The apartment was cozy, filled with the warmth of Susan's home-cooked meal, and the light scent of roasted chicken and herbs lingered in the air. She watched Samuel take another bite of rice and salad, his face softened by a rare moment of calm. For the first time in a while, they were sitting down together, sharing a meal without the shadows of debt or danger lurking in the background—at least, that's what she wanted him to think.
"This is good," Samuel said, gesturing to his plate. "You still make the best chicken."
Susan gave him a small smile. "Mom taught me well. I had to learn to keep you fed, remember? You weren't exactly a picky eater, but you could finish a meal before I even sat down."
He chuckled, and for a moment, the tension lifted. They finished eating, their laughter filling the small space, the closeness of siblings who had faced far too much together. But as they settled in the living room with mugs of tea, Samuel's expression grew serious.
"So... I still can't figure out why Leo just... let me off," he said, looking at her over his cup. "Returned my car, didn't come after me for the rest of the debt. It doesn't make sense. I was fully prepared for him to keep coming until he bled me dry. People like him don't just let go so I'm a bit confused about it"
Susan's pulse quickened. She shifted slightly on the couch, hiding her hands beneath her legs to steady them. "Sam, maybe it's better not to question it," she replied, her voice more clipped than she intended. "You don't have to worry about him anymore. Isn't that enough?"
Samuel narrowed his eyes, picking up on her tone. "Susan, I know Leo, at least to some extent. He's not the type to just let things go, especially not money." Samuel sat forward, setting his mug down. "I think I need to talk to him, face-to-face. Get a real answer. Something is up and I need to know what it is."
"No!" The word escaped Susan before she could control it, sharp and unfiltered. His brow shot up, surprise mingling with suspicion.
"What's going on?" Samuel's voice was tight. "You're hiding something. Aren't you?"
Susan's shoulders slumped. She couldn't lie to him anymore; the weight of her secret was pressing down on her, and he was bound to find out eventually. She took a shaky breath. "Fine, I'll tell you. But promise me you won't do anything stupid."
"Susan," he said slowly, "tell me."
Her gaze dropped, and her voice softened to barely a whisper. "I went to Leo, Sam. I offered to help pay off your debt... I thought... maybe I could do something. You were drowning, and I couldn't stand by and do nothing."
Samuel's eyes widened, his face darkening with a mix of anger and betrayal. "You did what?" His voice was low, but there was fury in it. "I told you to stay out of this. You know how dangerous he is—how could you go to him behind my back?"
"Because I was trying to protect you!" she snapped back, her voice rising. "You don't get to take on all the weight, Sam. We're family. You would've done the same for me."
"That's different. I'm your brother. It's my job to protect you—not the other way around!" Samuel's fists clenched as he paced the small living room, trying to absorb her words. "What has he got you doing? Susan, what exactly are you doing for Leo? I know it can't be anything good,"
She hesitated. Telling him everything would only make him more determined to confront Leo, and she couldn't risk that. "Just a few errands. Deliveries. That's it. He said... he said he'd let me go once it's done." She forced a small, unconvincing smile, hoping he wouldn't press her further.
His gaze softened, but only slightly. "And you believe him? Leo doesn't just let people go, Susan. He's not someone you can make deals with. He'll find a way to keep you under his thumb."
"But you made a deal with him… And you're still here… Aren't you?" Susan asked.
"Only because he's got you paying for it. Damn! I knew something was up,"
"I don't have a choice," she said, more firmly. "This is the best option, Sam. Please, just trust me on this."
They sat in tense silence, the air thick with unspoken words and fear. After a moment, Samuel sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. But if I see even the slightest sign of trouble—if I hear so much as a whisper that he's messing with you—I'm going to him myself. Understood?"
Susan nodded, a wave of relief washing over her. "Understood."
Samuel still didn't look convinced, "What are you delivering for him anyways? And where?"
"I don't know," Susan said truthfully. He was so agitated over this, so she sure as hell wasn't going to tell him about the counterfeit bills. Knowing Samuel, he already blamed himself for this mess, and he'd beat himself up because now she was involved, so she kept that part of herself, "I think It's better if I don't know honestly. The last time I had to deliver a package to a car wash, but I'm pretty sure the location will be different next time, so I can't be sure,"
"What if I came with you? We could do this together. It shouldn't be just you,"
Remembering her last conversation with Leo, Susan knew that wasn't a good idea, "He wants me to do this alone, Sam," she said. "Bringing you into the loop might piss him off,"
Samuel gave her a long look, worry clouding his expression. "Of course he wants you to do it alone because he's doing shady things and making you the fall guy in case something goes wrong. Just promise me you'll be careful, okay? Or at least tell me where and when you are going even if I can't come with you,"
"I will," she said, knowing it was a promise she couldn't keep. Involving Samuel would be a problem, and she wanted to avoid that. She forced a reassuring smile, but as she walked him to the door later that evening, her heart weighed heavy, knowing that her own future was now tangled up with Leo's, in ways she couldn't yet control.
Or maybe she could. If Leo was going to be using her for his dirty business it wasn't going to be for free, her brother's debt be damned. If she was going to do this, then she had to be smart about it.
Leo had not contacted her yet, but she knew he would soon, and when he did, she had to be ready.