CHAPTER SIX
Sasha
I SINK INTO the worn couch, staring at the number Baz programmed into my phone. He was so eager, so hopeful about the date I arranged. A date I have no intention of attending. When the time comes, I’ll fabricate some excuse—a sudden headache, an emergency at work—anything to avoid seeing him again.
Dad’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, sharp and accusatory. “What have you done, Sasha? Getting involved with Marco Walsh. Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you’ve brought upon us?”
I look up, seeing the worry etched deep into his face. Marco Walsh. The name alone sends a shiver down my spine. “I’m trying to get us out of trouble.”
He throws his hands up in exasperation. “He’s mafia, Sasha. Do you understand that? Mafia. And now, we’re tangled up in his mess.”
My heart pounds as guilt and fear twist together inside me. Marco’s world is dangerous, but I can’t see any other way out.
He storms out of the room, and I throw my head back on the couch. My mind drifts back to Marco. Seeing him in that small room getting stitched up will be forever etched in my mind. The sharp scent of antiseptic filling the small room and the sight of the blood, the bullet wound – it was all so surreal.
Agreeing to go to that charity event with him felt like a mistake the moment the words left my mouth. But I needed our home back, not just for me but for Lily.
Looking around our so-called home, I get up and enter the kitchen, grabbing some rags and cleaning spray.
I attack the grime on the kitchen counters with more force than necessary. The rhythmic scrubbing helps drown out his angry words, but not entirely.
“Sasha, what did you promise a man like Marco?” His voice is relentless, a drill piercing through my thoughts as he enters the kitchen.
“I didn’t promise him anything, Dad,” I snap back, focusing on a particularly stubborn stain.
“You’re lying,” he says.
I stop scrubbing and turn to face him, my patience wearing thin. “I told him I’d go to a charity event with him, okay? That’s it.”
His eyes narrowed, disbelief etched into every line of his face. “And you think that’s all he wants from you? You’re being naive.”
Frustration bubbles up inside me, but I swallow it down. There’s no point in arguing. I return to my cleaning, hoping the task will calm my racing thoughts.
I need a distraction, anything to pull me away from this suffocating conversation. “Have you called Karen to see how Lily is settling in?” I ask, not looking up from my work.
He grunts, a sound of disdain. “No. I won’t speak to my sister.”
I roll my eyes, exasperated. “Then, at least help me clean this mess up before Lily comes back in a few days. She deserves to come home to something normal.”
There’s a moment of silence. Finally, he sighs, a sound heavy with resignation. I’m surprised when he grabs a broom and starts sweeping the floor.
My thoughts drift to Lily. I hope she’s safe, that she’s adjusting well. Because right now, she’s the only bright spot in this dark, twisted mess our father has created.
It takes us two hours, but the kitchen finally resembles an actual family room. The fridge is almost empty. Tomorrow, after all this is sorted out, I will go to the grocery store and restock.
We move on to the living space. Dad focuses on the piles of clothes, and I take out all the old dishes and rubbish.
“You’re not going to that charity event, Sasha,” he says out of the blue. “I’ll speak to Marco and find another way.” He sounds determined, like he’s been pondering on it since we started cleaning.
“No,” I snap, spinning around to face him. “It’s one charity event, Dad. One night, and then this whole problem is solved.”
He stops with a pile of clothes pressed to his chest, fixing me with a hard stare. “Do you really think it’s that simple?”
The disbelief in his voice grates on my nerves. “Yes, I do. And you know what? I can’t afford to think about myself right now. I have to protect Lily.”
His face softens, but only slightly. “Sasha, you don’t understand the kind of man Marco is. He doesn’t just let people go.”
“I don’t care,” I shout, my voice echoing through the small sitting room. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Lily safe. Even if it means going to some stupid event with him.”
Dad’s shoulders slump, and for a moment, he looks older, worn out by the weight of our problems. “I just want to keep you safe, Sasha.”
I want to tell him he should have thought of that before he brought drug dealers into our home. But the fight has drained out of me. “I know,” I whisper. “But right now, the best way to do that is to go along with this. Just for one night.”
A sharp knock at the door jolts both of us, freezing us in place. The sound echoes through the quiet house; each knock is a drumbeat of dread. My heart races as I glance at Dad, his face pale and tense. The knocking continues, insistent and demanding.
“I’ll get it,” I say, taking a hesitant step toward the door.
Dad shakes his head vigorously. “No, Sasha. Don’t.”
The knocking grows more persistent, almost angry, and then I hear it – a voice that chills my blood coming from the half-open letter box. “Open the door now, Sasha.”
It’s the drug dealer from earlier. My pulse quickens, fear mingling with a sickening dread. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and open the door a crack. He knows we are in here, and I’m sure he wouldn’t hesitate to break down the door, something I don’t think we could afford to have replaced.
Dave stands there, his eyes dark with anger. He pushes the door open wider, stepping into the house without waiting for an invitation. “I heard you shipped off Lily,” he growls. “That was very fucking stupid.”
My mind races, searching for a way out of this. “Dave, I—”
He cuts me off, grabbing my face with one hand, his grip painful and unyielding. “I don’t like to be double-crossed, Sasha. Do you think you can play games with me?”
I struggle against his hold, my voice trembling. “I’m not playing games. She’s gone to stay with a friend.”
His eyes narrow, and his grip tightens, making it hard to breathe. “I don’t give a damn about your reasons. You get Lily back here right now, or I swear to God, I’ll make you regret it.”
As if on cue, two more men step through the door behind Dave. I recognize them from earlier; their presence sends a fresh wave of terror through me. They’re big, burly, and look like they mean business.
Dave grabs me roughly, spinning me so my back is plastered to his chest, where he holds me in place as the two men advance on my father. “No, please!” I scream, but my voice is drowned out by the sickening thud of fists meeting flesh.
“Stop it! Leave him alone!” I struggle against Dave’s grip, but he’s too strong. I can only watch, helpless, as they pummel my father. Each punch and kick feels like a blow to my own heart.
Dad crumples to the ground, barely conscious, blood pouring from his nose and mouth. I beg them to stop, tears streaming down my face. “Please, he needs a hospital. He’s hurt; he could die. Please let me take him to a hospital.”
They laugh, a cruel, mocking sound that echoes in the small room. “Shut up, or we’ll hurt you, too,” one of them sneers, his face twisted with malice.
Dave’s grip tightens on my arm, and he leans in close, his breath hot and rancid against my ear. “You go get Lily back here right now, or your father’s going to look far worse than this.”
I break down, sobbing uncontrollably, feeling utterly hopeless. I can’t think straight, can’t see a way out of this nightmare. “I... I can’t,” I stammer, my voice choked with tears. “I can’t just bring her back. Please, there has to be another way. I’m here. I won’t leave.”
Dave shakes his head, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “No more excuses, Sasha. Get her now, or your old man pays the price.”
He shoves me away from him and opens the front door. Leaving my father has me hunching my shoulders as I walk out the door.
With trembling hands, I leave the house, the sounds of my father’s labored breathing echoing in my ears. My mind races, knowing I can’t go get Lily. I need help, and there’s only one person I can think of to call. I fumble with my phone, which was in the back pocket of my jeans, and hit speed dial for Baz’s number, praying he’ll pick up.
“Hello?” The voice on the other end isn’t Baz’s. It’s deeper, colder.
“Marco?” I ask, my voice breaking. “Where’s Baz?” My words come out in a rush, my tears making it hard to speak. “They…they hurt my dad. They said I have to get Lily back, or they’ll kill him. I don’t know what to do. Please, help me.”
“Where are you?” Marco’s voice is calm, but there’s a dangerous edge to it.
“I’m in my driveway,” I manage to say between sobs.
“Stay there,” he orders, and the line goes dead.
I clutch my phone, feeling a glimmer of hope mixed with fear. Marco’s coming, but I don’t know what that means for me or my father. I pace the driveway, trying to calm my racing heart. I’m terrifiedthat Dave could come out of the house and see me. I stand along the bank, hoping I’m out of sight.
Minutes later, the roar of engines cuts through the stillness of the night. Three high-powered vehicles race toward me, their headlights piercing the darkness. I recognize Marco’s car in the lead, but it’s the sight of Lucas in the second vehicle that makes my blood run cold.
Lucas Walsh, Marco’s brother, is known for his brutality. My father’s warnings echo in my mind: “Do you really think it’s that simple?” Now, I’m not so sure.
The cars screech to a halt, and Marco steps out, his expression unreadable. Lucas follows, his eyes cold and assessing. I shrink back, fear tightening around my throat.
Marco strides over to me, his presence commanding. “What happened?” he demands, his voice leaving no room for hesitation.
I choke back my tears, trying to find the words. “They came to my house. They beat up my dad. They want Lily back, or they’ll kill him.”
Marco’s jaw tightens, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “And they are still in the house?” He looks down the driveway like he can see through all the overgrowth to the men who are there.
“Yes,” I whisper, my voice trembling.
“How many are there?” He asks.
My mind is a jumble, and it takes me a moment to answer. “Three, I think.”
“You think, or you know?” Lucas asks.
I nod. “I know,” I answer with surety now. My mind settles slightly.
Marco nods, his gaze shifting to Lucas. “Let’s take care of this,” he says, his tone cold and final.
Lucas’s eyes meet mine, and I see the promise of violence in them. I shudder.