Page 74 of Sinful Bargains

My throat tightened. My mouth went dry. I nodded. My life was at stake.

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “I don’t think you do.”

He stood slowly, and I shrank back into the couch. My body went rigid as he loomed over me, his presence suffocating. And then he pulled out the revolver. The barrel leveled straight at my face. My hands shot up instinctively, trembling in the air. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the blow I’d never live to feel.

“At what point were you going to mention that Joey works with the feds?” he shouted.

“I—I don’t know anything about that! I swear!” I choked out. My hands shook as I held them up, desperation seeping into every word. “I’d tell you if I did!”

“You don’t walk until I say so,” he growled. “Matter of fact, when I say jump, you don’t ask how high. You just fucking jump. Or the next time you come here empty-handed, youwon’tleave.”

My chest rose and fell in sharp, panicked breaths. Slowly, I cracked one eye open, watching as he lowered the gun.

“Understand?” he asked.

I managed a shaky nod, still unable to find my voice.

“Good.” He jerked his chin toward the door. “Get the hell out of here.”

I didn’t need to be told twice. I pushed myself up so fast I nearly tripped, stumbling over my own feet as I bolted for the door. I barely got it open before I was outside, leaping onto my bike. My legs burned as I pedaled, my heart slamming against my ribs.

At this rate, if I didn’t end up a big-time baseball player—or get myself killed by Vincent before I turned fourteen—I’d be a damn professional cyclist with all the pedaling I’d been doing.

JOEY

It had been a week since I’d taken Adriana on that date. A week since I’d made love to her. And I couldn’t help but think it was the best damn week of my life. We were two grown adults, but in love like two school kids. Vincent hadn’t put a bullet in me, so I guess luck was on my side. But honestly, I didn’t care either way—I’d risk my life to be with Adriana. I needed Adriana like lungs need air. Without her, I feared I’d just fall apart. When I look at her, I see our future. She sees me for who I am. And I see her for who she is. She doesn’t care about what people say I am. Because with her, I can show her who I’ve always wanted to be.

I’m done paying my debt with my soul; whatever that meant, I’d live with it. Adriana’s been through hell, and I’m no saint, but I’d sell my soul to the devil just to have her. I would be her peace. And she would be mine.

She sat across from me in the booth.The Wise Guywas filled to the brim, but it felt like it was just her and me. Her navy, tea-length dress hugged her waist, the pearls I’d gifted her resting around her neck. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, couldn’t stopthinking about just before this, when I had her in my office. And I’d have her every day after this.

“Do you like it?” I asked, motioning to the bottle of Chianti on the table. She nodded, her lips curving into a smile.

“It’s really good,” she said, taking another sip.

I’d spent my whole life doing what other people told me. Following the rules I didn’t make up. But she was the only light in this lifetime. I’d burn down the world if I had to, taking everyone out in my path just to be with her.

“Joey, there’s something on my mind lately,” she said.

“What is it?”

“I don’t want Antonio to ever be a part of that part of your life.” Her eyes locked onto mine.

“I would never let that happen. I don’t want any of my kids to live the life I’ve lived. I’ve seen enough of what this world does to people. To families. I swore, long ago, that if I ever had a family, my kids would have everything I didn’t. I want them to have something better than I ever had. I will do whatever it takes, Adriana. Whatever it takes to give them that life. I won’t let them fall into this mess I’m stuck in. Not if I can help it.”

I meant every word of that promise. I refused to let it continue. My sins die with me. I’ve seen too many people get swallowed whole by this world, their lives destroyed. But not my kids. I’ll break every rule and do whatever it takes, just to make sure they don’t get pulled into the same darkness. They deserve a future I can’t even begin to imagine for myself—a life free of fear, free of bloodshed. That’s the future I’ll give them.

Adriana had walked over to the bar to talk to Lucy and Angela. She glowed with happiness, her laughter spilling over the music. “Joey,” Paul said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t even realized he had slipped into the booth where Adriana had previously been sitting.

I glanced at him, his eyes focused on his fingers as theyfidgeted on top of the table. He never fidgeted. Something was off. “What’s going on?” I asked.

“Hector just told me,” he started, but the words seemed like they were physically hard to get out, “that they called a sit-down with the boss. You and Christopher in Manhattan.”

A sit-down with Christopher wasn’t a conversation. It wasn’t a friendly check-in. A sit-down meant decisions were made behind closed doors—decisions that were final. Sometimes you walked in and never walked out.

My eyes narrowed. “When?”

“Tomorrow night,” Paul said. I knew it had to have been Vincent’s idea to have Paul deliver the news to me—for my best friend to deliver the news, I may have twenty-four hours left alive.

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