Page 2 of His Prize

No more family members would kill anyone else.

Unless they wanted to be burned, tossed out on their ass, and ex-communicated.

So many thoughts tumbled around in my mind as the first day of trial dragged on. I thought about all of the things I could change in my family. The pending business deals I already wanted to say “no” to. The rules I wanted to switch up. The morals I wanted the family to operate on. I knew I’d have several arguments with my aunt and my cousin over this. But, in the end, this throne was rightfully mine.

Because you see, my father had been the eldest son. And I had been his only child. Which meant my father was supposed to step into the role my uncle previously had. That’s why I was supposed to die that night. That’s why I was supposed to be killed, along with my parents—so that the throne to this family’s empire could rightfully pass through to his family instead of mine.

No one had a leg to stand on when it came to challenging my rightful place in this family.

The thought still scared me, though.

What if I’m no good at this?

The only things I remembered about my parents were our ice cream trips on the weekends and the movies we had watched while cuddled on the couch. And the only things I remembered about the business were the kinds of things my uncle got himself into. Things I never wanted to experience while I was at the helm. So, I didn’t have a positive role model in this world to copy.

Positive role model? Are you insane? You’re the head of a criminal family!

Israel leaned over again. “Bonnie?”

“Hmm?” I asked mindlessly.

“Are you coming?”

I blinked to try to get my bearings. And when I did, I saw the bailiff hauling away my hand-cuffed uncle. My aunt and cousin glared at me from across the room, and I stood. I kept my head held high and my back straight, trying to project that stupid facade. But, I was anxious to get out of that place.

I wanted to get home.

That penthouse isn’t your home. It’s his home.

I didn’t feel Israel’s palm on the small of my back like I used to. I didn’t feel his hand in mine as we made our way out of the courthouse. He didn’t do anything to keep me close or guide me in any way, and I knew why. It was because of this stupid role. This stupid thing I had taken on in my life because the family didn’t have anyone else.

And the further away Israel grew from me, the more I regretted the path my life had taken.

“Israel?”

“Yes, Bonnie?”

I slid into the back of the Town Car. “You’re getting more and more distant.”

He sat down next to me. “I don’t know what you mean.”

I pointed to the cushion separating us. “This. All of this.”

“I’m not following.”

I sighed. “Up until a few weeks ago, I never moved beside you without your hand touching me in some way. We never rode in the back of this car together without your thigh pressed against mine. Are you really going to try to convince me that you’re not putting distance between us right now?”

He sighed. “This is a hard time for you, and I just want—”

I leaned over. “Well, whatever you think Iwant? Get it out of your head. Because until you ask me what I want and we decide to have a conversation about it, you don't know shit. Understood?”

His jaw clenched. “Understood.”

I sat upright. “Wonderful. Glad we’re on the same page.”

I cast my eyes out the window, but I felt this growing tension between us. And not the good kind, either. But, I saw an opportunity and I took it.

“Israel?”

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