I only have a few moments to decide what to do. Did my brothers wake up and notice I was gone? Did they call in a favor with the Romanos to track me down? Tim is the earliest riser, but he’s normally still half asleep at seven when I’m up and making coffee for everyone. I can’t imagine anyone checking on me, either.
So who is here? And why?
I consider making a run for it, but then remember I only have a few dollars left of my tip money. Everything else is stashed in my room. If I can sneak upstairs and grab it, I could go somewhere else for a few days, rent a cheap motel in cash and work on a plan to disappear. Sure, it’s way ahead of schedule, but I have to try.
I make my way around to the side of the house and peer through the kitchen window. There’s a light on in the living room, and I can see the animated shadow of someone throwing their hands up. I hold my breath, listening for a few moments.
Tim’s deep voice grunts something, followed by my middle brother, Derek. Patrick, the youngest of my brothers, speaks up, his voice higher and more excited than the previous two.
Good. All three of my brothers are in the living room. That should make it easier to sneak in if they’re all in one place.
I pry the kitchen window open an inch at a time, waiting until someone talks or laughs to cover the sound. Usually, I just walk through the back door after my shift at the diner but, occasionally, I’ve had to improvise. Once the window is open enough for me to slip through, I locate the large stepping stone I found months ago and move it in place.
Hoisting myself up, I wiggle through the opening, cursing my wide hips and the extra junk in my trunk. I guess it’s been a while since I’ve had to use the window. I don’t remember it being this difficult to wedge myself…
“What is this?” a gruff, thickly accented voice asks from somewhere behind me. “A little piggy breaking in?”
My eyes go wide, and I try to scramble through the window to escape the stranger. He wraps a hand around my calf and pulls. Hard. I grip the window sill, biting back a scream as the metal edge cuts into my palms.
“You are the sister, yes?” The man tugs me away from the window, then gathers my wrists in one of his large hands, holding them behind my back. “Let’s go inside and talk to your brothers. We’ve been waiting for you.”
I look at the man over my shoulder, then snap my eyes forward. He’s pure evil. I can see it. Feel it. The black in his eyes matches the sickness in his heart.
“W-waiting?” I stutter. My head is spinning and it feels like I’m breathing through a straw.
“Yes, little piggy.”
I open my mouth to ask what the hell he’s talking about, but he lets go of my wrists, grabbing my bicep instead. His fingers squeeze my flesh painfully as he pushes me down into an empty chair.
My vision blurs and my stomach twists in on itself as I look around the room. Tim, Patrick, and Derek are sitting on the couch, and a large man in a fancy suit and salt-and-pepper hair sits in a recliner across from them. Four pairs of eyes land on me, and without looking, I know the other man standing behind me is focused on me as well.
Tim is the first to speak. “Dear sister,” he starts, leaning forward so his elbows are on his knees. “Did you think we didn’t notice you sneaking out at night?”
I wince at his sickly-sweet tone, feeling myself deflate at his words. My chest grows tight and my heart hammers a hole through my ribcage.
Tim smirks at me, his hazel eyes glinting with malice. “Thanks for the extra cash, by the way. We found your stash a while ago, and just cleared the last of it out when you left for your shift earlier tonight. I figured if you want to help out financially, there’s an easier way to do it.”
“What are you–”
“Ah, ah, Delaney. Not your turn to speak. I’ve struck a deal with our good friend, Angelo Romano.”
Romano.I was right. This situation is getting worse by the second.
The man with salt-and-pepper hair, Angelo, I assume, grunts as he eyes me up and down. I recoil from his gaze, only to be jerked up by the guy gripping my arm.
“Bring her here,” Angelo says, pointing to a spot right in front of him.
I’m dragged across the room and positioned in front of the large, intimidating man. He grips my jaw and jerks my head right and left, making my neck hurt. His eyes roam up and down my body, making my stomach twist in fear. I swallow down bile and try to take a step back. The hand on my arm tightens, making me whimper.
“She’s pretty, this is true. But she’s too… round. Too chubby,” he states bluntly.
I’ve never been happier to be called fat. Does that mean he doesn’t want me? I’m no genius, but I’ve connected the dots here. Apparently, my brothers thought it was a great idea to sell me to the Romanos, or at least give me to the Romanos so they can sell me.
I can’t process that betrayal right now. The sad part is, I’m not even that surprised.
“Put her on a diet,” Tim pipes up.
“Excuse me?” I cut a glance at my eldest brother, still not able to wrap my head around what is happening.