Page 112 of Sinful Sacrifice

Cernach snorts and then directs his focus past Antonio. He shifts his gaze from Julian to Emilio and then rests it on me.

“If you can’t marry my daughter, then I want one of them.” He drums his fingers along his chin. “I want a capo … someone high in rank. Not some schmuck.”

When he realizes no one is eager to volunteer, he points at each of us, one by one. I’m last, and I glare at him.

I already know who he’s choosing.

As soon as Antonio said he was unavailable, I knew it.

“Damien,” he says, shocking the others, but not me. “You’re the type of man I desire my Riona to marry.”

I work my jaw, not saying a word.

“No contract, no guns,” he adds.

Sonny made it clear anyone who supports Antonio will die. While I stopped fearing death at the age of twelve, I still need to protect the ones I love. Knowing Sonny’s brutality, I’m unsure if he’d spare Clara’s and Amara’s lives. He’s determined to get rid of anyone bearing the Lombardi name.

Right before I killed one of Sonny’s men, he mentioned Pippa, knowing she’s one of my weaknesses. Broken up or not, it’s still my responsibility to keep her safe.

Pippa left me, threw away our future.

There’s no chance for us to marry.

I’ve accepted a lonely life. After losing Pippa, I knew it was a bad idea to ever bring an innocent woman into my world—especially after all the violence we’ve had lately.

Antonio shakes his head. “Sorry, Cernach?—”

I step to his side and interrupt him, “I’ll do it.”

This is a sacrifice I must make.

I hate it, but I hate losing people I love more.

Antonio holds up his hand. “Damien?—”

“I’ll do it,” I grind out. Each of those words pains my throat as I say them.

“Excellent.” Cernach snaps his fingers in the air.

One of his men produces a document, dropping it beside the guns.

Cernach draws a pen from his coat and taps it against the papers. “I need both of your signatures here, and the deal is done. You can take your weapons and leave.”

“You’ll also continue providing us with firearms.” I jerk my head toward the paper. “I want that in writing.”

“And going forward, you only charge us half,” Antonio adds. “Damien is a capo. He’s worth it.”

My hand sweats as I scribble my name on the dotted line and pass the pen to Antonio.

“You sure?” he asks from under his breath while taking the pen from me.

I lower my voice so he’s the only one to hear me. “If this is what it takes to get rid of Sonny, then that’s what I have to do.”

His tone matches mine. “You know who Riona is, right?”

I straighten my collar. “I know exactly who Riona is.”

This is what I must do to end the war.

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