My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 6

Gianna

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"We’re moving in with Salvatore," Mom said. She said it while pouring juice, like she was just talking about the weather.

I froze, my fork hovering halfway to my mouth. I didn't say anything at first, I just stared at her, the heat rising in my face until my skin felt tight.

"No, we're not," I snapped.

Mom sighed, a long, tired sound. She reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Jules’ ear, her eyes squeezed shut for a second. "Yes, we are, Ginny. Sal will be here in a few hours to pick us up. I need you to go upstairs and pack your essentials into boxes. I’ll handle Jules and my own things."

I let out a harsh, dry laugh. My eyes felt hot, my vision blurring with frustrated tears I refused to let fall. "No, Mom. You promised. You said we weren't moving into that place unless there was a ring on your finger. You aren't married yet."

Mom grabbed Jules’ spoon and started feeding her cereal, bite by bite, as if Jules were three years old and not a grown girl.

She’d been doing that lately, smothering us, acting like we were helpless babies who couldn't survive a walk to the mailbox.

"Change of plans," she said, her voice flat.

"It’s a zoo, Mom! A zoo full of men!" I stood up, my chair screeching against the tile like a scream,."There are six brothers and their father. Seven men and just two women in that whole house. Did you see them at dinner? Did you see the way they looked at us? They didn't see guests, they saw targets. They hated that we were breathing their air. They hate us, Mom. They're mobsters!"

Mom looked up at me, her expression disturbingly calm, "We’ve lived around men like that our whole lives, Ginny. What’s the difference this time?"

"The difference?" I blinked, stunned that she even had to ask. "The difference is that I’m done living in a man's shadow. I’m done. I don't need a man to feel safe. I don't need a man to feel loved. I don't need them for anything. I hate them, Mom. Every single one of them. They use us until we’re empty and then they throw us away. We should be doing the same to them. Use them, toss them, and never look back."

I slammed my hand onto the table, making the milk in Jules’ bowl ripple.

"I don't understand you! Why do you feel the need to crawl into bed with Don fucking Salvatore Capone? Why do we have to be his property?"

Mom just wiped a drop of milk from Jules’ chin, "Keep your voice low," she said softly, "And do not curse in front of your sister."

I stared at her, feeling a cold, hard knot tie itself in my chest. She was choosing a cage, and she was dragging us into it with her. But I wasn't a child anymore, and I wasn't going to let her believe we were helpless.

I dropped to my knees in front of her, grabbing her hands to make her look at me. "I’m taking care of us, Mom. We’re doing just fine," I said, my voice filled with desperation, "I’m getting my degree. I’m going to get a good job, a real career, and we’ll be set. I’ll take care of you and Jules for the rest of our lives. I promise."

I squeezed her fingers, trying to make her feel the strength I was trying so hard to build.

"I love you. You and Jules are enough for me, and I’m enough for both of you. We don't need a savior. We don't need a man's protection or his blood money. We’ll be fine, Mom. I swear, we’ll be fine."

She didn't look hopeful. She didn't look proud. Instead, she let out a short, hollow laugh that felt like a slap to my face.

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