Chapter 191 BIG DECISIONS
Chapter 191 BIG DECISIONS
MARTIN'S POV
“I can’t help you.”
The words hit harder this time, because now I know she actually means them.
No hesitation or even thought for consideration since we're her nephews when she's making her decision.
Something in me snaps at the finality of her tone.
It's not loud or violent, but it's enough.
Enough to make me forget for a brief moment how dangerous this woman is, after all she's the favorite daughter or was once the favorite daughter of Emily Moreau.
“Really?” I let out a quiet, humorless laugh. “You can’t?”
Her gaze sharpens.
“Watch your tone, boy.”
“No,” I shake my head slightly, stepping closer now as my voice lowers into something more dangerous. “I don’t think I will.”
Matteo tenses beside me as even he that doesn't know the extent of how dangerous she is, can feel it.
I’m crossing a very dangerous line but I don’t care anymore.
I've plotted and planned for months just to get out and get my twin with me to see her.
I've risked alliances, I've made people's lives useless and even sacrificed and abandoned our dead soldiers just to get here and she's telling me no?
“You think you’re removed from this?” I continue with my eyes locking onto hers. “You think walking away and ignoring us makes you untouchable?”
Her expression hardens.
“I’m warning you–”
“I helped him, you know.”
The words cut through everything as it stops her threat.
Exactly like I knew they would.
Her eyes narrow.
“Helped who?”
“Shawn.”
The name lands and she nods slowly but still doesn't say or change her decision.
“I could have killed him,” I continue, my voice quiet now, almost conversational like we're having tea. “Easily.”
Silence.
“I could have killed your son too if I wanted,” I add.
That does it.
The air turns lethal as he presence changed from the cool and placid to heavy and dangerous like a shark poised to attack.
“Careful,” she says softly.
But there’s nothing soft about it.
“Or what?” I tilt my head slightly. “You’ll prove me wrong?”
Her eyes don’t leave mine as she shows me her teeth.
“Try me.”
A beat of silence as I exhale slowly and force myself to pull it back and appear harmless.
No point in threatening someone you came to beg for help.
And me threatening her son wouldn't soften her stance on either.
“I’m not here to threaten Noah,” I say, a little more controlled now. “But don’t pretend he’s untouchable Aunt.”
Her gaze flickers once and looks at Matteo before coming back to my face.
“You left him exposed,” I continue. “No guards and no real protection.”
“Shawn was a decoy,” she replies coldly.
“Exactly,” I nod. “And that’s why you underestimated everything.”
Her silence stretches.
“You thought it wouldn’t matter if he lived or died,” I add.
“You thought Noah would survive anything thrown at him so you made all his guards negligent of Shawn's life even when Matteo kidnapped him from the island.”
I lean in slightly.
“How do you think Noah would react when he finds out?”
Her eyes flash in annoyance and anger as she looks at me.
A heavy pause just until she finally speaks.
“Just because I am no longer the head of that family…”
My breath stills at this new piece of information but I shelf it away from now.
“…does not mean I do not still carry its power.”
The room shifts into something else as it registers in my mind that during her time, she was the Head of the Family and she actually managed to leave.
She managed to walk free and escape from it all with authority and power.
So what did she do ? How did she do it?
I swallow hard and I step forward with no confidence in my gait as I want her to see all of me with no lies or hesitation as I beg for our lives.
I stripped myself of all my pride and any cockiness I was feeling as I tried to appeal to one last thing.
Her bond with her sister, my mother.
I've been told so much growing up of how much we resembled her so I'm hoping she looks at us and thinks the same.
“Then use it.”
The words come out rough and honest from me.
“Please Aunt.”
I don’t remember the last time I begged and I don’t remember the last time I needed something so desperately like this.
But here I am.
Standing in front of a woman who walked away from hell–
Asking and begging her to show me the exit.
“I’m running out of options,” I admit quietly. “And I don’t want to die there.”
Neither does Matteo but neither of us says it as she'll know I mean the both of us.
“Please.”
The word tastes like ash and chalk in my mouth.
I don’t remember the last time I said it or even needed to say it.
Not like this. Not stripped of my pride and control and begging profusely like a weak and useless person but because I need to do it, here I am.
Because right now?
None of that matters.
Because death is closer to us than dignity and I'll be damned if they even think to lay a hand on Matteo.
I'd rather die.
So I'll beg. I'll grovel and even kneel if that's what she wants.
“Please,” I repeat as my voice goes rougher and quieter. “Help us Aunt.”
She doesn’t move or blink as she looks at my “act of sincerity”.
Lily just stands there with her arms folded loosely at me.
She's looking at me with her expression unreadable in a way that makes my chest tighten.
Because this isn’t indifference.
No–
I feel excitement starting to thrum inside me but I tamp it down.
This is calculation I see in her eyes and somehow, both worse and that's also good for us.
She's starting to actually notice and pay attention so I need to beg even more.
We’re being judged and weighed for her big decision and worse, we might not make the cut.