Page 105 of Orion Ruined

“Actually, James, we do.” Uncle Colletti’s low, somber voice embodies authority.

Uncle James scoffs, making sure everyone’s aware of his discontent.

“Now, when I think about it, the last line in the email to Milan was ‘don’t ask for my help again. I could be made.’ I think I know who that was.”

Orion turns to me. “You do?”

“I know, because it was all about something unplanned: Mya, looking into the eyes of her father’s killer.” I stare hard at Uncle James.

Uncle James says nothing, but retaliates by holding my gaze with a scowl, not saying a word. Just breathing heavily.

“What?!” Orion thunders, leaping to his feet.

My eyes don’t leave Uncle James. Everyone can see what’s going on.

“Uncle James, you got one-fucking-minute to come clean!”

He looks nervously at his brothers. “You believe this whore?”

They watch him in silence.

“Uncle James, you killed Tom,” I conclude.

The glares from his brothers make him repent immediately. “I-I did what I had to do. He was asking too many questions–”

“You killed Tom, in front of Mya?” Uncle Colletti asks softly, with a composure that scares me.

“She wasn’t supposed to be there! For fuck’s sake! I should’ve killed her too.”

Orion pulls his gun from the holster so quickly I don’t have time to blink. With his chin raised and his arm extended directly ahead, he fires three muffled shots between Uncle James’s eyes. The man’s head sags and drops to the table, as if in slow motion.

Uncle Colletti and Uncle Leo look at the limp body between them with contempt. Blood is starting to pool on the table. “We didn’t know, Orion.”

Orion places his gun back in the holster. “This meeting’s over. We’re meeting the Delgados and Vitalis at the club to discuss the Slavs, tonight. There better not be any trouble.”

“Sure. See you then.” The two remaining uncles stand up, look at their brother’s body on the table, and spit on him.

Orion watches them leave with his cell at his ear. “Garry. I need a cleaning crew in my kitchen.” He ends the call and looks at me. “How did you know?”

“Mya told me.”

“Mya?” His eyebrows shoot up. “She hasn’t said a word in almost a year. To anyone.”

“She talks to me.”

“To you? Does Lisa know?”

“Kinda. Can we please go? There’s a dead person on the table. I can’t look at it.”

“What, him?” Orion pulls his gun again and shoots him three more times in the head. “Fucking traitor.”

“Orion!” I gasp.

He slots his gun back into his holster as if nothing happened. “Let’s go to Lisa’s room.”

We find Lisa and Mya in bed, talking to each other in whispers. Mya’s eyes land on me and she exclaims, “Maisy!”

Orion freezes in the doorway. He looks at Mya, then at Lisa. “What the fuck?”

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