BANGERZ 2: WORST BEHAVIOR (2015)

26. Ultimatum

"I did," Tony admits. "But I also said you don't speak unless I tell you to. And right now this conversation is between your sister and me."

My skin crawls, and I stay plastered to the door. I'm afraid to make any sudden movements. "D-Danny, do what he says," I say, miraculously summoning up composure. My brother has given me some encouragement.

"Yes, listen to her. You don't know me like she does. Forgive me - I haven't even told you who I am, Daniel."

"You're an intruder and a psychopath." Danny starts thrashing around all of a sudden. He looks like a five year-old getting dragged away for throwing a temper tantrum. "How do you know my sister?"

Tony drags the gun from Danny's temple to aim at his foot. I realize he's going to shoot him as punishment, just to make him suffer.

"You didn't introduce yourself when you came barging into our house with a gun?" I say impulsively, eager to divert Tony's anger to me. I'm scared out of my mind, but Danny needs to shut up. He has a gun to his head, for Christ's sake. I won't let his courageous will to protect me become foolish and futile. Either that or I'm trying to show Tony that I'm not intimidated, which is the more optimistic version. "How rude."

"I know, where are my manners?" Tony replies. His sarcasm is frightening. Mostly because I can see his impatience with Danny growing. "Would you mind, Tessa?"

"S-stop saying my name." The words spring out of me in a stuttered whisper. "You don't know me."

Tony tilts his head and regards me with a calculating gaze. "No, but I feel like I do. You really do look exactly like your parents. Your mother, particularly. It's like seeing a ghost. I'll tell you, if I'd noticed you on the porch that night, I might've shot you by accident. And I never miss."

The room goes silent. Danny affects a blankness that only news like that can cause. My brazenness abandons me. His words cut through my fear, shock, confusion, and despair and pierce something much deeper, a blade plunged into my heart.

"Ah. This talk will go nowhere if we don't get the introductions out of the way." Tony speaks airily as if he has digressed. He tucks the thought away before bringing his gaze back to mine and smiling.

"Would you mind, Tessa?" he asks me again. He returns the gun to Danny's head for emphasis.

I don't say anything. I can't. I feel a tingling sensation on my face and drag my hand across my cheek, not surprised at the wetness there.

"Introduce us!" Tony roars suddenly, notching his finger on the trigger of the gun.

I flinch. Alright, now is not the time to be unresponsive. Not with my brother's life at stake. It'd be different if I was the target; I've learned how to gamble with my life as a distraction. Right now, though, I have no choice but to do exactly what Tony says. And in the process I can get him talking and find out what he wants. Hopefully.

"Danny, this is Tony di Angelo," I say. "The man who killed our parents."

Danny looks as if his worst nightmare is coming to life. He obviously figured this out from Tony's speech about my striking resemblance to our parents, but the things he knows, the things I've told him, and my confirmation are blurring together now. It breaks my heart to see him like this - I've dragged him into this mess, and I have to get him out of it.

"This - this is the man that killed our parents?" he asks me, so dreadfully confused that it makes my tears come harder. "The one that kidnap - "

"He's a corrupt cop," I interrupt, sending him a desperate look. He stops immediately. One thing I can't bear to have come out is the lie I told to give him closure. It's bad enough he's finding out the truth this way. "A hit-man."