The Killer's New Wife

“Thank you for coming,” the Don said, and his voice was a deep rasp. “I know it’s not easy to come up here, to my country estate.” He smiled a little as if he were making a joke.

“Of course, Don Valentino,” Ewan said. “I come when called. You know that.”

“And you brought the girl.” His eyes shifted to me, and a chill ran down my spine. He was creepy and I felt like I was being watched by a giant lizard, a cold-blooded Komodo Dragon, hungry and on the prowl. “Step forward, girl, let me see you.”

Ewan glanced back at me and I did as I was told. I stood with my hands in front of me and my heart racing so hard I thought it might fly up into my throat and come spurting out of my mouth. The Don frowned deeper and grunted once.

“Pretty,” he said. “Shame she’s an Irish bitch. But I suppose you like that, don’t you, Ewan?”

The muscles in Ewan’s jaw worked. “I have no strong preference for Irish girls, Don Valentino.”

The Don laughed. It was an ugly cackle. “Did my son tell you why you’re here today?” he asked.

Ewan shook his head. “No, sir. I didn’t think to ask.”

“Ah, yes, of course,” Don Valentino said. “That’s typical of you, isn’t it? Loyal Ewan, loyal to a fault. You do as you are told. And yet I still don’t fully trust you. It isn’t fair, is it?”

Ewan flinched slightly, and glanced toward Dean, who stood immobile, looking everywhere but at his friend. I chewed on my lip to keep myself from making any noise, as if the Don were a T-Rex, and standing still would keep him from seeing me. But the old man was intensely aware of every inch of his office.

“All I know is, I’ve never given you cause to doubt me,” Ewan said stiffly.

The Don laughed. “That’s true, you know. Years of good service. You’ve been efficient and brutal when necessary. Men fear you on the streets. The fuck girls all adore you, since you have a soft heart for them. And yet here I am, questioning you. I suppose it’s foolish of me.”

“I understand your perspective, Don Valentino,” Ewan said, and I felt a sudden flare of anger. Why didn’t he push back at all? He stood there with his hands clasped like a schoolboy, taking this bullshit from this old weird melted doll of a human. If Ewan wanted, he could stride forward and snap the old man’s neck right now.

I didn’t know why it bothered me. Something about seeing big, powerful, gorgeous Ewan cowed like this sent a thrill of rage through me. I didn’t understand Ewan’s dedication to this man or this family, and maybe that was my problem. I couldn’t understand loyalty and love like this.

“What do you need from me, Don?” Ewan asked, and I heard the slightest hint of impatience, which was good. At least he was still human.

The Don cackled again. “To the point then. I suppose I owe you that much.” He glanced over at his son, who continued to look at his drink like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Dean cleared his throat, and finally turned his gaze up. “My father and I have a request,” Dean said, like he was trying to pull his own tooth at the same time. “More of an order, I suppose.”

The Don cleared his throat. “What my son’s trying to say, and failing so pathetically, is that I want you to marry this girl.”

The Don pointed one crooked, arthritic finger at me, and my eyes went so wide, I thought they might burst up through my forehead.

Nobody moved. Dean drank his whiskey. Ewan’s body tensed up, the muscles straining against his clothes. I felt like I might fall over at any moment. That would be typical—woman faints under pressure. It would only cement the Don’s sexism, and I wouldn’t give him that. It was a small rebellion, but I’d keep my dignity, as much as I could.

“Marry her?” Ewan finally asked. “What are you talking about?”

“I want you to marry the girl,” the Don said. “Turns out, the Healy family likes her for some reason. They already made overtures to me about getting her back. I’m thinking I’d rather cement my claim over her, and what better way than to marry her off to one of my most loyal soldiers?”

Ewan remained still. Dean coughed once, sipped his drink again, and coughed some more. I wanted to turn and run as fast as I could.

The Healy family wanted to rescue me. That only confused me even more. They were barely around when I grew up, and maybe my father sold girls to them, but I didn’t know why that meant they thought they owed me something. And yet apparently that made the Don want to marry me off to Ewan, and this whole situation turned from a nightmare into the deepest, darkest pits of Hell.