Burning Ties

Chapter twenty-seven

Guyssss, in case y'all didn't know, remember like a million chapters ago when I asked about book ideas? As in which one I should write about next? Well, most responses voted on the one with the two killers, and if y'all are interested.... Well, the first chapter is out.

Slow asf updates, but it's there 😭

Anyway,

Leandro POV

Sometimes, on rare occasions, I wonder if I could somehow change the fate of the world. I've never really been a believer of hope, in fact, I was always of the belief that hope was a thing for fools that only made you weaker. 

Since the death of the man who raised me, however, I've discovered that hope is actually a driving force. It pushes you to move forward even when all you want to be doing is going along with all the bullshit going on.

Hope crushes you, yes, but it also gives you the will to live. Recently, the only hope I've managed to have is the hope of keeping my sister safe.

The Volkov family is ruthless. They're cunning, cruel, some may even say inhumane; and they're also the family Iris had been arranged to marry into.

I've been trying to find a loophole in the contract, something to forfeit the entire thing. But, unfortunately, it's ironclad. There's nothing I can do to change it.

I thought about just having one of my brothers marry one of the Volkov's. I'm sure it wouldn't be too much a problem, though I don't think any of my brothers are gay; it's still a better option than having my sister married off to some heathen.

To my dismay, however, the contract is specific. Iris is to marry Slater unless either party is killed. As much as I wouldn't have hesitated to kill Slater if he were someone else, his family will start a war if I do that.

'You mean to tell me that Iris is going to get married?' Carmine signs, his brows furrowed as anger and confusion transforming his features.

"Yes, and not just to anyone, to one of the Volkov's" I reply.

'Oh, that's not so bad, honestly. I wish she'd had the choice of who to marry, but chances are she would've ended up with Slater anyway.' Carmine shrugs.

"What the fuck do you mean, Carmine?" I ask, glaring at my stupid brother. Damn, I thought Luka was the biggest idiot between them all.

'What I mean is that in due time, they probably would have ended up together anyway. Why do you thing Iris is out of her room? It's because of him, dumbass.'

Oh. Well, when he puts it that way, it's pretty hard not to see, but that doesn't make me any less angry about it. She's my little sister.

'But, that doesn't give you an excuse to be acting like a complete asshole, Leandro. Act like a man and talk to your sister.' Carmine signs angrily, he's the one who's glaring now. I find it odd how quickly things change in this family, honestly.

Without waiting for me to reply, Carmine promptly gets out of his chair and storms out of the office.

I don't think that conversation went the way either of us were expecting for it to go, but whatever. That's life. If there's anything that I've learnt in the entirety of my life, it's that you can never control someone elses actions, even if you try fighting it as hard as you can. Sure, you can try and back them into a corner, however that option would backfire should the person be smart enough to create another option. 

Which is why I can only hope that Carmine doesn't tell Iris about her fate; not until I know for certain that there is absolutely nothing that can be done to prevent the marriage from happening; because as much as everyone can say that Iris and Slater are the perfect match, I would like for Iris to have a choice.