Brutal Kiss: A Dark Mafia Romance by B. B. Hamel

Author:B. B. Hamel [Hamel, B. B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-06-13T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Rian

Quinn and Sean are lying about something.

I don’t know what they’re hiding, but they weren’t subtle about it. Sean seemed supremely uncomfortable with the whole interaction and Quinn went from calm to trying to gorilla-smash my skull to bits in about three seconds. In my experience, big emotional swings like that mean there’s something more going on, and now I need to figure out what they’re trying to bury.

This is how things go in the clans. The past is meant to stay the past, and nobody wants their old secrets dug up. Silence means crimes go unpunished and everyone remains complicit, if only because the culture within the family is so steeped in keep your mouth shut and mind your own business that nobody’s willing to break ranks and talk. Even if people know the truth about what happened to Megan, they’ll never say.

Silence makes sure the guilty remain free.

But I’m tired of silence.

Which I know makes me a coward in some ways. If I were truly brave, I’d tell the whole fucking world that I had nothing to do with Megan’s death. Every time someone called me a killer to my face, I’d make them eat their fucking words and never once admit to taking her life, through silence or otherwise.

At this point, though, it would only be counterproductive.

I have to keep playing my role. The second I start pushing back is the second people stop talking to me, even though they barely tell me a damn thing as it is. I’m useful as a scapegoat, and I can play up the contrite, redeemed sinner aspect a little bit, but if I start trying to deny it ever happened, people will think I’m a petty liar. I still have some access, and if I want to keep chasing these leads and hunting down the truth, I need to keep on taking this abuse.

But I won’t always. This isn’t forever. I have to keep reminding myself that one day this will all be over and I can finally move on with my life.

Eight long years.

Eight years of living in a world that thinks I’m a killer. Eight years where the only reason I’m not in jail is all thanks to the clan stepping in and squashing any police involvement in my case. Eight years of hell.

I used to wonder why the clan kept the police off my back. I assumed they wanted to own me, and in some ways, it worked.

But now I’m not sure about anything.

A car rolls down Market and slows to a stop. Aiden peers out from the windshield and nods at me. I head toward him, walking slowly as he rolls down the passenger side window.

“How’s my sister?”

“Still alive.”

“Good. Better stay that way.” He frowns at me, head tilted. “When was the last time you took a break?”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m good.”

“Are you sure about that? Your blowup at the barn says otherwise.”

“I thought we cleared that shit up.”

“We did, but I still need you on top of your game.

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