Page 44 of Sinful Daughter (Dark Mafia Sins 2)

But I physically can’t.

A hundred different things cross my mind on what I want to say to her, but I’m left standing silent with all those words unspoken. I wish I could lift my gun and shoot Marco right now.

My head slams back as Grant’s fist collides with my jaw. It’s a sucker move. Before either of us can do any more damage, we’re both being hauled out of the room.

CHAPTER 27

It’s been threeweeks since I’ve seen Aria. Each day we spend apart, I feel like she’ll realize we’re no good together. She’ll recognize I’ll never fit into her world. My body can’t sit still, needing to lay eyes on her soon. She has become my addiction I can’t quit. Each time we go through days of not seeing each other, I can understand it’s for the best. But my body revolts against my mind, demanding to kiss her, attempting to swallow her soul whole.

Aria stays in a constant loop in my mind. Just thinking about her and Marco is making me go insane. I need her to want to choose us, to choose me. My gaze sweeps over her unknowingly. She’s wearing one of her long skirts that I can’t get enough of. Her pouty lips are pinched as Marco stands beside her. This constant pinching of my heart has me watching her more than I should be. She’s constantly on my radar. The word beautiful doesn’t even give her justice.

I let out a deep breath. A deep searing burn ignites in my chest, spreading like wildfire to every part of my body.

Aria shouldn’t be for me. But I refuse to let her go.

Marco places his arm around her shoulder and she nudges it off. I want to rip off his hand for touching what’s mine. I fought hard against wanting her, and hated that I couldn’t stop loving her. Now, I’ve accepted she belongs to me. I’m willing to do anything to keep her. She’s oblivious to the way her family controls her, so I will have to show her that she is mine by removing Marco from the picture.

I lift the stolen gun and aim it at his head. The shot would be clean. Aria would be soaked in his blood, freeing her completely. Unfortunately, her father would have someone lined up for her within the day. With an annoyed huff I drop the gun down.

I need more time before I can sweep Aria off her feet, and figure out how we can be together. Until then, Marco will have to live.

In jail.

Away from her.

Freeing us to be together.

Aria, her father, and Marco disappear into a building together. I step out of the car with a horn blaring as it drives past me at full speed. The stolen gun is tucked into my pants as I cross the road.

I want Aria badly enough to plant evidence. Each step brings me closer to my destination. The gun feels hot against my skin. There’s no turning back. This is my way of making a stand. I’m choosing Aria, with both feet and my whole heart.

Sweat dews on my forehead as I reach Marco’s car. The road is busy with vehicles, but the neighborhood is shitty. This is the type of area where nothing is ever seen. I try the passenger door and it opens. The gun sticks to my skin as I slide it out from behind me and place it under the seat.

An anonymous suspicious car will be called in once Marco is back in the driver seat. The thing about this gun, it was used in an unsolved murder.

My steps are lighter as I walk back to my car. All my mind is thinking is that Aria no longer has any excuses. There’s not even a question in my mind that I would kill for this girl. I’m that far gone. She’s my obsession.

A knock soundsat my office door, and Grant is standing there waiting for my permission to enter. The tension between us has been building. I should have never hit him, but neither of us will apologize.

“Why is Marco in the holding cell?” he asks.

“I picked him up for a weapons charge. Apparently, his gun was used for a murder six years back,” I respond straight-faced.

Grant’s lips purse with his brows pinched, not believing me. He waits at my door as if expecting me to follow my statement up somehow. I look him right in the eyes, daring him to confront me.

Each night, I think the darkness that has begun to eat away at my morals will bring me feelings of self-hatred. But it never comes. At each light, I’m reminded of the reason why I planted the gun on him. I have no regrets to hate myself over. When I think guilt might slip in, Aria’s face enters my mind, and it goes away. I’m a love-sick fool.

Grant grunts, not buying my bullshit response. He walks in and takes a seat in front of me. I watch as he appears to be battling what to say next.

“Everyone does things for a reason or their purpose, whatever you want to call it. I know you’ve spent most of your life in competition with a ghost,” he says, referring to my father. I’m about to tell him off, but he raises his hand and continues. “The Rossis have become an unhealthy obsession. You’re known for being by the book. Just make sure, whichever path you choose, you can live with it at the end.” He slips an old VHS tape over my desk. “Because you’re too stubborn to apologize for being an asshole, I’ll do it this time. This is my apology.” He eyes the video before standing up. Hesitantly, I pick up the dusty black rectangle. “Theo, just remember we’re partners. Fuck up again and I might need a new one.”

My hand wipes down my face, pulling my skin. I already have this feeling of dread for what could be on the tape. I wish I was one of those people who kept a bottle of liquor in their drawer. Grabbing my jacket, I head to the pub. I need a whisky before I attempt to find a VHS player to watch this thing.

“Hey, handsome.” Ariawalks up to me after I leave the pub. She’s wearing a wig, sunglasses, and a fuzzy hat, trying to battle the frigid air of February. “You’re lucky my house is rat pack central and I could find one of these.” She hands me the VHS player I had asked for. The irony that she may help me uncover someone in the mob as my father’s killer doesn’t go unnoticed by me.

Bending down, I kiss her.

“So, why are we having a liquid lunch?” she inquires.

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