Page 5 of Broken Lies
“Don’t. Please, don’t…”
My chest is so tight I can barely take a breath.
Even after all these years without my mom and sister, I can barely even stand to mention them. The pain has never faded. If anything, time has only made their loss hurt even more.
“It’s only the two of us left, Riles. We have to stick together.”
I shake my head. My hands are shaking, and my vision is blurry from my unshed tears.
“No. It’s you and Rion, and then there’s me, your property. I’m so sick of always being expected to just fall in line because I’m a girl.”
“You’re expected to fall in line because it’s what’s best for the family,” Oscar spits, but I don’t flinch.
I’ve made up my mind. “I’m not doing it. No matter what you or Rion say.”
“Riley—”
“If you try to force this, I swear to God, Oscar, you’ll lose me.”
“We’re trying to survive, Riley.”
“No, you’re trying to win. And you’re willing to go as low as sacrificing your own sister to do it.”
Oscar says nothing, but his silence is deafening.
I throw open the door to my bedroom and step aside.
“Get out.”
“Riley—”
“Get.Out.”
Oscar hesitates as if he’s about to say something, but as his gaze scans my face, he thinks better of it. He stalks past me, and I slam the door behind him.
I’ve spent years keeping my head down, working hard and staying out of this world of crime and politics and blood. I thought if I kept myself clean, I could eventually be free. But it’s clear now that I was wrong, and if I don’t take matters into my own hands, my freedom will be gone for good.
Rion isn’t going to let me go easily, but he’s about to find out I’m not as easy to manipulate as he thinks.
