Page 52 of Under Control

Sona’s lips press together and she puts her glass down. “What kind of woman abandons her family only to come crawling back when life gets hard?”

“That’s not what happened.”

“It most certainly was. I know about your money troubles. I know your mother begged Aram for a loan, which he graciously gave to her, but with very strict terms attached. She agreed, she couldn’t uphold her hand, and Aram was forced to follow through with his promises. My brother is many things, but at least he’s honest.”

“He’s a fucking monster.” I shove my chair back, getting to my feet. “And you’re a horrible person, to talk about my parents like that. How could you be okay with abandoning your own sister?”

Sona watches me with an amused smile, and I’m suddenly aware that the whole room is staring. Even the men are looking over.

I could back down. I could sit and apologize to this horrible woman and let this outburst drift past.

But it kills me, to hear her speak of my father that way, as if she knows a damn thing about him.

“You’re as stupid as your mother is, aren’t you, little girl?” Sona sits back and sneers. “Don’t you understand what’s happening here?”

I don’t. I don’t understand at all.

But I’m too angry to care.

“Apologize,” I say, voice trembling with anger.

“What’s happening over here?” Valentin appears at my elbow. He touches me and I flinch back, staring up at him. I feel out ofcontrol with grief and rage, and I know I’m making a scene at the worst possible moment, but I can’t help myself.

I hate these people. My mother and father ran away from Baltimore to escape them. They gave my mother money, and beat her when she couldn’t pay them back on time. Their own sister. They’re rats and killers, and this garish woman shouldn’t even speak of my mother, let alone insult her. It disgusts me to think that I’m blood related to her.

“It’s okay, Valentin.” Aram’s standing behind his sister with a tight smile. “My niece here simply hasn’t come to terms with the way things are.”

“She’s a bore, Aram,” Sona says, crossing her arms with a very satisfied smile on her face. “All I did was talk about her parents.”

“Tell the girl to apologize, Valentin.” Aram looks at him with a steady, menacing smile. The pure image of a nightmare beast. “Go on, tell her, and we can go back to negotiating.”

“She insulted my parents,” I say to Valentin, desperation rising in me.

Valentin’s jaw works. “Nobody’s apologizing to anyone.”

“No?” Aram’s smile grows. “So you think it’s okay that your wife insulted my family?”

“Don’t play this game,” Valentin warns. “I know what you’re doing.”

“No, you don’t.” Aram steps closer like he’s enjoying this. “Tell your bitch wife to apologize. Tell that worthless stray dog that she’s not worthy to sit at the same table as my family. Tell her she’s lucky I didn’t cut her mother’s tongue out. Go on, Valentin. Tell the worthless whore.”

Valentin’s fist snaps forward. It smashes into Aram’s face with a vicious force, hard enough to crack the Armenian boss’s nose sideways. Blood spurts from his face as he staggers backward.

And all hell breaks loose.

Chapter 18

Valentin

Ishould know better. It’s obvious what Aram’s doing.

This whole fucking situation is just a ploy.

As my fist slams into the Armenian’s face, I feel like I’m floating above myself and looking down on the scene.

The way Sona’s sitting, a smug grin on her face.

She clearly sat with Karine to antagonize her.

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