Page 65 of Unexpected Temptation

I gently take her hand.

“I saw you,” she goes on. “Standing in the yard with a tall, handsome man. He had this Marine haircut, so sharp and clean. You two looked so happy and so in love.

“The sun was shining, and you were holding hands, just watching your three children splash around in the pool. They were laughing, their little faces lit up with joy. The water sparkled like diamonds, and the whole scene was bathed in this golden light. It felt warm and perfect, like everything I’ve ever hoped for you.”

She pauses for long, long minutes as she recovers her breath. Each word is like climbing a hill for her, but I can’t tell her to stop when she begins painting such a wonderful, joy-filled future.

“You looked so beautiful, more radiant than ever, with a glow from deep inside. How he looked at you with such love and adoration melted my heart. He was everything I’ve ever wanted for you—strong, kind, and devoted.”

I smooth my free hand over the center of my chest, emotion warbling through me, the deep want clashing with the cold fact that this life will always be out of my reach.

“The kids were adorable,” she croaks, and I can hear how desperately she wishes she could see it. “Running and playing, their laughter filling the air. You had a boy and two girls, all of them with your eyes and his smile. They were the perfect mix of both of you. You could see the love in everything they did. It was like watching a dream come true.

“I just had to share it with you. It felt like a gift, a beautiful, precious gift. It was just a dream, but it felt more real than anything. I wanted you to know that I saw you happy, so deeply happy, surrounded by love. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you honey.”

We both begin to cry as if the emotions of the past couple of years are catching up to us.

“Promise me you’ll try,” she whispers, “to be …happy.”

She’s falling asleep again as the last word slips from her lip. “I promise, Mom,” I whisper.

What I don’t say is that the one man I can imagine that future with wants nothing to do with me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

TRISTAN

When it’s time for the meet, I sit in the front window of the electronics store across the street from the Trentini Family’s bar. It’s tucked away in a dimly lit alley, the kind of place you wouldn’t notice unless you knew it was there. The neon sign flickers, casting an eerie, intermittent glow that barely cuts through the darkness.

Two hulking figures guard the entrance. Their faces are shadowed, hands resting casually near their hips where I know guns are holstered. The heavy, reinforced door has a small, grated window that slides open for a quick once-over before anyone is let inside.

The windows are tinted, hiding whatever’s going on inside, but the muffled sounds of music and laughter seep out. A few luxury cars are parked out front, glistening under the streetlights, their presence starkly contrasting the rundown surroundings. There’s a sense of controlled chaos about the place. You can feel the power and danger emanating, a warning to those thinking of causing trouble.

Soon, men begin to emerge, heading for their cars. None of them are Trentini higher-ups, which means, most likely, they’re all still in the bar.

I text Raffie, wondering if he’s betrayed me, wondering if I even give a damn. Whatever happens now, I have to go in there. I have to end these bastards. All the stuff they’ve done—trafficking, pushing drugs on poor neighborhoods, the murders, the pain—has to stop.

Are they there?

A moment later, he responds,Yeah, the don, the consig. Hell, even the lady cop is there. Are you sure about this?

It’s too late for that. You better make yourself scarce or sell me out. Now’s your chance.

I’m not an idiot. I’m getting the hell out of here.

A few minutes later, I see he’s telling the truth. A wiry, jittery figure emerges, walking down the alleyway from the two burly guards. I grit my teeth, getting myself mentally prepared.

What choice do I have left? I tried to do it the right way, the honorable way.

I tried to be a good man, the person Maya deserves. I tried to walk the straight and narrow, but sometimes, the world won’t let a man do the right thing. Sometimes, to make things good, you have to do bad. That’s how this all started with the dog home.

Heading for the door, I feel the pressure of my gun pushing against my lower back. I turn off my feelings. I switch off any thoughts about Maya. I forget about any notion I might be a good man.

One of the guards turns to me as I approach. Even if I’m just as big as he is, something in his body language tells me he thinks he’s going to be able to brush my ass off. He raises his hand, smirking, and the other doesn’t even bother facing me.

Sure, that might have something to do with how I walk like I’m one drink away from being hospitalized. “Whatsortaplaceisthisthen?”I spit it out all as one word.

“Listen, guy,” the man says, taking a long drag from his cigarette. “Just get on your way, eh? You don’t want no problems here. Trust me.”

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