“The Speed are practically a lock for a third straight championship.” His words grew distant as my vision swam. “That means the odds are in their favor most games, so my players have to bet big in order to get any kind of decent payout.”
The Bellini Mafia’s largest source of income was their underground casinos—which were actually kinda classy—but my father had always loved playing the role of the sleazy bookie. He enjoyed the loan shark side of it, where he took bets from people unable to afford them, so he could have the sick satisfaction of taking everything they owned—in some cases, that meant their life once he’d bled them dry of all material possessions.
“As luck would have it, my precious littlegemof a daughter is fucking their star goalie. When he plays, they’re practically unstoppable. They’re heading out west in a few days and are expected to come home with a clean sweep of the teams they’re scheduled to play.
“I don’t care how you do it, but you’re going to find a way for his backup to end up in the net while they’re on that trip.”
I tried to work through exactly how he benefited from keeping Sasha from playing.
My father must’ve sensed my confusion because he laid it out for me in black and white. “The odds are shit for those California teams. Arizona’s too. Your dear old dad is gonna take all the money placed through me for the Speed to win, and put it on their opponents. I’m gonna turn those tens of thousands into millions in a single week like magic.” He snapped his fingers for emphasis.
Greed. That’s what this boiled down to. He wanted me to help him game the system so he could sit on an even taller mountain of cash.
Fuck that.
I straightened my spine, my resolve strengthening. He could do whatever he wanted to me, but I wouldn’t allow my father’s corruption to touch Sasha, to taint his innate goodness in any way.
With a confidence I didn’t feel on the inside, I kept my tone even. “I’ll come back to Chicago with you.”
My father barked out a laugh so harsh it grated on my raw nerves, setting me even further on edge. I clenched my hands into fists, letting the sharp bite of pain as my nails dug into my palms to center me, reminding me that talking back would only make this worse.
“This isn’t a negotiation. For once, you’re going to do as you’re told. Because I’m calling in a debt.”
That was the magic word, and he knew it.
Debts must always be paid.
How many times had I heard the motto uttered in reverence throughout my entire life? I’d lost count. But it was ironclad. No one was immune, not even family.
If you incurred a debt, you were required to find a way to pay.
Doubling down, he clarified, “You owe me debt on your life. This is how you settle up.”
I gaped at him, reality setting in that if I didn’t deliver, my life would be on the line.
With a smarmy grin, he rapped on the railing of the porch steps. “I know you’ll do the right thing.” Then he turned on his heel and walked away.
When he was finally out of sight, soul-crushing despair flooded my veins, and I collapsed in the open doorway, a shivering, shaking mess.
I would figure a way out of this. I had to.
Thirty-six hours later, I’d come to the conclusion that there was only one option. If my life was in danger, I needed to separate myself from Sasha.
It was the only way to keep him safe. I refused to let him get caught in the crossfire when this went sideways. Because all hell was going to break loose when I defaulted to my factory settings and defied my father.
I hadn’t slept since his visit, running over every possible scenario in my mind, looking for a way out, but there wasn’t one. My head was on the chopping block, and I’d made peace with my fate. At least I would die knowing Sasha’s soul would remain unblemished, having escaped the evil that was Dario Bellini.
Breaking his heart now would prevent it from being ripped out of his chest when I was murdered at the hands of my own father.
Sitting in the dark, my heart leapt into my throat when I heard the door unlock. Cannoli hadn’t left my side, sensing my distress, and he lifted his head from my lap when Sasha stepped inside the front door, locking it behind him.
He turned on the light, kicked off his shoes, and dropped his overnight bag. The whole time, I sat there silently, holding mybreath, knowing the minute he saw me, the best thing that had ever happened to me would be over.
My nose tingled, and the burn of fresh tears threatened behind my eyes.
Don’t cry. Don’t you fucking dare.
That mental pep talk was no match for the moment when Sasha’s blue eyes flicked up to find me seated on the couch, and all my resolve crumbled in an instant.
