Page 22 of Surprise Twins for the Mafia Heir

“Do it,” Vinny whispers, as tears fall down his cheeks. I take the knife off his throat.

“No, it’s more punishment to live with yourself,” I say. I would leave him conscious since he’s a mess, but I don’t trust him. I grab the lamp closest to the door and knock Vinny out with one smooth hit. His body slumps to the floor. I don’t have much time.

The keys are tucked in Vinny’s back pocket. I grab them without hesitating and take off down the hallway. I still have my heart pajamas on. I jump in the truck and take off down the dark road. I have no time to understand why all the securities disappeared, or it is just my luck. I have no idea where I’m going, but if I want this baby to survive, I have to try.

CHAPTER 12

Vinny

Inever thought I’d be proud of being a failure. I didn’t do the one thing that was supposed to win back my father’s respect for me and I’m over the moon. Rosa is free and I’m happy. Nick was caught in a shootout downtown last night and pulled the security away for backup. I was happy to see the truck gone and not a trace of her. She’s free and maybe she made it out of the State and is going to cut all her hair off and start over. Maybe she can get a new identity and start school. Become a teacher. Or maybe she’ll be a missionary and travel the world. I have no idea but I stay in the thought of her being happy and free from the torment I caused her.

This joy lasts a good hour. My dad’s men have already checked for Rosa’s body behind her parent’s store, and have seen it’s not there. He immediately finds his way to the house. I see the usual crew walk up — Tony, Marcus, and Cary. They are three huge guys who were probably Vikings in another life. Most surprising is the other huge figure looming by my dad’s side. I spot the gruff expression and my stomach twists.

Larry.

I want to be excited to see him but he delivers a hard blow to my jaw when I open the door. Everyone stands back as he kicksthe life out of me. I hear my ribs crack and pain rushes through me. It’s the worst pain I’ve felt in ages. Another truck pulls up and I watch as Nick jumps out and stands at the bottom of the porch steps, watching me get my ass kicked. The other three get their kicks in until Larry holds his hand up.

“Get this traitor inside,” Larry orders. I’m dragged to the basement and tied up to the same pipe I had Rosa tied up to. Nick staggers behind with intense eyes. I can’t tell if this was all of his plan.

“You’re out,” I wheeze out. “Good for you.”

“That’s what happens when you’ve got good street cred,” Larry says. “But I can’t say the same for you.” Larry punches me in the stomach again and I taste blood in my mouth. I spit it on the ground.

“Just say it,” I growl.

Larry kneels so that we’re at eye level. “Nah, I’m not gonna say what you don’t have the balls to,” he begins. I can already see it welling inside of him though. It’s the usual speech. He’s always had my back and defended me from Dad’s boys. He fought to keep me in the game, even when the odds were stacked against me. All I had to do was prove my loyalty. Stop running off when Dad needed me. Stop being a coward.

“I did the thing that everyone knew I’d do,” I say with a heavy chest. “I bailed on you and it made you look like an idiot.” Larry turns away, clenching his huge fists.

“But what I don’t understand is why you didn’t just let me take the fall,” I continue. “Why take the bullet for me if you were gonna keep it over my head?”

“How else would I hold you accountable?” Larry asks. “This Newton chick was an easy one. A one-and-done for Dad to let you back in. But you messed it all up.”

I know it pains Larry to hurt me. Of all the brothers, he’s the one who cares the most. Him and our sister. I start to see how stupid I look in his eyes.

“I never wanted to be in any of this,” I say.

Larry rolls his eyes. “Yet you are! You’re a Montoya and you spit on our name every time you sit there and fall back on orders!”

Larry sighs heavily. “Dad told me to carry this one out and I’m going to.”

“Carry out what?” I ask.

“What you couldn’t,” he replies.

Rosa. I frantically glance over at Nick and he looks away. I could kick him. I wonder if he told.

“You’ll be here until I figure out what to do with you. It’s in your best interests to stay put. I can’t protect you from the streets,” Larry says. The men file out, except Nick.

“Watch this bastard and make sure he doesn’t pull any more tricks,” Larry instructs Nick, handing him a gun. Nick doesn’t say a word until Larry and the men are gone.

“I told you this would happen,” Nick begins.

“You told them, you sick son of a bitch!” I spit.

Nick kicks me in the ribs and the pain nearly makes me vomit. “I’m on your side, dipshit!”

“Then where the hell is she?” I roar. “She couldn’t have made it far. I hope she has but they’re gonna find her and kill her.” All my wishful thinking feels stupid.

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