Page 49 of Edge of Sin

Gia

The sun dipped toward the horizon as Enzo glanced sideways at me, a grin on his face. I felt unstoppable with him by my side. I reached down and felt for the pistol tucked in my waistband. Feeling the warm metal comforted me. Seagulls took flight as we walked over the threshold dividing the docks from the concrete. They squawked at us, landing with a final angry flap of their wings. The wooden boards creaked as I walked across their worn, peeling surfaces. The sight of the ruined boardwalk made me grateful I’d worn sneakers and not heels. Enzo told me to wear comfortable shoes, just in case. I didn’t ask why, because I knew why.

Shit was about to go down.

I spotted Enzo’s father at the far end of the dock. He leaned over the railing, puffing on a cigar and staring at a large boat tied to the dock. I looked at Enzo, his face a hard mask, lips pressed tight, eyes narrowed. He noticed me staring at him, tucked me under his arm, and continued walking. Our steps echoed through the stifling silence. Even the water seemed still, as if nature itself was holding its breath.

“Pops,” Enzo said, leaning against a beam jutting from the dock. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. The smoke billowed from his clenched lips.

“Took you long enough,” Silvio said gruffly as he withdrew the cigar and held it between his fingers. His eyes hovered at my chest as a gross smile crossed his face, making me shiver.

“What we got going on here?” Enzo’s head swiveled as he looked around the expansive marina, surveying the scene. There were boats of all different sizes, from tourist ships down to little dinghies. Yachts dotted the docks and rocked against the waves.

“A drop,” Silvio said before bringing the cigar to his lips.

“Are we dropping or receiving?” Enzo asked with a deep draw of smoke. I cocked my hip and tried to ignore the thick tension between them.

“Receiving money that needs to be laundered. It comes with a good payout, and we got the businesses to do it,” Silvio said with a long exhale. “It seems as though some of the other families are losing their footing, and there’s no shortage of business because of it.”

Enzo shrugged and threw the cigarette to the ground, smothering it beneath his shoe. I glanced toward the big metal building beside the dock. The sound of a beeping truck was replaced by metal clanging together, as if things were being unloaded.

“Come on,” Enzo said toward me, his gaze intense.

Silvio took a puff of his cigar and smirked. “Or she could stay with me.”

“Over your dead body, Pops,” Enzo said with a side glance toward me. “Come on, Gia.”

I followed Enzo, my cheeks hot. “What are we walking into?” I asked as I tried to catch up to his long strides.

“I don’t know. We don’t typically work with this family.” Enzo brushed a hand through his hair.

“Why work with them now?” Everything about this felt uncomfortable.

“Desperation, I guess,” Enzo said, metal screeching as he opened the door leading into the cavernous warehouse. The air inside was cold and stagnant, and water dripped from holes in the ceiling. Tools and machinery littered the large building. A mechanical whirr from the far end of the building drew my attention. An uneasiness in my chest washed over me. Something wasn’t right.

* * *

Enzo

Background noise blanketedmy already hushed steps the closer we came to the back of the building. I stayed close to Gia, especially once I noticed her hand hovering near her hip. I’d never seen her truly scared. She had bigger balls than most of the men I knew.

“Gia,” a soft but stern voice said from around the corner, making Gia stop mid-step.

She drew a quick breath, and I pulled her into me. “Dad?” she called toward the sound.

With the tap of dress shoes, her father appeared from around the corner. The graying hair of his thick, wavy locks had been lightly brushed back. Gia ran to her father, and he wrapped her in his arms. I felt a pang of jealousy.

“Gee,” Ro said as he came around the corner. He brushed his dark hair back as he looked at me, a tight-lipped expression on his face.

“What are you doing here?” Gia asked with a sharp rise in her tone.

“We’ve been trying to get you back home for a while now.” Ro shot daggers from his eyes at me, and they hit their mark.

I didn’t force her to stay.

“What? Really? No one’s said...” She looked back at me.

Ain’t no one said anything to me, either.

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