A Sinner’s Truth (De Bellis Crime Family Book 5)
A Sinner’s Truth: Chapter 35

Adrenaline runs through my veins. The need to hunt and kill is fucking strong. I know that plans keep people alive. Plans mean fewer fuckups. But right now, I’m ready to say to hell with anything else. But then there’s the promise I made Aria to always be safe and come home to her. That’s the reason I’m still in Gio’s office, listening as he goes over the plan for the third time. The only thing I hate about this is the fact I have to leave my wife back home without me. She’s going to hate it.

Gabe and Marcel are staying behind with the women and kids. Gabe keeps out of this life now. He’ll step up if needed, but for the most part, he doesn’t have anything to do with the underworld side of our businesses. Marcel is hanging back because he can be our eyes and ears from right here, while Vin is pumped. He might be the youngest of us all, but the kid loves to get his hands dirty. I think it’s therapeutic for him. He’s been through hell and back, and if a little violence and chaos help him find peace in his head, then I’m not going to stop him.

“Okay, intel says he’s holed up in this room. I’ve heard word from the president of the clubhouse that he doesn’t want bad blood between us. However, if we go in guns blazing, his guys won’t hold back,” Gio says. “We need to be smart, but also prepare ourselves for a fight.”

“Ready,” Vin grunts while stretching his arms above his head.

“There’s something else you should know,” Marcel chimes in.

“What?” Gio’s head snaps up.

“There are women there.” Marcel pulls out a folder and tosses it on the table. “I spotted her a while back, when I went in with Dominic. I thought I was seeing things, but I’ve watched the place for the last year. If it’s not her, then it’s a goddamn doppelgänger.”

“Who is it?” I ask, taking the folder from his hands. I remember him helping his mate out a while ago with an issue with the bikers. The moment I flip to the first page, I drop the entire thing back onto the desk. This has to be some sick joke. The woman in the pictures is an older version of our mother.

“What the fuck?” Gio curses as he picks up the photos and sifts through them.

“How is that possible?” I ask.

“No fucking idea,” Gio grits out. “But it doesn’t matter. This changes nothing. Anyone in that club house is our enemy if they don’t give us what we want. Especially her.” He tosses the pictures aside.

“Why would he let her go? That’s out of character.” Our old man would have never let his wife leave and go on and live a life elsewhere.

“Who the fuck knows why that fucker did anything?” Gio starts pacing around the room. “She’s been alive all these years. Has she just been standing back and watching while he fucked with us throughout our childhood? What kind of mother does that?”

“She’s not our mother. She might be the same woman who gave birth to us, but she’s not a mother,” I tell him. “We haven’t needed her our whole lives. That doesn’t change now.”

My head is spinning. I remember the day our father sat us down and told us that our mother was dead. It’s the same day I realised how cold he was. Gio took us all upstairs with the nanny. He made me swear that no matter what, we’d always stick together. I think our bond as brothers strengthened that day. Children shouldn’t bond over the hatred of a parent, but we did. Gio and I were both forced to grow up faster than any kid should. We took care of the younger three. Or at least we tried. We failed when it came to Vin, and that’s something I’ll never forgive myself for.

“Okay, let’s go knock on their door. Ask them nicely to hand over the asshole and then get out of there.” Gio smirks. I know his version of asking nicely is anything but.

“I need to go talk to Aria,” I tell him. “Give me a few minutes. I’ll meet you out front.” I turn and point to Marcel and Gabe. “And you two, don’t take your eyes off her.”

“I’m putting them all in one room. They’ll be fine,” Gabe says.

I laugh. Gio, Vin, and I might be the ones heading into a fight, but Gabe and Marcel are gonna be stuck in a room with all our wives and two toddlers. I think they’ve got the tougher job here. I know how Eloise gets when Gio is out doing anything like this. She panics. She can become hysterical. I don’t know how Aria will react, but I’m hoping having Drew here will make things a little easier for her.

I’ve watched him over the past few days, talked to him even. He has a way of distracting Aria by blabbering on about absolute nonsense. I still don’t trust the guy, and I’d love to say I trusted Aria. I suppose in a way I do, but there’s a part of me that just won’t fully let myself trust. I’m not sure I ever will.

The moment I walk out of Gio’s office, I find Aria waiting for me in the hall. She didn’t knock this time. “Hey, I was just coming to find you,” I say before throwing her over one shoulder and heading upstairs. Once we’re locked in our room, I set her down on the bed.

“OMG, I can walk, Santo. Stop doing that.” She swats at my chest.

“I like carrying you.” My lips press against hers. “I have to go do something for a few hours. But I’ll have my phone on me. You can call me at any point. And Gabe and Marcel are staying here with you. All the girls are gonna be here.”

“What are you doing? Actually, don’t tell me. I don’t need to know,” she says. “Can I come? I can… I don’t know what I can do, but I’m sure I can find a way to be useful.”

“Darling, the best way you can be useful is to stay put. Safe,” I tell her. “This house is safe. Nothing is getting in here.”

“I’ll be fine,” Aria says. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I will always worry about you.”

“Just be safe. I’ve kinda gotten addicted to you and I don’t do withdrawals very well.” She smiles up at me.

“I’ll happily feed your addiction every day for the rest of our lives, darling.” I lean in and press my lips to hers, trying to convey how much I feel through just a kiss.

I walk next to Gio as we’re led through the biker clubhouse. I never understood why these assholes live like trash. This place is filthy. We have fifty guys surrounding the building. Any sign of trouble and they’re going to rain down fire on this shithole. Although they’d be fucking stupid to try to go up against us, and judging by how wary they’re all acting right now, I think they know it. Gio and I came in alone while Vin and the other guys are waiting for our signal—should we need the reinforcements.

“You got the package?” Gio asks the club president.

“I’ve got it, but there’s something else we need to talk about first, son,” Tommy says.

Gio’s jaw ticks. “I’m not your son, and if you disrespect me like that again, I will rip your fucking tongue out of your mouth and shove it down your VP’s throat,” he says in a calm tone.

The sound of a female gasp has me turning my head to the side. Fucking ghosts. I’m so tired of them popping up when I don’t need to see them. Ignoring the woman who looks like my mother, I return my attention to Tommy and Gio.

“Your mother wanted to talk to you,” Tommy says.

“My mother is dead,” Gio replies. “Either you give me the package I came for, or I give the signal for my men to come in and take it. Word of advice: You don’t want to choose option two.”

Tommy looks to the woman who is still standing on the stairs to my left. I can feel her eyes on me, on us, but I’m not giving her any of my fucking time. “Give them what they want, Tommy,” she says.

He nods his head and calls out to one of his guys, “Bring the fucker out here.”

“Glad you could see things my way.” Gio smirks like the ass he is. My brother knows full well that Tommy does not want to give in to our demands.