Page 86 of Resisting His Charm
“If you don’t marry her, I think I will,” Alfie says.
“I will kill you,” Sammie grunts.
“Nope, I will,” Mrs. Russo chimes in. “Nobody takes something from my children, not even you.” She aims an accusatory finger at her nephew.
“Relax, Auntie Lai. It was a joke. I’m never getting married.” Alfie smirks.
Louie slaps his son on the back of the head. “Don’t poke the bear when the bear is a psychopath, idiot.”
“Okay. I just want to know why?” I look at my uncle. “Why did you kill my mother?”
“She was going to ruin everything,” he says. “I had to stop her.”
“And my father?”
“Same reason. He found out what I’d done all those years ago and came at me. He lost it. I couldn’t let him burn all of this to the ground. This ranch is my sons’ legacy. I wasn’t going to let anyone take it from them.”
“Oh, fuck off,” Jaxson growls. “You didn’t do this for us.”
“What’s going on?” Jaggar walks into the room.Shit, he doesn’t know.
“Come on. I’ll fill you in,” Joel says, walking up to meet his brother in the doorway. “I need a beer.” He grabs Jaggar by the shoulder and leads him out of the room.
“Wait! You can’t leave me here with them. They’re going to kill me,” my uncle cries out.
“No, they’re not going to. I am.” Jaxson walks over to the cabinet on the far wall. He opens a drawer and pulls out a pistol.
“Hold on. You can’t do that,” I call out to my cousin.
“Yes, I can.”
“No, he’s your father, Jaxson,” I remind him.
Without another word, Jaxson pulls the trigger. A loud bang rings out through the room and then my uncle is slumping over in his wheelchair.
“No one hurts you and lives to tell the story, Poppy.” Jaxson slowly lifts his gaze to meet mine. “No one.”
I’m frozen to the spot. I don’t know what to say, what to do.
“Sweetie, let’s get out of here.” Mrs. Russo wraps her arm around my shoulder and starts guiding me out of the room.
I stop in the hallway where Joel and Jaggar are standing. Jaggar looks at me, walks up, and wraps his arms around me. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.
“Why are you sorry?” I ask him.
“I didn’t know I was your big brother. I should have been protecting you better,” he tells me.
My brother?Oh god, it was bad when I was just their cousin. I do not need them to start thinking of me as a sister.
“I’m still just your cousin, Jaggar. Also, you’re only a month older than I am.” I shove at him.
“Still older. And I’m going to do better,” he promises. “Love you, Popps, always. No matter what you want to be.”
“Thank you.” I force a smile. “Love you too, most of the time.”
“You’re leaving again, aren’t you?” Joel asks.
I nod.
