His eyes glazed over. It was quick, but I saw it.
“What you did in Colombia took some fucking balls. I can appreciate a man that protects what he thinks is his. You would have shot Hector in the fucking face had Briggs not stopped you. Without even batting an eye, I know you would have pulled the fucking trigger. I was ten when I had my first taste of blood. I murdered a man point blank, protecting what I thought was also mine.”
“Uncle, please… don’t do this,” Briggs whispered, her head bowed with an expression I couldn’t see.
“I don’t need both of you. Austin here,” he nodded toward me, “is now in charge.”
“What?” I replied, confused.
“You want to be boss man? Well then here’s your fucking chance.”
<>Briggs<>
I knew my uncle was going to do this.
The second he told me that he was done playing it my way…
From the moment Austin put the goddamn gun to Hector’s head, I fucking knew my uncle’s dark cold eyes would dilate. He would see an investment, something of value to him.
Something that was mine.
He would see a different side of the man that I had been trying so desperately not to change. Not to let this life take over. The man that would do anything to protect me, the man that if given the chance would thrive on the power, the respect, the goddamn lifestyle that I hated with everything inside of me.
The man that he could control.
I would have never brought him into this life if I’d known he had a home to go back to. I should have left him back in Oak Island where he belonged. I should have saved him from my uncle. Protected him like he protected me.
But leaving him wasn’t an option.
I love him.
The mere thought of not being with him every day was too much to bear. I knew I was being selfish, but I was finally happy for the first time in my life since... At the end of the day Austin was a grown ass man, and all I could do was standby and watch it happen.
Praying to God that it wouldn’t change him. That he wouldn’t turn into what my uncle wanted me to become.
My worst nightmare.
“You want me to take over Briggs’ job? I can’t do that to her,” Austin stated with a sincere tone, shaking his head.
My eyes lit up, glancing over at him, thinking I won. That this may lean in my favor.
“I could never take this away from her. It’s—”
“She will be right there with you. Won’t you, Briggs?”
My uncle locked eyes with me.
I spoke too soon. I glared at him. I loved Austin too much to ever leave his side. Especially when it came to this life. Uncle knew I wouldn’t say no. He knew he had me right where he wanted me. Austin was his ticket to my soul.
“He doesn’t know what—”
“And that’s why you’ll teach him. I’ll have someone else take over the traveling for the time being. He will run New York with you. Look at it this way, he will have plenty of time to fuck you in your own bed,” he mocked, interrupting me from the pitiful excuses I had.
It was the first time in over fifteen years, after everything he had put me through, made me see, made me experience, that I wanted to tell him that I...
Fucking. Hated. Him.
Uncle’s phone rang, breaking through my plaguing thoughts. He grabbed it out of his suit pocket. Putting a finger out in front of him before he turned answering the phone.
“Habla,” he ordered, “Talk,” walking out onto the balcony, shutting the door behind him.
Austin grabbed my chin, making me look up at him instead.
“I don’t want you to do this,” I blurted, unable to hold back my emotions.
He jerked back, offended. “What? You don’t think I can do it?”
“I don’t want you to do it,” I repeated with a stern tone that time.
“So, it’s good enough for you but not for me? Is that what you’re saying?”
“I don’t want you in this life.” I roughly pulled my face out of his grasp.
“Look at me. It’s a little too late for that, Briggs. It’s your life, and now I’m a part of it. At least this way I won’t have to worry about your safety anymore.”
“What about yours?” I countered.
“You don’t think I can handle myself, baby?”
“There’s a lot more that goes into this lifestyle than what I’ve been showing you. I’ve kept you in the dark for a reason. You don’t know what the fuck you’re getting involved in. You’re signing your life away to the devil, and you don’t even fucking realize it.”
“As long as it keeps you by my side. I don’t give a flying fuck where my life goes.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying. You have a family and friends back home. What about them?”
I was trying anything and everything to get him to open his eyes and see the picture clearly.