Page 8 of Surprise Twins for the Mafia Heir

“Well?” she asks.

I clear my throat. “We may be comfortable together but being out there is much different. I can’t risk people seeing us together like we’re a…couple,” I explain. Rosa turns off the faucet.

“We’re not a couple, though,” she says. “We’re just two people who want to have a normal cup of coffee. I promise I won’t escape, it’s safer to be with you by the look of what happened that night.” Rosa is impossible to say no to. She looks adorable in the satin pajamas I found at a boutique in Manhattan. I know things get lonely for her, and a part of me doesn’t want to risk losing her trust again. Deep down inside, we both know who’s actually in power and it’s a sinking feeling.

“How about you give me some time to think about it?” I ask instead. Rosa sighs and plops back down in the kitchen chair.

“I suppose that’ll have to do,” she says.

How much time does the girl really have? It’s just coffee,I bargain with myself frantically.

“Have you ever had seaside coffee?” I ask Rosa.

“Is it extra salty?” she questions, her eyebrows raised.

I chuckle. “I used to come to this coffee shop as a kid when my dad did truck driving for a while. The coffee always tasted like the perfect blend between fresh and sweet.”

I dry the plates and set them out to dry. “If you wear a baseball cap and a huge sweatshirt, I think I could take you.”

Rosa jumps from her chair. “Really?” she squeals.

“Yeah, just hurry before it gets too late,” I say. The anxiety starts to build in my chest but I want to do everything I can to make Rosa feel happy. It’s the least I can do.

I forgot how beautiful Montauk is. The weather is cold enough to need a jacket, but not too cold to miss out on sitting outside. All I can remember about Montauk is that my dad bought out the town. It goes back to my great-grandparents in a nasty battle to secure their land out here, but my dad finally took it back. There was a lot of bloodshed. Nothing that locals knew too much about unless they were in on it. My dad prefers to keep it that way because Montauk is where all my siblings and I were raised. For a moment, I thought we were a normal, happy family like all the rest out here. After I witnessed my dad kill a butcher over missed payments, the illusion shattered.

Sailsman Coffeeis the oldest coffee shop here with the same man I recognized all those years back. His black hair is now snow white and he has heavy bags under his eyes. Of all the people who worked in the town, Roger, the shop owner, always paid his dues to my dad. For that reason, I feel oddly safe going there.

Rosa lifts up her baseball cap. “This place smells amazing,” she whispers.

“You don’t have to whisper,” I chuckle.

“Oh, really? Okay, well, I’ll have a mocha latte with a chocolate chip muffin. Can I go outside ?” Rosa asks me before sitting down on the outdoor benches. I approach the counter and tap on the bell. Roger appears immediately and his eyes light up.

“My God, is that little Vinny? Well, not so little after all! My God!” he cries. He leans over to give me a hug. His warm personality always made me feel at ease. “Is your dad here?”

I shake my head. “No, no, no. Just me.”

Roger looks past me at Rosa. His smile fades slightly. “Well, what can I get you?”

I return to Rosa with our coffee and muffins. The air smells like the sea and Rosa seems relaxed. She takes a sip of the coffee and smiles.

“Shit, this really is good,” she says.

“Told you,” I reply. “Good memories here.”

Rosa sips her coffee and stares across the horizon. “Wish I’d known about this place.”

“Montauk? Everyone does,” I say.

“Not me. I only knew Chinatown and the poor parts of the city,” Rosa says. “It must be different for you.” I grew up well-off but that’s only because my dad is a criminal.

“There are pros and cons to everything,” I mutter.

Rosa sets her coffee down. “Well, what’s the con to this coffee outing?” I’d hoped we wouldn’t mention anything neither of us has control over.

“That question,” I joke.

Rosa sighs. “I could live here with you and be happy, Vinny. We’re already doing it.”

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