Page 65 of SINS & Riley (Dante & Riley #2)
RILEY
I did exactly what Dante told me to do.
Just not in the order he gave me.
Instead, I spent the afternoon with Kennedy doing something I couldn’t wait for—shopping for baby clothes.
“What are you having?” the clerk asks, all sunshine and cheer.
“A girl,” I answer, then quickly deflect. “But my sister’s popping before I do, so today’s about her.”
Kennedy beams, her hand drifting to her belly like it’s second nature. “A boy. My husband’s already locked down Darth Vader for Halloween. Now I just need a Luke Skywalker onesie.”
The clerk lights up. “Easy. White snap-up hoodie, little sash. Done.” She rushes off with a huge smile. I think Kennedy made her day.
“And the girls?” I ask, stroking the softest blanket known to man.
“Lily’s set on Princess Leia. Sofia insists on Yoda because ‘Yoda kicks Darth Vader’s butt.’ Her words.”
I grin. “Do they even fight?”
“Nope. I tried to explain, but she’s stubborn like Enzo. And her costume is ridiculous levels of cute.”
The clerk bundles everything up. “I’ll keep these at the front for you.”
“Thanks.” Kennedy and I wander deeper into the store—three sprawling floors of Baby World. I get lost in Mary Jane socks that are too cute for words, and a mobile that plays Fly Me to the Moon .
“Put everything on my tab,” a voice says behind me.
It’s not Dante.
“Enzo.”
Another clerk rushes over, too eager. “Absolutely.” She hands me a scanner. “Just click on whatever you’d like us to wrap up.”
“Oh, I don’t need that.” I try to push her off. “My sister’s shopping today.”
Enzo plucks it from my hand before I can stop him, scanning the stack I’d been eyeing. “You both have babies. You’re both shopping.”
“Hey!” I try to stop him. “Um, at this rate, the only thing left to buy my kid will be a car.”
“Dante already has three picked out.”
Irritated, I snatch it back. “Shouldn’t you be helping Kennedy?”
“She wants me to help you. You’ve been too focused on her.” His tone sharpens. “And your baby shower?—”
“I don’t need a baby shower,” I lie. “This is Kennedy’s time. Yours and Kennedy’s,” I remind him.
“The way things are going, the two of you might be popping within weeks of each other.” His gaze drops to my belly. “And I’ve got a lot riding on it, so if you could hold off for six, that’d really help me out.” He winks.
I roll my eyes and move to the baby bath aisle.
He follows.
The mafia king picks up a diaper disposal box, and squints at the photo. “Why are they stuffing baby diapers into sausage casings?”
“They taste better that way.”
He freezes, horrified. Excellent. My good deed for the day is done.
He sets the box down a little too carefully, and clears his throat like he’s buying time.
Nerves? On Enzo?
“We’re throwing you a baby shower. You and Kennedy—side by side.”
Both of us? The words hit like a cymbal crash.
“You know. Two birds. One stone. Non-negotiable.”
I rush to the next aisle. “I am not stealing Kennedy’s thunder.” And I’m not letting Enzo D’Angelo do that. Not now. Not ever.
“Dante and I will handle everything,” he carries on, following me with his annoyingly long stride.
My chest locks so hard it steals the air. “I’m not ready for that.”
“But—”
“I can’t.”
Not just because of Dante.
Enzo and I are still two jagged rocks, sparking whenever Kennedy’s in orbit. One wrong move and we’ll slice each other open. I’ve been on my best behavior, but I can’t keep it up.
Because under all the charm and the careful smiles, he’s still the man who killed my Da. And I’ll will never forgive him for that.
He steps in front of me, closes the space between us. His eyes are suddenly raw. “Just…wait.” He sucks in a breath. “I told Kennedy I’d do this. And Dante. Give me one minute.”
I look away, but I don’t leave. If Kennedy and Dante are behind this, whatever they’ve cooked up is heavy enough to glue my feet to the floor.
“Here.” He presses something cool into my palm. A thumb drive.
“What’s this?”
“The answers you’re looking for. Watch it alone. Or with Kennedy.” His smile falters into something raw, almost apologetic. “Giving you and Kennedy this baby shower is important to me.”
Well, as long as it’s important to him.
“Then, he straightens, his mask of apathy snapping back into place, and starts to walk away.
Halfway there, he second-guesses himself. Turns back and frowns like a total grump.
“What now?” I snap.
He yanks the scanner straight out of my hand scans six times before I can blink. Three of the items are diaper disposals.
Then he raises his voice to the clerk. “And if she doesn’t keep scanning, I’ll buy the whole damn store.”
“Yes, sir.” The clerk looks at him like he just paid off her student loans. Cute.
I’m laughing. Furious. Hollowed out. And I can’t tell which feeling is going to eat me alive first.
* * *
I should’ve watched it with Kennedy. And now I know why she said she couldn’t just explain it. It was all too much.
By the time I finished watching the video, I was nothing but tears and rage and broken beyond repair.
I’d thrown up everything I ate for dinner.
Twice.
And then I summoned the strength and did what Dante asked. I Googled them all. Every scrap.
Trinity’s attack. Their father ripped from the world like someone erased him. The scars they carry like badges.
Anger rose in me, raw and ridiculous. What Andre did to Enzo—and my Da—he tortured them both.
It made me want to kill him with my own hands, and I’m not even related. The abuse Enzo took from Andre was beyond unconscionable. Enzo was a kid. A fucking kid.
I used to tremble when I saw Enzo.
Now? All I feel is this ache for the boy he used to be, the kid who survived his own monster.
He didn’t kill Da.
But he carried the trauma so long, it became easy to blame himself for Da’s death.
But I don’t blame him anymore. Now I see the truth. Da loved him. And Enzo loved Da.
I grab the last tissue in the box, curl into myself, and sob.
How do I forgive him to his face when he can’t even speak to me about it. We all drag our trauma like chains. I want to free him. Not shackle him more.
I scrub at my cheeks, tears still streaming, and do the only thing left to do.
I text him.
Enzo
I’d love a baby shower.