Page 12 of Sinful Honor

On the contrary, most of the time, I’d been hunting bad guys all over the world for Hawk’s company, Raptor Security.

“That life isn’t for me—killing just for personal gain or as a test of loyalty. Ridiculous power struggles, ego-driven grabs for whatever you set your sight on. That’s not me, and you know it.”

Hawk nodded. “You wouldn’t do it for money or power. But would you do it for your family?”

And fuck me if he didn’t have me by my throat.

The one thing more important than anything in the world for Hawk, the one thing he’d instilled in me, was to stand by your team, your family. To do whatever it took to protect those standing next to you.

No matter what.

The other thing I’d learned was that family wasn’t necessarily made by blood. But by love, mutual respect, friendship, and brotherhood. A bond forged by shared values like acceptance, courage, and honor.

And you never turned your back on the ones you loved.

“So, you set this whole thing up?”

He nodded.

“And in there?” I nodded toward the hangar. “Who was that boy, and who else is waiting in there?”

“The boy, I have no idea what that was all about. In there are all the major players in the US.”

“Major players? What does that mean?”

Players, like Salvini Senior? As in all the major players in organized crime?

“You need powerful friends if you go back and take over.”

Was he delirious?

Powerful friends in the US wouldn’t mean jack shit back home in Italy. “Are you fucking kidding me? How about I shoot myself because I probably have a better chance of survival than doing the shit you just proposed.”

I turned around and marched toward my Jeep and the tower.

I would get my rifle and be out of here.

Fucking lunatic. I couldn’t believe this.

Was he seriously suggesting I go back to Italy as the fucking head of my Mafia family?

That had early grave written all over it.

And even worse than dying, I would have to face all the reasons I left in the first place. Face everything I’d escaped.

Fucking crazy man.

CHAPTERFOUR

Iwoke up naked and freezing and in a cage.

My head pounded as if a whole band of drummers were pummeling my skull from the inside.

My body felt heavy and sluggish, my arm on fire. I blinked my eyes open and squinted at the dim light filtering through a small window high up in the wall, then raised my head, but immediately lowered it again, which made the pain almost bearable.

Almost.

Then it hit me all at once.

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