Page 9 of Sinister Intentions

I side-eyed Matt, then focused back on the road.

Before Matt had left to be by Alex Falcone’s side. Because ever since he came home, he had that haunted look in his eyes—the same one Hero and Dante sometimes had, as well—from needing to grow up too fast in this kind of life.

The perks of having a cruel father who thought exposure therapy to the darker side of the business was what transformed you into a real man.

I rubbed my neck. Their absent, self-absorbed mother probably did a number on them too, as did growing up with security details tailing you from elementary school to make-out sessions after high school dances.

And almost dying. That put a damper on your carefree attitude, for sure.

Jemma Donnelly’s upbringing must’ve been pretty much the same. Was that why she was so fierce?

Damn, Jemma Donnelly.

Why was she being so difficult? Then again, what exactly did I expect from a twenty-one-year-old who hacked online gambling sites in their fucking free time? Did I really think she would be docile?

Or sane?

Did I expect her father would have any power over her? Well, someone needed to intervene in the dangerous games she was playing.

And that someone was me.

Was this her way of acting out? Or was it her way to further the Donnelly family business? Would be interesting to hear her father’s perspective on that one.

I chuckled and could feel Matt’s eyes on me.

As much as I had hated this twisted world we were born into growing up, I’d made my peace with it a long time ago.

This was the hand I was dealt, and I would play it better than anyone before or after me. I’d claw and fight my way to the top if that’s what it took to keep the family, to keep my siblings safe.

And working under my father and his outdated business practices, was not it. And that was, why the online part of the business was so important.

Telling Matt about the hacking would only make him fret, and he’d want to get involved. And right now, he didn’t need that added stress weighing on him.

My gaze flickered over to him, slumped in the passenger seat, staring through the windshield. We’d left the inner suburbs, and the increased greenery was pretty with its autumn foliage. Not that I was all that interested in nature—and neither was Matt.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

Sure, I’d been throwing him a curveball about this arranged marriage with Jemma Donnelly—that mobbed-up wildcard who couldn’t seem to stop herself from getting in my face.

Matt could hate me for it—they all could. But at least it would force Matt to stay around for a while instead of jet-setting around the world and getting in the line of fire even though he has no business being there. And once this hacking incident was dealt with, the business and my siblings would be safe and ableto continue their lives as always. And really, that was the only thing that counted. Because who knew what my father would demand of them if he managed to remove me, and I wouldn’t be able to shield them.

I would make the hard choices, take the hits, and do whatever was needed to protect this family.

My family.

I slammed on the brakes as a small, furry, white-and-red shape in the middle of the road ahead suddenly squirmed.

Matt braced himself against the dashboard. “What the f—” His eyes widened as he spotted the bloody puppy writhing in the middle of the street. “Oh shit, Vince…don’t do it.”

I looked around. There were no houses in the immediate vicinity—we’d just passed a wooded area. Without a word, I shoved open the door and strode over to the whimpering animal.

It cowered as I approached, trembling and trying feebly to drag itself away from me.

My chest tightened at the sight of its mangled leg, blood matting its white fur.

Fuck.

“Vince? What are you doing?” Matt called out in a strained voice.

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