Page 24 of Rake

It’s like an episode of reality television. I’ll do what I have to to protect myself and my family’s interests, but if Sasha cooperates, she and her brother could be free of that despicable man.

“You need to get to college, Benjamin. She’ll leave when you do. August will be here sooner than you know. She can do that. She’s a strong person.”

I’m raising the stakes again. I have a lot to share with Sasha when I get back. Her brother sucks in a deep breath and takes me to her room. It’s small, but neat. Benjamin picks up a travel bag and hands it to me.

“You’ll take care of her until her ankle’s healed?” he asks. “Keep her away from here?”

“As long as she’ll let me,” I say.

“She’s done so much for me,” he continues. So earnest, this boy.

Which gives me another idea on how to convince Sasha to cooperate.

“If I can find out who hurt her?” I offer.

His eyes flash. “You’ll let me know?”

“I will.”

And maybe I’ll tell him if she doesn’t give me what I want.

He leaves to let me pack a bag for his sister. Her clothes are all trash. I was right—she spends nothing on herself. Looking through her lingerie drawers, it’s all cheap cotton panties and bras.

Never mind. I don’t want to bring this junk into my home. I carry the empty bag out, shake her brother’s hand, and head back downstairs. Her loathsome father smokes a cigarette. Inside the house.

“Listen!” he shouts at me. I stare at him, though every inch of my being tells me to leave this train wreck behind. “I don’t expect someone like you to stay with trash like Sasha, but if you do deflower her, make sure you give me my due. I’ve kept her pure this whole time.”

He coughs, the sound juicy and thick.

Deflower? Did he honestly use the word deflower? I want to deck him, knock his pathetic ass out of that chair. Instead I just leave, driving to my family’s house in Back Bay and shake off that horrific encounter.

I can’t let pity for Sasha cloud what I need to get done. It’s time to put her pig of a father out of my mind. Her situation is unfortunate, but she has an opportunity here to make it better. She’d foolish not to take it. She’s not trash, not like him, but her future isn’t bright if she doesn’t work with me.

When I enter the house, my baby sister Bridget greets me.

“Finn!” she says, running over and tossing her arms around my neck. I don’t know why she’s always happy to see me. She’s an outlier in our family. We’re all tall: even the women, but she stopped growing at five foot four —around the same height as Sasha, now that I think of it. Her hair is a deep auburn, whereas Siobhan and Catriona have strawberry blonde hair.

“Hi, honey,” I say, hugging her. “Is Dad home?”

She pouts. “You didn’t come to see me?”

“No such luck.”

“Is it bad?” she asks, her green eyes widening in concern. “Finn, do you need anything?”

My sweet baby sister. It’s hard to believe she’s a Carney sometimes.

“No, honey, it’s fine.” I don’t want her to worry. Not if she doesn’t have to. “Just a few issues with the casino staff. We’ll figure it out.”

“I have to get to practice,” she says, “but if you need anything…”

“Is someone driving you?”

Bridget’s a ballerina and a terrible driver.

“It’s just down the street. I’ll walk.”

“It’s icy as hell out there. I don’t want you getting hurt. I’ll walk you first and then check in with Dad.”

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