Page 101 of The Bonventi Hitman

I go to take another sip but stop myself as I remember her speaking the word that scares me the most.

Child.

My child.

Growing inside a woman I thought I knew, a woman who turned out to be nothing but a goddamn lie.

I start pacing the room. If Enzo finds out about this... Christ, if he even suspects that she's an FBI agent, he'll have my head. Everything I've built, everything I've sacrificed, gone in an instant.

I stop in front of the pool table, bracing myself against it. I stare at the green felt and try to think rationally, to plan my next move, like I would for any other job. But this isn't just anotherjob, is it? This is my life, my future—everything hangs in the balance.

What are my options?

I could turn on her and inform Enzo, prove my loyalty beyond a shadow of a doubt. But the thought of that, of what he'd either have me do or done to her... to my child... I dig my fingers into the sides of the pool table.

I could run. Take Anna and disappear. But where? How far could we really get before the Bonventis’ reach found us? And even if we did manage to escape, what kind of life would that be, with us always looking over our shoulder?

And then, I could do what needs to be done without Enzo or anyone else ever finding out. Eliminate the threat and tie up the loose end. It's what I've always done, what I'm good at. But to her? Our unborn child? No, no, I can't.

I slump into one of the leather armchairs, my head in my hands. For the first time in years, I feel utterly lost. Everything I thought I knew, everything I believed in, has been turned upside down.

I smile to myself—the irony in all this would be fucking hilarious if it wasn't so goddamn tragic.

What have I become? A man so consumed by possessiveness that he'd murder his own capo before knowing everything about the woman?

And for what? A liar?

Shit, I've crossed lines I never thought I would, all for a woman who's been playing me from the start.

But then I think of the child growing inside her. My child. An innocent life that doesn't deserve to be caught up in this mess.

I've built my life on loyalty to the family, but now I'm questioning everything. But I can't afford to break. Not now. Not when there's so much at stake.

I shake my head when the sudden realization hits me.

I've spent years building walls around myself, never letting anyone get close enough to matter. And now? Now I'm ready to risk everything for a woman who means more to me than I even realized.

But it's not even just about Anna anymore. There's a child to consider as well.

The thought sends something through me that I've never felt. Hope? Pride? I'm not sure, but it's there, right alongside the fear and anger.

Despite everything, despite the lies and the betrayal, I can't deny the truth.

I love her. I fucking love her.

But how can I trust her? How can I be sure this isn't just another part of her act?

I close my eyes, remembering the look in hers when she told me. The fear, the vulnerability, the raw emotion. That wasn't something you could fake. Anna or Sofia, or whoever the hell she really is, she came clean knowing full well what I'm capable of. What I've done to others who've crossed me. Heck, she's seen me in action that night when Luca brought her.

And yes, she risked everything to tell me her truth.

Shit, is this what love does to a person? Turns them inside out, makes them question everything they thought they knew?

My mind races, trying to find a way out of this labyrinth we've created. On one hand, I have a chance at something I never thought I'd have—a family of my own. On the other, I have the life I've built, the loyalty I've sworn to Enzo and the Bonventi family.

I need a way to have both.

I turn, and my gaze falls on a framed photo on one of the shelves. It's of me and Livia, taken at her college graduation. We're both smiling, her arm around my waist, mine draped over her shoulders. I remember liking it since we looked normal and happy.