𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗲

3 - Of Blood and Bond.

"Revenge, the sweetest morsel to the mouth that ever was cooked in hell."

- Walter Scott

I savored the taste of my cognac, feeling the warmth spread through my chest as I set the empty glass on the dresser.

A gentle knock came at the door, followed by Madison's soft voice. "Tori, can I come in?"

"Always," I answered, forcing a lighter tone than I felt. For her, I'd always pretend things were easier than they were. For her and my mother.

Madison stepped in, and instead of her usual bright energy, there was a calm, serious air about her. My baby sister-my responsibility. From the day she was born, I'd vowed to protect her from the darker sides of our life. She was the COO of Pierce Holdings, sharp as a knife in business, but she'd never been dragged into the messier parts of what we did. I made damn sure of that. To the outside world, she and my mother were my biggest weaknesses, and I wasn't about to let anyone exploit that.

"Can't sleep?" I asked, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. The worry in her eyes set off all kinds of alarms in my head. Something was bothering her, and she wasn't hiding it well.

"I know why you're sending us away," she said softly.

Of course she knew. She wasn't a child, and this wasn't the first time I'd packed them up and sent them off to some safe house while I handled business. But it never got easier, for either of us. With everything heating up, Conor and Ronan needed me more than ever, and while I had no intention of turning my back on them, the risk was higher this time. The thought of what could happen to Madison and Mom kept me up at night.

"I know there's a lot going on right now, Maddie," I said softly, pulling her into my arms. "But your safety and Mom's is all I care about. You two are the most important thing in my life, and I need you both far away until this storm blows over."

She pulled back slightly, her eyes red from the tears she was fighting to hold in. "But what about you?" she whispered, her voice shaky. "I'm scared, Tori. You have me really scared."

I squeezed her tighter, feeling her grip on me like she was trying to hold on to some sense of security. Her tears soaked through my shirt, and I hated myself a little more for putting her in this position. Madison wasn't built for this life—the violence, the blood. She was the heart of our family, and that heart was breaking right in front of me.

"I'm going to be fine, sweetie," I whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You don't need to worry about me."

But she did. She always had. Madison had seen enough to know the risks, even if she wasn't directly involved. She wasn't supposed to carry this burden, yet here she was, fighting tears because of the choices I made.