The Evil Stepsister (Fairytale Killers #2)

Is There Any Reason Not To

The Walter's dinner table was too long for a family of five, ten people could easily not hear each other over it. 

At the head of the table, the Walter patriarch crumpled a shiny suit tailored to fit him but not his growing waist which kept folding over his belt, making his shirt dance. On his left, the twins were dressed in the same comically conservative dress, full-length everything. Black, to boot. Big flashy earrings singing their silent protest. On their hands, bracelets with their names, enforced by Franco.

Facing the twins, the Rawlings. Senior looked on his way to his own funeral, like attached to an invisible oxygen tank. His eerie blue eyes never blinked. Junior had a suit that looked taken out of a box worth more than Franco's house, someone cloning his eye color on imported fabric, uniform blue. He was tall and on the thinner side of athletic. Not a guy who'd need a corpse's help to get a woman. 

At separate tables in two corners, each security team waited for the night to end. Franco's Viorel, Stan and Oz ate in silence, Oz trying not to stare too much at Carmela who was avoiding him, his texts of encouragement lingering unanswered. 

Rawlings’ squad looked much more professional, suits and everything. Holsters visible. 

“Jack has insisted that we settle this,” Rawlings said in a warm voice, fit for a preacher. “I advised him to drop the deal the moment I learned about the video.” 

“A most unfortunate incident,” Franco’s hands glossed over, presenting his daughters. “Luckily, as will be confirmed by any doctor of your choice, Caterina is not in that video. Now, I understand if you refuse, but I hope that you see the benefit in this: easy decision.”

“Indeed,” Jack Rawlings finally talked, and the whole room just naturally paid attention. “I'll marry the one who is in the video.”

“What?!” The Walter twins both got up.

“Tonight,” Jack Rawlings ignored them, talking to Franco, who couldn't believe his ears, going along with it anyway.

“Carmela, get some things, bare necessities,” he said over their protests. “We'll send the rest. You have thirty minutes.”

“No," Carmela said. 

“Is this necessary?” Rawlings asked his son. “Can't you just once do something normal?!”

“At least let me choose out of the two options you gave me,” Jack silenced the old man. 

When they also turned to Carmela, her voice was weaker, “No.”

Franco got up, “You have twenty-nine minutes to take your shit and leave my house with them, or in a cab to wherever else, because I'm not spending another cent on you. You don't get to scoff, after eating my food for two decades! You are either part of this family or outside of it. We all have our parts to play!”

Both twins leaned back, crossing their arms, slapped by Franco's words, even the Rawlings were surprised by the scene, expecting a meek woman and a jovial Franco. Senior was impressed with his right hand and it showed. Jack Rawlings kept a straight face, the man was like a statue. 

Also like a statue, Caterina Walter was staring at Junior, who remained completely oblivious of her existence, focused on Carmela. Who straightened, “I'll be back in time. I was just… Why the rush?” she asked.

“Is there any reason not to, at this point?” Jack Rawlings stared back at her.

Prompting Caterina to run out of the room, Carmela chasing her. Oz waited as long as he could before inventing an excuse to go after them.