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.
“I won’t marry her,” Ewan said, and his voice was surprisingly firm.
The Don’s face slowly fell into confusion. “Excuse me?”
“I won’t marry her,” Ewan said, and glanced back at me. “I won’t touch her. I won’t do anything without her permission. If she wants to marry me, then I’ll fly her to Vegas tonight. Otherwise, I won’t do it, sir, with all due respect.”
The Don gaped, and for one second, I thought he might pull a weapon. Dean looked pained, but unsurprised, and the Don started laughing.
The tension didn’t break, but it dissipated somewhat. Ewan relaxed, and I began to let myself believe we weren’t about to get bullets in the head for our trouble.
“I had a feeling you’d say that,” the Don said. “I don’t hold it against you, you know. A man’s got to have a code, or else what is he, but a dog? No, Ewan, I respect your stance toward women, even if I don’t understand it.”
“Thank you, sir,” Ewan said, but he didn’t sound thankful, not at all. Simmering beneath his tone was anger, so much anger that it surprised me to hear it. He was doing a poor job of masking his rage.
“Unfortunately, this isn’t an option. You will marry the girl, and you will do it whether you want to or not. I need this from you, Ewan, to prove that you’re as loyal as you claim, and to keep this girl from the Healy family. If they want her, then I have to keep her.” The Don showed his teeth, perfectly straight and white—and I realized they were veneers.
“I understand, sir,” Ewan said. “But I won’t marry her unless she accepts it.”
The Don looked at me then. “What do you say to that?” he asked. “You want to keep breathing, girl? Marry the man and be done with it.”
“No,” Ewan said through clenched teeth. “Don’t put her on the spot now. She’ll do it to save her life, but I’m not going to coerce her into it.”
The Don made an annoyed sound and waved his hand. “I won’t sit here and waste my time arguing with you about details,” he said. “You have one month to marry the girl. Figure out between the two of you how you want to make it happen, but you will make it happen. I will see you both wearing rings. Do you understand me, Ewan?”
Ewan only nodded once, then looked toward Dean, who stared down at the floor.
“You can go,” the Don said, and Ewan turned toward me, and our eyes met. His expression was filled with pure loathing and anger, and I felt a sudden stab of fear. This man was a killer, a tiger pent-up and caged, and if the Don continued to push then I knew he’d snap, and break, and destroy any bonds that held him back. “But don’t forget what I said. You have one month.”
Ewan grabbed my wrist on the way out and tugged me along. He stormed through the house, towing me behind him and out the front door. He slammed it shut and stomped down the steps, and was halfway to the car when Dean came running out behind us.
“Hold on,” Dean said. “Wait.”
Ewan released me. “Stay,” he said softly, then turned on Dean and walked toward him. “What the fuck was that back there?”
“My father’s idea,” Dean said, holding up his hands. “I told him you wouldn’t do it, but he doesn’t care.”
“What does marrying her gain?”
