. “Anything else broken?”

Antonio shook his head. “Thankfully, everything else was bruised. I am concerned that he may have a concussion. There’s a large contusion on the back of his head.”

I shrugged. “Maybe he fell backwards at some point. I didn’t make it a point to check on him during his time down there.”

Antonio said no more on that matter. He knew I was in charge. “I’ll check Eden while I’m here. Walk with me?”

I didn’t want to deal with Silas’ obsession, but I couldn’t deny my cousin. He was the baby of the family and wicked smart. That’s why he went to medical school. But I tainted that, by forcing him into the family business.

At least that’s what he said to me all those years ago.

Now, he only answered me if there was an emergency, and we were no longer as close as we used to be. I held back a sigh. Sebastian’s emotions were leaking into me again. His softness for family was a travesty.

If he could let go of them all, he would be the most powerful man in the world.

“When was the last time you had a checkup?” Antonio looked away from me.

I shrugged. “I’ve been busy.”

Antonio scoffed. “That’s no excuse,cugino.”

My shoulders slumped. It’d been a long time since Antonio recognized us as kin. Him calling me cousin was a relief. Maybe he was letting go of his resentment toward me, for forcing him into the business at such a young age.

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