Page 84 of A Sinner's Saint

“I don’t even know if it’s true,” he says. “What would they say if they found out I wasn’t really their brother?”

“Vin, oh my god. No.” I move closer to him. My hand lands on his cheek, my thumb caressing his skin. “Your brothers love you. Even if it were true, you’re still their brother. You all have the same mother. And I don’t think they’d care.”

“I don’t know.” He shrugs.

“Do you want to find out?” I ask him.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, if you do, we can do it without them knowing,” I suggest. “We can do a sibling DNA test. I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to get a sample.”

“Maybe. But what if it’s true?”

“Like I said, it won’t change anything. Your father was an evil bastard, Vin. Whatever he did was on him. Not you. And you know what? If your mother cheated on him, I don’t blame her.”

“Yeah.” Vin closes his eyes. “Are you worried about that? With me?” he asks. “Because I’ll never do that to you.”

“I believe you. I’m not worried about you cheating on me, Vin. I’m worried about you leaving me,” I say, because it’s the truth.

“That’s my fault. I own that, Cammi, and I will do whatever it takes to make you find faith in me again.”

“Do you have classes tomorrow?” I ask.

“Yes, but I’m not going,” he says.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not leaving you. I’d rather follow you around and make sure you’re okay.” This man really believes he’s going to become my shadow. I almost laugh, but he’s so serious.

“I appreciate the concern but you can’t do that. I have classes too, Vin. I need to go to them, just like you need to go to yours.”

“I could switch courses.” He offers his idea of a solution.

“You think you can just waltz into second-year architecture?”

“I know I can. I’m a De Bellis. We always get what we want,” he says.

“Do you…? Have you…?” How do I ask if he works for his brother? I understand that they’re family, and I’ve seen Vin do some horrific things. But I’ve never asked him if he works for the family. “Are you in the mafia?” I blurt out. “Like I get what your family does, what your brothers do. But do you do that?”

“Babe, I’ve been a made man since I was thirteen. Our father made sure we all were.”

My heart rate picks up. “That’s dangerous.” I don’t want anything to happen to him.

“It is, but it isn’t at the same time. Being a De Bellis earns you a certain level of respect. I’m not a street thug, Cammi.” He smirks.

“Okay. Just don’t die on me,” I tell him.

“Ditto,” Vin says.

“So, this is happening again?” Elena asks, handing me a cup of coffee.

“It is.” I smile, blissfully happy, albeit scared to death.

“Are you sure, Cammi? He really fucked with you last time,” she says. “I don’t want to see you hurt like that again.”

“Neither do I, which is why I’m giving him another chance. It’s him or no one, Elena. There is no one else. I can’t explain it.”

“Okay, I’m going to be here for you no matter what. But does he have to watch you like that? It’s creepy.” Elena directs her gaze to where Vin is leaning against a tree. He’s staring in our direction.

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