Page 23 of Death Of A Sinner

I avoid looking at my brothers. Instead, I stand from my chair. “I’m done here,” I say before walking back towards my car.

“Vin, hold up.” Santo runs after me.

“What?”

“Why didn’t you say something before? We could have given you peace of mind about this. We could have done a test or something,” he says.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does,” Santo tells me. “I can’t believe that even after all these years the asshole is still fucking with our heads.”

“Yeah,” I agree, pulling out a joint and lighting it. I probably shouldn’t. I have to drive, and Cammi hates it when I drive stoned. But, fuck, I need this right now.

“We can still do a test if you don’t believe her,” my brother offers.

“Do you believe her?” I ask him.

“I don’t know why, but I do. You are a De Bellis, Vin, blood and all. There is no getting out of it.” He points at me.

“Yeah.”

“Head to Gio’s. We’re going to meet up there.”

“Sure thing.” I salute him and jump into the car.

* * *

The dial tone rings out through my Bluetooth. I called her as soon as I sat down.

“Hello, did it go okay?” Cammi asks me.

“It was a shitshow. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. Why was it a shitshow? What happened?”

“I have a sister,” I tell her. “A smart-mouthed teenaged sister.”

“What? How? I meanwhat?” she says, the shock evident in her voice.

“She just turned up. Mary didn’t bring her. Probably wasn’t ever planning on telling us about the girl. She followed them there. We found her creeping in the bushes, almost fucking shot her too,” I explain.

“You have a sister. That’s… I don’t know what that is. How do you feel about it?”

“We’re all heading back to Gio’s. You want to meet us there for dinner?” I say, instead of addressing the question about my feelings.

“Sure. Are you okay, Vin? Did you ask her?” Cammi presses.

“I’m fine. And, yeah, I asked her. She swears the old man was my father.” I sigh. “I’ll see you soon. I love you.”

“Okay, I love you,” Cammi replies and then cuts the call.

My head is reeling. I don’t know if I believe Mary. I’m not even sure it matters anymore. And now I have a fucking sister. What the hell are we meant to do with a sister?

Do I want to know her? Do I want a relationship with her? She was lied to as well. She had no idea about us. What is that doing to her head? How fucked up do our parents need to make us?

I believe Mary’s story about Giovanni beating her, about him kicking her out. I find it hard to fucking believe that he’d let her move on and start a new family, though. Did he know about Tommy and Esther?

Of course he knew. There was nothing our father didn’t know about.

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