Black Wedding by Emma Luna

“How are you doing, Finn?” I ask, unable to resist any longer.

When we first got here, and he was standing guard at the door, I thought my father had got to him and managed to corrupt him like he did Evan. But then he stood beside me to protect Bree, and I knew my big brother was still in there. The problem is that we all have to play a role here, pretend to be the person my father wants us to be and just hope the whole time that we can come out of it when the time is right.

Finn exhales loudly before plopping himself down on the bed. “It’s a fucking nightmare, Liam. I should have got out when you did,” he groans as I sit down next to him. I see Bree take a seat on the sofa in the corner near the fridge as she demolishes the chocolate bar Finn gave her. She looks a bit uncomfortable, like she wants to provide us with some privacy, so I smile at her. I love how she is so kind and caring to the people who matter to her, and it’s great that she now includes the people who mean something to me.

“Why didn’t you?” Bree blurts out before covering her hand and mumbling an apology for asking an invasive question.

“Don’t ever apologise for that. There’s too much censorship in this fucking house as it is. This wing has always been our safe space. And to answer your question, I’m ashamed to say I was afraid. I had no money, and Liam was using all he had to look after the girls. He didn’t need his big brother to be a burden either,” Finn admits, although he doesn’t make eye contact with either of us as he speaks.

“Fuck that. You would never have been a burden. What con has he got you doing now? It must be bad if it has you reevaluating the past,” I ask, and Bree looks very interested in the conversation now. She has been desperate to learn about my past, but some things are hard to explain.

“Don’t judge me for this, okay, Bree?” he says to her before turning back to me. “Do you remember Mrs. Windslow?” he asks, and I rack my brain for where I have heard that name before.

After a few seconds of thinking, it finally comes to me. “You mean the old secretary from St. Mary’s?” I ask for confirmation. If it’s the person I am thinking of, she was a lovely older lady at our junior school who used to work for the headteacher. She’s the person Mum would ring when one of us was sick. I haven’t seen her since we moved to secondary school-aged eleven, so that’s almost twelve years ago. No wonder it took me a while to think of the damn name.

“Yeah, that’s the one. Well, Dad found out she not only owns a considerable property but has a big retirement fund and life insurance payout. Plus, she has no relatives. Currently, her money is being split between the church and the Pug Welfare and Rescue Association. Apparently, she likes pugs and Jesus,” he explains, and I am trying really fucking hard to get five when I add up four and four. Because there aren’t many reasons he would need to know this information, but I hope it’s for a different reason than the one currently running about in my head.

“Please tell me you aren’t doing what I think you are?” I ask him, but he remains silent, just shaking his head. Further confirmation of what I already know.

Fuck! It’s times like this I really fucking hate my father and the power he wields over others.

“Sorry, I may be being stupid or naive, and you can tell me to sit quietly in the corner with my Cadbury’s, but I have no idea what you are talking about. I would love an explanation,” she says, looking sheepishly at the second chocolate bar she just started on.

I can’t help but smile at how cute she looks tucked up on the sofa, her knees crossed as she looks at her chocolate lovingly. Fuck, I’m actually jealous of a chocolate bar. What the hell is wrong with me? Finn catches me looking and gives me that knowing smirk. Asshole.

“Growing up, we were all given a role, a talent that we were told to foster. Liam was a fucking good shot, so assassination was his bag. Evan hasn’t always been how he is now, but my father has influenced him far too much. Desmond loves to cause pain and suffering. Evan has slowly been turning off his emotions more permanently and has become so fucking angry that it’s scary. Whereas my talent is that I’m a good liar and manipulator, and when you add in my looks and charm...well, ever since then my father has essentially been using me as a honeytrap scam,” he explains, and Bree looks stunned. Although he is fucking great at his job, I know my brother so well that I don’t ever have to worry about him lying to me. I know all his tells. I will have to let her in on Finn’s secret’s so she can feel safe in the knowledge he isn’t ever manipulating her. Not that he would, my brother hates his job.

She’s sitting on the sofa with a chocolate bar in her hand, raised as though she will put it in her mouth until something stops her. She literally sat open-mouthed like a fish, gobsmacked. I can’t help but chuckle at how fucking cute she looks. Finn joins in with the laughter too, and that’s all it takes to snap her out of it.

“Wait! So...so how old is this woman exactly?” she asks, and I see Finn grimace.

“She is a very young seventy-two,” he whispers, and now it’s my turn to look shocked. I hear Bree choking on her chocolate in the corner.

“Fuck me. I was thinking she was in her sixties, and even then that was bad,” I say, and instantly regret it when I see the look on Finn’s face.

“So, what...you have to marry her? Are you having sex with her?” Bree asks, her voice becoming more high-pitched as she asks Finn questions I never saw coming.

“We are dating at the moment, and yes, I am supposed to marry her immediately so we can get the will in my name. Unfortunately, she is starting to lose her marbles a bit. If we don’t move quickly, her consent will be questioned. And no…I can’t bring myself to sleep with her, but I am going to have to if I want her to believe that this is real,” he explains, sounding more and more dejected as he speaks.

“Fuck!” Bree and I both say simultaneously before looking at each other and laughing. I can almost hear Finn rolling his eyes.

“That’s not even the worst part,” Finn adds. “Her nurse is McKenna Lowry.”

“Fuck, you are really screwed,” I add, not really needing to state the obvious, but it comes out anyway.

“Before you ask, Red, McKenna and I were best friends growing up. When we were sixteen, she told me she liked me. I liked her too, but I had just been given my first mark, and it was one of her friends. My father told me that I couldn’t have girlfriends unless it was in secret, away from the mark. She deserved better than that, and so I told her I didn’t feel the same way. I ripped both our hearts out, and we haven’t spoken to one another since. She is still just as fucking gorgeous now, you know,” he added, looking at me for confirmation. I shake my head. There’s no way I will sit in front of my girlfriend and tell her how hot McKenna was growing up. She was hot, but she only had eyes for my dick of a brother.

“I know this might seem like a really stupid or obvious question, but can you not say no?” Bree asks gently.

Finn stands up, facing away from her, and raises his t-shirt. At first, I get ready to bollock him for undressing in front of my girl, but then I see the look on Bree’s face. She looks horrified, but all I can see is his ridiculously tight abs. I stand up to see what Bree is staring at, and my anger bubbles over; a murderous rage fills me.

All across Finn’s back are strips of red and exposed skin in various degrees of healing. Some look to be cuts, others bruises and given the shape and size, I know exactly what caused these wounds. It seems like he was whipped with both ends of the belt and the buckle end appears to have done some fucking messed up shit to his back. It looks as though the skin has been pulled away to reveal pink flesh. The varying degrees of healing basically means this is a regular occurrence.

“Why the fuck is he beating you every day?!” I shout.

Exacerbated, Finn sighs before he starts to mumble. “I have my instructions, Liam. This is my motivation. Every day I don’t seal the deal, I get another ten lashes.”

If I thought I was angry before, nothing prepared me for my little spitfire. Jumping to her feet, she walks to Finn to check on his wounds, gently using her fingertips to assess them. She may have no medical training, but she has been swotting up on first aid. She figured we have so many enemies, it might be essential to know. Plus, with a baby in the house, it’s even more critical.

“Finn, some of these look really sore,” Bree says as Finn pulls his t-shirt back down in our typical avoidance fashion. We all learned to take shit like this long ago, but I always hated seeing my siblings going through it. I hate it even more now.

“Look, forget I ever said anything. I’m gonna go and take a shower before the shitshow starts. I will be back to meet you at like ten to. Is that enough time?” Finn asks, and I say yes.

As he is going to leave, he throws his head over his shoulder to address Bree. “It was nice to meet you, Bree. I hope this place doesn’t ruin you.”

As Finn closes the door, I stand up and go and sit on the sofa next to Bree, leaning forward to give her a kiss once we are on the same level. As soon as her lips touch mine, things become heated between us, and before I know it, she is sitting on top of me, straddling my thighs, my hands gripping her ass and her neck to hold her close.

As our kiss breaks, I look her in the eyes and continue to use the hand that isn’t on her ass to stroke her face. “Are you okay, Princess? I know this has been rough, but it’s only a little over twenty-four hours and we can go,” I ask with a sarcastic chirp at the end.

“I thought my family was bad, Liam, but your family is batshit crazy,” Bree jokes, and I can’t help but laugh. I am most definitely not going to disagree with that.

“I’m an assassin by trade, Princess. You can’t have thought I was raised by good people,” I add, and she laughs.

“True, and normally I would totally jump on the opportunity I have right now to talk about your past, but I hope it will come another time. Because right now, I want to sit on my knees and see how much of your cock I can swallow to distract you from where we are. Is that okay?” she asks through hooded eyes as she slowly slides down my body until she is kneeling before me.

“You can suck my dick anytime you want, baby. You don’t need an excuse,” I reply as she pulls my growing erection out of my jeans.

“That’s good to know. Now shut up so I can see if I can deep throat him. I was a bit gutted last time that I didn’t quite manage it.” She pouts as she licks the tip.

I’m fucking glad I have already agreed to marry this woman because she is most definitely a keeper.