Chapter 3

Sienna's POV

"That whole family is brutal," he kept going, words coming faster. "You know the stories about them. Luca Moretti is completely unhinged. If Isabella ends up there, she's dead. But you're tough, you're an O'Connor, you grew up in this world. You could survive it if you absolutely had to!"

"So you do want me to go." I yanked my wrist out of his grip. "You want me to marry into the family you just called monsters so Isabella doesn't have to."

His mouth opened and closed but nothing came out. The silence was honestly worse than if he'd just admitted it.

"Get out of my garden."

"Sienna, please just—"

"I told you to get out." The words came out ice cold. "We're done talking, Finn."

He stood there looking completely lost for a few seconds. Then he turned and walked away.

I waited until I couldn't hear his footsteps anymore before sitting down on the edge of the fountain. My hands wouldn't stop shaking.

This shouldn't hurt anymore. I knew exactly what he was gonna say. I lived through five years of him picking her over me every single time. So why does this still hurt like hell?

Three days later I was sitting in Dad's office with five family elders standing behind me like they were my personal army. Dad looked smaller than usual, hunched over his giant oak desk.

"The elders and I talked about everything." I kept my voice businesslike and calm. "I'll go through with the Moretti engagement."

Dad's eyes actually lit up for half a second before he caught himself. "Sienna, you don't need to—"

"But I want what belongs to me first." I pushed a document across the desk toward him. "Every single share that came from Mom's side. Her personal assets, the properties, all of it. Everything she left for me."

"That's half the family's money!" Dad's face went red. "You can't possibly—"

"She absolutely can." Elder MacCormack's voice cut through from behind me. "Your wife's assets belong to her daughter. They always have."

"We already prepared all the paperwork," Elder Brennan added. "You just need to sign, Patrick."

I watched Dad's jaw clench so hard I thought his teeth might crack. He looked at the elders, then at me, then back at the papers. I could practically see him doing the calculations in his head. If I left for New York, Isabella would be the only heir in Boston. He could control her however he wanted.

"Fine." He grabbed a pen and signed hard enough that I thought the paper might rip. "One month. You've got one month to get ready, and then you're going to New York."

"Perfect." I signed my copy and stood up. "Always a pleasure, Dad."

After that meeting I needed to clear my head, so I drove out to the racing track. The engine roaring, the smell of burning rubber, everything else disappearing when you're going fast enough.

The track was totally empty on a Wednesday afternoon. I did three laps, pushing harder each time, feeling the stress start to drain away.

Then on the fourth lap, another car came screaming up behind me out of nowhere.

What the hell?

The car pulled up next to me and I saw the driver. Finn.

He swerved straight toward me and I had to slam the brakes so hard to avoid hitting him. My car spun out, tires screaming against the road before I got control back.

I sat there for a second with my heart hammering, gripping the steering wheel so tight.

He could've fucking killed us both.

I got out of the car and watched him running toward me, and something inside me just exploded. I slapped his face.

"You could've killed us both!" My voice was shaking but I couldn't tell if it was from fear or rage. "What is wrong with you?"

"I needed to talk to you!" He touched his cheek where I'd slapped him. "You've been dodging me for three days straight."

"So you decided to almost murder us instead?" I shoved him as hard as I could. "You're out of your mind!"

"I'm desperate, okay?" He grabbed both my shoulders. "Sienna, please just listen to me about Isabella—"

"Oh my God." I actually laughed, and it sounded kind of crazy even to me. "You nearly killed us both because you want to talk about Isabella again?"

"She can't go to New York!" His fingers were digging into my shoulders. "The Morettis will destroy her. This whole thing is your responsibility, Sienna. Your father made the deal, it's your problem."

"My responsibility?" I shoved him off me. "Finn, what about us? What happens to our engagement?"

"There's gotta be another way." He kept running his hands through his hair like that would somehow fix this. "We can figure something out. You can talk to your father again, or negotiate with the Morettis, literally anything except making Isabella go there."

"She's so kind and gentle," he kept talking, the words just pouring out. "She's fragile, you know? She won't survive in that world. But you're strong, you were raised for this life. If someone has to go, it should obviously be—"

"It should be me." I finished the sentence for him. "That's what you were about to say, right?"

He didn't answer but I could see everything I needed to know in his eyes. He'd already made his choice, and it definitely wasn't me. It was never going to be me.

Same as last time.

"Get away from me." My voice came out quiet and cold. "We're done, Finn. You and me, whatever we had, it's over."

"Sienna, wait!"

"I said get the hell away from me!"

He flinched. Then he turned and walked back to his car with his shoulders all slumped.

I stood there watching him drive off, and all I felt was exhausted. So tired of caring about someone who would always choose someone else first.

I got back in my car and drove home. One month until New York. One month until I could leave all this behind.

Honestly, I couldn't wait.