Page 59 of Sinful Bargains

“This isn’t your problem, Enzo,” I cut him off. “It’s mine.”

This was my problem. Mine alone. Between Joey and me. Man to man.

I had to protect Ma. She’d spent her whole life protecting me. I’ll never forget the look in my pops’ eyes when he came for me—cold, cruel, and full of rage. His hands reached out, and I could feel the chill before he touched me.

She’d pulled the trigger before I even registered what was happening. Her hand held my wrist so tightly, it left a bruise. I looked over my shoulder just as we stepped out of the front door and watched as he slumped to the floor, blood pooling beneath him. I looked at her then, really looked at her—the trembling in her hands as she gripped the steering wheel, the tears she didn’t bother to wipe away. She did that for me. She saved me because she loved me.

Now it was my turn.

I wasn’t going to let Joey pull her into his world. No matter how charming he played it or how much he “meant well.” She didn’t deserve to get tangled up in another man’s violence. If keeping her out of this meant playing nice with Joey, fine. If it meant being Vincent's errand boy for life, so be it. If it meant joining the damn mafia before I even had my driver’s license, I’d do it without hesitation.Whatever it took.

Because I owed her that much.

ANTONIO

Ipulled up to Vincent’s house, parking my bike against the curb before dropping my empty delivery bag beside it. My routine had become second nature—deliver all the papers in record time, then stop by Vincent’s place to check in. So far, Joey had done nothing notable.

As I stepped through the front door, I immediately noticed the tension in the room. Vincent stood in the dining area, locked in a heated back-and-forth with Hector. Their voices were low, but sharp. The moment they spotted me, the conversation came to an abrupt halt.

“You’ve got the fucking kid running errands for you now?” Hector hissed, his glare flicking between Vincent and me.

“Should I come back?” I asked, already feeling like I’d walked in on something I wasn’t supposed to hear.

“Stay,” Vincent ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I did as I was told, sinking onto the couch, but I could still hear them whispering from the next room. Something about their hushed voices set my nerves on edge. I’d seen Hector before, in passing, when I hung out with Michael, but never likethis. Seeing him here, going back and forth with Vincent, stirred something uneasy in my gut. Hector was part of the mafia—that much I knew. But there was something about this encounter that felt off.

I heard Hector’s low, clipped voice carry through the room. “I’ve worked too damn hard for this title. Christopher’s talking about bringing him in. So we’re going to have to put a hit on him.”

A hit? On who?

“I put him away for ten fucking years, and now he walks out like he owns the streets I bled for,” Hector muttered.

That confirmed who.Joey.

Hector stormed past me, slamming the front door so hard the walls seemed to rattle. I kept my expression blank as Vincent strode over, lowering himself onto the sofa across from me. “What do you got for me, kid?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Nothing. Joey doesn’t do much—just smokes and sits around with his friends.”

Vincent studied me for a moment, then tilted his head. “What about your mother and Joey?”

I kept my face neutral. “Haven’t seen anything,” I lied.

His gaze lingered on me, and I could only hope he couldn’t see straight through me. He didn’t respond right away. He just kept watching me. The silence stretched, making my pulse kick up a notch.

“You’re a smart kid,” he finally said. “You know what happens to people who keep secrets from me, don’t you?”

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to hold his gaze. “I don’t got any secrets.”

Vincent let out a slow exhale, then leaned back against the couch. “Good,” he said, but the way he said it sent a shiver down my spine. “Keep your eyes on Joey. If he so much as breathes wrong, I wanna know about it.”

I nodded, standing up. “Got it.”

As I turned to leave, Vincent’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Oh, and kid?”

I glanced back over my shoulder.

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