“It’s a good thing, but why do I feel so sad about it?” he answers as he moves over to me. “All of the things he’s done are horrible but why do I feel bad that he’s gone for good?”

My heart sinks. I’m slightly shocked. I don’t know why I thought maybe Vinny would’ve just beaten him up really badly. But, in this business, you have to make sure someone is put out completely. Naturally, I don’t have the right thing to say.

“No matter how much you might hate someone — especially when it’s a parent — their death is never easy.”

Although it’s dark, I can see Vinny’s eyes becoming wet with tears. “We buried him in the back. It’ll be as if he never existed.”

He wipes his eyes. “We have to leave for Las Vegas in the morning for your parents.”

With everything we’ve experienced, I suddenly have only one thing on my mind. I inch closer to Vinny’s neck, moving my hand down to his lower stomach.

“Why does it feel like I haven’t touched you in a million years?” I whisper in his ear.

I swiftly grab at his pants, motioning for him to pull them off. I can see he’s already grinning as I take my t-shirt off.

“God, how did I forget about these?” he mutters as he grabs my breasts with both hands. Vinny pulls me to the side of the bed as he squeezes and sucks my erect nipples. I moan in ecstasy as he moves his hands between my thighs.

“Did you miss me?” he asks as he slips off my underwear. I squirm around as he pleasures me, pushing his fingers inside me. I grip the sheets.

“Yes, God, I’ve missed you,” I cry out.

He increases his speed. “Say it again!”

“I’ve missed you,” I whimper as my legs begin to shake. Vinny pulls off his pants and eases himself inside me. I dig my nails into his skin as he pumps in and out of me, increasing his rhythm with each thrust.

I can feel my body tensing as an orgasm approaches. Vinny goes faster and harder until my body begins to shake, and I finally climax.

“God, I needed that,” I whisper, exhausted. Vinny flops on top of me, kissing me sloppily.

“You’re incredible,” Vinny says. I chuckle.

“Thank God there’ll be more of that,” I add.

Vinny kisses me again, this time on my forehead, a lazy grin on his face. “Thank God.”

We both go to check on the boys, Luis is sucking his tiny thumb in his dream, and Fernando is giggling at us. Vinny and I kiss them good night before cuddling each other to sleep.

CHAPTER 26

Vinny

Las Vegas is a fever dream. It’s blistering heat and lots of lights. It’s also the one place we’ll get lucky and find Rosa’s parents. Killing my own father wasn’t on my list. I expected to just spook him enough to make him back down. But, as he stood over me, this darkness filled his eyes.

“You’d better have the balls to kill me, kid. Because if I get away, I’ll make sure all five of you are dead.”

I released one bullet. He was dead. I can’t get it out of my head. Nick clears his throat and I snap back to life. We’re in a crowded burger joint with a table full of fattening food. Rosa and Jodie are back in the motel with the babies.

“Are you sure we can catch them?” I ask once again.

Nick takes a bite out of his burger, chewing slowly. “You don’t trust me?” The information Nick got from his “source” was that Rosa’s parents opened another convenience store right next to a seedy stripper joint. It’s the perfect placement since too many drug lords and criminals come through those sparkly doors to hide away from their crimes for the day.

“I still don’t know why she’s with us,” Nick says. “Rosa isn’t skilled like us.”

“They’re her parents…she knows the best way to speak to them,” I remind Nick.

“They’re mine too, remember?”

I roll my eyes. “Not like Rosa.”