Page 21 of Bred To Be Owned

I didn’t respond, hoping that the ground would open up and swallow me.

“You haven’t visited Irini since the wedding. That’s going to end. I’m not there on Tuesday nights, and I expect you to take a turn. Her eyes noticeably light up when someone mentions you. Makes me think she misses her sister.”

I missed her too, but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to visit her, knowing she was the Russian’s wife.

His hand came up to caress my cheek. “You don’t have a choice. I have the leverage over you this time.” He kissed my forehead, letting his lips linger against the skin. As he pulled away from me, he whispered, “Frankie Lombardo says hello, bambina.”

The Russian pulled out his cell phone and sent off a message, walking towards the front. As he opened the door, Angelo walked in, confirming my suspicions. Angelo wasn’t loyal, and somehow, he was feeding the Russian information about me.

Chapter 13

Toula

The Russian had been right. I’d missed spending time with Irini, even if she couldn’t or wouldn’t interact with me.

The first Tuesday visit didn’t go well. It was awkward on my end, and I didn’t know if she could feel the tension in the air. I tried, I really did, but I didn’t know what to say. I talked about school, about my classes, and how I snuck out of the house to sit in the library. When her eyes danced, I reached out for her hand and laced our fingers together. Her eyes shifted again, and I couldn’t write it off as just a flicker of light. Irini knew more than she could ever communicate.

The second Tuesday visit was a little better. I’d saved my snippets and stories to make sure that I had something to talk about. This time, I sat across from Irini and watched her. Her eyes still danced, but there were subtle movements that I would have never seen before. Her fingers would tap out a tune only she could hear. She’d shift her weight from one side to another. It was the little things that gave me hope. When she’d lived in the compound, she’d be as still as a statue untilotherwise directed. One thing was clear, she was comfortable here, and I had the Russian to thank for that.

From then on, I never missed a Tuesday. It didn’t matter how busy school got or what stage construction on the club was at, if it was Tuesday, I spent the night with Irini. It wasn’t always about filling her in. Sometimes, we watched movies, or I’d read aloud to her. I’d even made her listen as I finished an assignment. She’d shifted towards the back of the couch and closed her eyes, making a joke about falling asleep over the textbook. I had laughed and teased her until it was time to go. I had been lucky, making it to the library in my father’s house before I sobbed like a baby. My sister felt safe enough to live inside her own head, and I was grateful.

This went on for a few months, until one day, we had company. I walked through the entrance to the living room, expecting Irini to be waiting for me. She was curled into the corner of the couch, and Katalina was sprawled in one of the winged-back recliners.

“I brought a rom-com. If it sucks, at least the eye candy will be good. It’ll be fun, and I have stuff for nails. God, these look atrocious.” Her foot dangled over the recliner’s arm as she examined her fingernails.

“What are you doing here?” I asked her, taking the seat next to Irini. I interlocked our fingers, imagining she squeezed mine in hello.

“I visit on Thursdays, but a good-looking birdie thought Irini might like sister time. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he meant. Here I am.” She held her arms out wide, kicking her feet. “Ta da!”

After that, it became a weekly tradition. There were no expectations. No watchful eyes, looking for flaws. We were just sisters, spending time together and building an unbreakable bond. The staff didn’t seem to mind. They prepped the room with pillows, blankets, and snacks.

***

Toula, Age 20, Year 6

“I’m here,” I called out from the front door. “Seriously, it was like the universe was against me today,” I said, walking into the living room. “I had to go buy a packet at the bookstore for tomorrow, but the line was almost to the back of the store. Traffic was heavy, and the restaurant had a ton of delivery orders.”

“It’s about damn time,” Kat said from her recliner. “I’ll forgive you as long as you brought the goods.”

“Of course, I did.” I held up the takeout Chinese food that I’d picked up on the way there. “Angelo was mad about having to stop, but he’ll get over it.”

“It’s probably because Páteras reamed him the other day,” Sophia chimed in. She was laying on the sofa. Her head butted against Irini’s leg.

“What happened?” I headed over to our make-shift table, where there were plates and drinks waiting.

“I only heard what my driver was telling my guard on the way home from school a few days ago. Is there a gang across the street from your club, Toula?” she asked.

“Yeah, they took over an abandoned home.” I kneeled in front of the table, pulling out containers of Chinese food.

“Oh, okay. That makes sense now. My driver told my guard that the gang leader called Páteras. He said he tried to extort protection money. When Páteras said no and laughed at him, he said he could take you, since Angelo is useless.”

“I could have told Saint that Páteras would never bend to his demands. I’m not that important, and he doesn’t yield.”

“Saint?” Kat said in disbelief. “You know his name?” She stood up from the recliner, walking to the table.

“Of course, I do. I tried to be reasonable with him, but he’s thinking small and didn’t want to listen. Probably because I’m a woman. Who knows? If Saint had just played nice, he could have made a ton of money for his gang.”

“What the fuck did you say to him?” Kat plopped down next to me, sitting so close we touched from shoulder to hip.

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