Page 501 of One More Kiss

He had to be fucking delusional if he thought that I’d work for him. At the age of twenty-one, I took an oath to protect and serve. Vincenzo Bilotti was without a doubt one of the most brutal organized crime bosses that had ever lived.

“The deal I have for you is one that you’ll not want to turn down.”

I sighed and dropped down on the couch. Seemed Vincenzo wasn’t going to leave until I heard him out.

“Why the hell would I want to make a deal with you?”

“Think what you want about me, Paolo, but there’s one person in this world that I’d do anything to protect.”

“Avery,” I said.

Everyone knew Vincenzo Bilotti had one weakness—his daughter Avery. She was to be protected at all costs. From every report that the police had, she was innocent and had nothing to do with her father’s world. The Famiglia didn’t let women into their organization; women were to be protected, cherished, and married off in bids of securing alliances. But Avery Bilotti was the princess of the Bilotti Famiglia. She was without a doubt the most important person besides the boss.

“You and I both know what will happen to my daughter if my enemies try to thwart me. If they manage to kill me. You know better than anyone what will happen to an innocent woman, Mr. Manocchio.”

I glared at the fucker seated opposite me. “How do you know so much about me?”

He shrugged. “I had my research done, just as you have on me. I know that your sister was killed due to your mother’s pimp. The innocent are always the ones to suffer the worst. Your sister paid for your mother’s sins. I don’t want my daughter to pay for mine.”

“You have an entire organization at your back, Vin. You do not need me,” I said through clenched teeth. “And don’t talk about my sister.”

No one ever spoke of Lucille.

“Your mother let you both down. She tried her best—no one can fault her for that. She did what she had to do to provide for you and your sister, but the drugs…" He shook his head. “That was sloppy on her part. She got hooked and forgot about her kids.

“You watched that pimp beat your mother time and time again. You watched as he took what he wanted from her whenever he wanted. You were ten. Then he took the one person you loved most from this world.”

Vin looked me square in the eye, and I was sure I caught a glimpse of pride, respect, and admiration. “It’s what set you on course to become a cop. It’s why you’re the best undercover cop that the department has ever seen. It’s why I know that you’re the man for the job.”

I gritted my teeth. Despite everything in me telling me to kick him the fuck out, I found myself asking, “What do you need?”

He smiled that shark’s grin again.

“I have a mole in my organization, Mr. Manocchio. One that is feeding information to my enemy, the Carpones. This man is intending to take me out.” He rose to his feet. “Paolo, I can’t allow that to happen. If they succeed, it won’t be just my life that’s gone. My daughter will be subjected to my enemies, and I’ll never allow that to happen.”

Fuck.

“What do you need from me?”

“You’re good at what you do. You’ve kept yourself clean. I need you to go undercover in my organization and figure out who the fuck the mole is.”

My spine straightened. “And what do I get in return?”

“You get my enemy,” he said simply. “You figure out who it is, then you get to be the man that puts away a crime boss.”

I chuckled. “You want me to do your dirty work? I get rid of the enemy and you take over his patch.”

He shrugged. “It’s just business, Mr. Manocchio. But you’ll benefit from this too. You’ll be promoted by bringing down my enemy.”

He was right. If I managed to bring down the Carpone syndicate—something that had never been done before—I’d be promoted. The deal was a win-win for us. But it was shady as fuck.

“You have a choice, Mr. Manocchio. Make it. Tonight, I have a meeting with my men. If you plan to agree to my terms, come to my home at seven thirty.”

He didn’t wait for me to reply. He exited my apartment, leaving the door wide open.

Marco entered, placed my gun on the counter, and left without a word.

I stared at the closed door.

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