Page 13 of Sinful Daughter (Dark Mafia Sins 2)

“I’m already regretting checking on you. I should have cut my losses and realized you didn’t want to be saved.”

“Now, you understand.”

Looking at her out of the corner of my eye, I see she rolls hers and looks out the window. I can’t help myself; I place my hand on her leg. She turns, lifting a perfectly manicured brow. “Thank you,” I tell her.

“For what?” she snaps.

I give her my best smoldering smile. “For making sure I stayed alive and allowing me to drive your car.”

“You didn’t give me much of an option.”

“I know. I feel bad about that.”

“No, you don’t.”

“True.” I pause, trying to come up with the right words to say next. “I’m not trying to be the bad guy. I want justice for the little guy who has no options. In the end, I want to help people who need it, who aren’t strong enough to fight for themselves. This is what it really comes down to.”

She considers what I said. “You’re right; we are similar. I want that too. The difference between us isn’t that I don’t know when it’s hopeless. It’s that we live with different laws. My world’s laws are above yours in a way that you can’t help me. You think you can, and it’s cute. But the more you try to help, the deeper the grave you dig for that person.”

I’ve never thought of it from that perspective before and almost brush it off as nonsense. I can always help, but they can’t see the way out. Chancing a glance at her, I see she means every word she says, and Aria isn’t a stupid woman.

“When I stopped Frank, did I make it worse for you?” I honestly want to know. “I saw him trying to hurt you, and my feet wouldn’t allow me to turn a blind eye.”

“It’s fine. I get where you’re coming from. But cops don’t help people like me for no reason.”

“I did it because it was the right thing to do.”

“I have enough people looking out for me. I don’t want to be tangled in anything that has to do with you. No offense, but I’m not in the department for additional friends.”

I decide not to comment as I continue to drive. The closer we come to the Rossi compound, the more cars fly by us at lightning speed. Aria’s shoulders straighten, and I know something big is happening. I slow her car, a couple of yards behind Grant’s. With all of the commotion here, I now wish I thought of a different location when I texted him. It’s risky stopping with cars flying by us, but I need to leave to find out what’s happened.

I sit with her car idling, not knowing what to say before I leave. I think about threatening her, telling her we’re even, or that she owes me. None of it sits right on my lips. The cars are fewer now, but since we’ve stopped, they don’t zoom by at the same speed.

In the rear-view mirror, a vehicle slows like it’s going to stop beside us. “We have company.” I nod behind us.

Aria does a quick check. “You are nothing but trouble. You better leave me alone after this.”

My chest squeezes, unsure if I’ll be caught. Then, Aria does the unexpected. She unlatches her seat belt, straddling me, and kisses me as the car stops parallel to us. She kisses me hard, cupping my face. Her fingertips are smooth against the light scruff I have.

When we hear the car continuing on its way, she drops back into her seat. “If I see you again, I won’t think twice about telling someone.”

My thumb brushes against my lip, still feeling her soft ones on mine. I don’t say a word and get out.

CHAPTER 9

“Aria!” My father’sfurious voice bellows down the stairs and hits me in the gut. I freeze just a few steps in from our entrance. Men are coming and going, all looking panicked. I see more guns out in the open than I have in a long time. There’s no hiding that the men are strapping as many to themselves as they can before their cars fly out of the long driveway. My father’s yelling has them scurrying faster to get out of the way. “Where have you been? Why are my men telling me you were kissing someone in your car?” My father’s face is turning red as he storms down the steps.

The few men in the area stop, putting their heads down, pretending not to listen. My pulse picks up, and my lips tingle with the memory of Theo’s lips on mine. A wave of heat starts at my neck and goes straight for my cheeks. My tongue twists around itself, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation or lie. I’m standing, caught, wide-eyed and red-handed.

“Do you have no honor? Are you trying to be disowned?” His voice gets louder, his patience gone with whatever event has occurred.

My heart is pumping, and I don’t know how to explain myself. I can’t. If my father finds out I was kissing a cop, I’ll be buried in the back, and everyone will be told I went to learn abroad. No one would ever speak my name again. I’m not exaggerating.

My body vibrates in place as I try to get out of this. My mother steps out of the kitchen, and she gives me her sad smile, the one that says she can’t save me. A large first aid box sits in her hand, and she has her nursing apron on. It’s the one she always wears when she’s expecting to stitch people up.

“It’s not what it looks like,” I rush out, my life on the line.

“It was me, sir. I deserve your punishment. I should have asked your permission.” Marco, one of my father’s capos, falls to his knees beside me, facing my father. Marco is the same age as me. We went to school together growing up, but I wouldn’t consider us friends. Truthfully, my only friend is Lori. I use all of my time studying.

---