Page 78 of Sinful Bargains

Vincent leaned forward. “We can’t bend the rules for him, Christopher. He’s broken rule five—no involvement with law enforcement. If we let this slide, we might as well burn this family to the ground. How can we be sure this cop won’t flip and take Joey down, dragging all of us with him?”

Christopher turned his gaze back to me. “How do you know he won’t betray you?”

I met his eyes, refusing to flinch. “How do you know anyone won’t betray you?” I shot back.

The tables could always turn, and I was ready to face that. “I don’t know if he’d turn on me,” I admitted, “but I’ve known Ben for ten years, and he’s proven his loyalty over and over. He’s led the NYPD on wild goose chases, making them think they could nail us, only to destroy any evidence they managed to gather. He’s the reason we’re still standing.”

“Do you think I should kill you, Joey?” Christopher asked calmly.

“I don’t think that’s my call to make. But I understand if you have to pull the trigger,” I replied. “I broke rule number five, knowing full well what I was doing. I twisted it to fit my own moral code—convinced myself I was doing what was best for this family. But I realize now that’s not my place. I don’t make the rules. I obey them. And when I break them, there’s a price topay. I’ve always known that. This is my family. The only one I’ve ever known. So, if you have to kill me, I understand. My only request is to let me stand, and I want Paul to do it.”

I heard Paul exhale, a breath he must’ve been holding for far too long. I knew he didn’t want to do it—but there was no way in hell I’d give Vincent the satisfaction.

No one spoke. The silence in the room was almost deafening.

“I want to meet the cop,” Christopher finally said.

“I can bring him to you,” I offered, grasping at the chance to stay alive.

“I know where to find him,” Vincent interrupted. “Kill this rat, and I’ll bring the cop to you by tomorrow morning.”

Christopher didn’t even glance Vincent’s way. “When can you make it happen?” he asked me.

“Tomorrow,” I said.One more day to be alive.I couldn’t do that to Adriana—return only to leave her wondering if I’d come back alive again. “Paul will have him delivered to you.”

Christopher nodded. “You’re leaving here tonight, Joey. Rule number five will have exceptions.”

“Exceptions?” Vincent snarled. “You’d make exceptions for this dirtbag?”

Christopher’s gaze snapped to Vincent. “Rule number two,” he said. “Respect the boss. Any disrespect will not be tolerated.”

Vincent’s face twisted with anger, but he said nothing. But it was just this, a noise sounded outside. Hector whipped his head toward the source, gun drawn. He threw the doors open, scanning for the threat. Around me, everyone had their guns loaded and raised, ready for action—except me. My hands were empty. That’s what I meant about guns being insurance: a necessity to stay alive.

“Get me out of here, Hector!” Christopher barked. Hector and Vincent sprang into action, escorting him out while the others moved to secure the perimeter.

Somehow, my life had been spared. I spotted my gun, Hector had left behind, and tucked it into the waistband of my pants. Marco and Paul rushed out, leaving me standing alone. But nothing could scare me more than what I’d already survived in that room.

JOEY

Iparked outside Ben’s house, the driver’s side window rolled down as I took a slow drag from my cigarette. A moment later, the front door swung open, and Ben walked out, straightening the collar of his crisp button-down. “Decided to get dressed up?” I teased, smirking as he approached.

Ben shot me a look as he slid into the passenger seat. “Aren’t you the one who said if you’re gonna be killed, make sure you go down in your Sunday best?”

I let out a low chuckle. “Yeah, guess I did say that.” I flicked ash out the window before glancing at him. “Then again, maybe you were hoping Lucy would be there. Just a piece of advice—don’t let him in on that dirty little secret you’re harboring. You know, the fact that you’ve been screwing his daughter for years now.”

Ben let out an amused snort, shaking his head. “You know what? I think you’re in the wrong profession. With all this warmth and wisdom, you would’ve made a wonderful psychiatrist.” I scoffed, pressing my foot to the gas as we pulled onto the road. “Never thought you’d be the one chauffeuring me to mypotential execution,” he muttered as I drove toward Christopher’s house.

“Need some advice from someone whohasn’tbeen executed yet?” I shot him a glance. “It’s all in how you think. You tell yourself you’re gonna make it out alive—you probably will.”

“Hmph,” Ben grunted. “Are we talking manifestation here? Because if that’s the case, I’m manifesting myself a bulletproof vest.”

“Nowthat’sthe spirit, Benny!” I teased, giving his shoulder a shove. “Come on, show me a smile. First impressions mean a lot to the boss.” He tried to stifle a grin, but that one got him. He let out a chuckle, shaking his head.

To be honest, I had no idea if either of us would be walking out of that house today. But I sure as hell wasn’t gonna tellhimthat.

I pulled up in front of Christopher’s estate as Ben and I got out of the car. We made our way to the front door and knocked. Christopher opened it almost immediately. His mouth didn’t move, but the cold, calculating look in his eyes said everything we needed to know. He turned and led us through the house. We followed him out to the back patio, where he settled into a chair and began lighting a cigar, the smoke curling up into the hot air.

He studied Ben with a hard, calculating stare, as though he could see through him—strip away the layers and find the truth beneath.

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