Page 123 of SINS & Riley
I did all of this to find out what happened to my father. To uncover the truth.
And I’ve failed.
But at least I’ve failed alone.
A sinner’s debt is never his to pay. It’s carried by his family. His blood.
It was the risk I was always willing to take. The reason I did the only thing I could—abandon everyone I loved before they were dragged down with me.
I breathe deep as my eyes drift up to the stars. There’s no comfort here. No escape. Just one thread left to cling to—a single, fraying thought.
Riley.
And the child growing inside her.
At least they’re a world away. Safe.
And shielded from the blowback to come.
37
RILEY
“What?”
Enzo’s voice spikes high enough to summon stray dogs from here to the Vatican. And that vein in his forehead I never noticed before? It’s one twitch away from exploding.
I huff out a breath and pop a grape into my mouth because apparently, every room in this house doubles as a buffet. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you just heard me say Zver is the father of my unborn child and your brain subbed in Voldemort.”
His brows slash together. “Who?”
I roll my eyes. “Never mind.”
He doesn’t move. Doesn’t blink. Just keeps staring at me like he’s auditioning for a horror flick—silent, unblinking, the air vibrating with the near-imperceptible growl clawing up his throat.
“Stop that.”
“Stop what?”
“Staring like my child’s about to Alien its way out of my stomach. And wipe that judgy look off your face while you’re at it.”
He cuts a glance at the mirror, like catching his own reflection proves me right. A flicker of surprise crosses his face before he schools it flat. “I’m not judging.”
“You sound judgy.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Pretty sure you do.”
His jaw ticks, muscles coiling tight as he drags a hand down his face. The muttered Italian slips out low and fast—half rosary, half profanity, all directed at me.
And because we’re now family and all, he has no idea how to handle me.
He studies me for a beat before cutting through the bullshit. “Riley, I’m a lot of things. Annoyed? Always. Murderous? Every second of every day. Two seconds from going full MMA on that Russian motherfucker? You bet your ass.” He leans closer. “But judgy? Not on your life.”
