The Ultimate Sin

by Jillian Quinn

  I shoved a few file folders across the desk at Sonny. “Flip through them and look for anything suspicious with the transactions.”

  “Street smart,” he said, pointing at his head, “not book smart. I’m not like you and Angelo.”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “It’s not that hard, Son. Look at the numbers on the papers and make sure they match up. Check the bank wires and transfers.”

  He opened the folder and sat it on his lap, his eyes scanning the papers. “I’ll do my best.”

  Sonny never gave himself enough credit. There were plenty of times he’d gotten Angelo or me out of a jam because of his ability to think and act on the fly. Like Angelo, Sonny never saw himself as anything more than a thug and a loyal foot soldier in the Morelli army. A humble servant of the man who owned everyone and everything in this damn city.

  Following Sonny’s lead, I flipped through the folder, giving each one special care. Land transfer agreements were the most common documents I found, accompanied by the necessary banking transactions. My father sold most of the properties to Angelo Sr. for one hundred dollars, some of which were given to my soon-to-be father-in-law without much consideration. We were already building townhouses and an apartment building on three of the properties. Construction stopped once the sales were finalized.

  Our company was falling apart, one favor at a time. Based on the ledgers hidden in my father’s office, Carlini Construction wouldn’t make it another year. We had too many Made men on our payroll. At one time, the Morellis guaranteed we would win the bids for high profile developments. Now, they were stealing them for themselves, even though they had no intention of following through.

  Things worked differently in their world. When a mob-run company won a bid for a project, the money was split between the crews. Jobs over three million dollars were a windfall for the Philadelphia crime family. Everyone got a piece of the pie. The only time any of them came into the building was to hit on secretaries or collect their free paychecks.

  The further I dug into the pile of folders, the angrier I became. I balled my hands into fists, grinding my teeth together. Angelo had a birthright, and he chose his path. My family’s company was mine, and I was so close to losing it. Not until I reached the last folder in the stack did I begin to see red.

  Instead of a bunch of boring legal documents, I found photos of my mother’s murder, along with police reports and the life insurance policy my father collected on her behalf. She was worth ten million dollars. My entire body tensed, the muscles so taut I hadn’t realized I was squeezing the folder until Sonny spoke.

  “You okay? Something bugging you, G?”

  I glanced up from the paper, my lip curled up in anger. “My mom. She was worth ten million dollars.” He stared at me, confused, so I continued, “My dad used the money to pay for a piece of land that occupies the same area as Pitt Steel. And then he sold it Angelo Sr. through one of his shell companies.”

  Sonny held out his hand. “Let me see.”

  I gave him the folder, my anger shaking right through me. My body trembled from the fury that burned my skin. “Was my mother’s death an accident? For the longest time, I thought Enzo was responsible for murdering my mom. Especially after I was taken.”

  “You think it was your dad? I don’t get it. Why would your dad kill your mom to pay off Mr. Morelli? The sale of the property was a few months after your mom died.”

  Tears burned my eyes threatening to spill out. I had no idea how to respond. What was I supposed to think? My father had been distant after my mother’s death, but I’d assumed it was because he was mourning and wanted to grieve alone.

  I covered my face with my hands and sighed. “Please tell me I’m completely off base and that this is all a coincidence. My dad has the same ring as one of the men who kidnapped me. The life insurance money he collected for my mom is the same amount he used to pay off a property tied to Pitt Steel. What’s next? Is he going to sell that company, too?” I lowered my hands to look at Sonny, a stray tear falling from my eye.

  “Some things are better left in the past,” Sonny muttered. He said the same thing to me all the time, and yet it never registered with me. “I’m so sorry, Gia. If your dad was responsible, I could take care of it for you.”

  Looking over at Faith, I let out the breath I was holding. “You mean?”

  He nodded. “Unless you want to do it yourself.”

  I shook my head.

  Sonny was offering to kill my father for me. If anyone avenged my mother, it would be me. I was too hungry for the truth, desperate for knowledge. My curiosity had always gotten the best of me. I hated secrets, had to know what everyone was hiding from me.

  In my father’s case, I would have been better off not knowing. He never thought much of allowing me into his office because I never snooped on him. My only parent was never a prime suspect in one of my many investigations, which was why I hadn’t looked for answers until the lies and secrets started to compound.

  “Your dad was next to you and Angelo on the balcony at the fundraiser when it happened. I think you’re giving your dad more credit. He’s not like Angelo and me. I doubt he would know the first thing about making a car bomb.”

  “Angelo told me about the fake fire at Vitale’s and what that guy said to him about my dad not being innocent. He’s been friends with Sean O’Shea for almost as long as Angelo Sr. The Irish are known for their car bombs.”

  “So are we, G. That was how Mr. Morelli killed Jimmy Scags back in the day. It doesn’t prove a thing.”

  “The papers tell me everything I need to know.” I pointed at the folder in his hand. “My dad’s smart, but not smart enough to delete his paper trail. He’s always kept a trail as proof of the favors he repaid to Angelo Sr. in case he needed to use it against him.”

  “All he did was build a case against himself.” Sonny smirked and slid the folder across the desk to me. “Not too smart.”

  “Unfortunately, this proves nothing. The fact he used my mother’s life insurance policy to pay off the balance he owed on land we were going to use to expand our steel manufacturing operation is nothing more than a coincidence, and without any evidence left behind, the police were unable to make any connections. The car was blown to bits along with my mom. The cops had nothing to fingerprint and no link back to the person who made the bomb.”

  Sonny pushed himself up from the chair and came over to my side of the desk. “I think you’re on to something.”

  “But we have to prove it. I can’t walk into City Hall and accuse my dad of murdering my mom without something to substantiate my accusation.”

  “You sound like a lawyer,” he deadpanned.

  I smirked. “Because I am a lawyer. Now, help me find the missing pieces. They have to be somewhere in this office.”

  Three hours later, Sonny and I were on the floor with papers and ledgers everywhere. Faith was on her puzzle piece blanket next to me, propped up against my thigh. She swatted her tiny hand at me to get my attention, and when I looked over at her and smiled, she giggled. I kissed her on top of her head, breathing in the scent of her baby shampoo, the smell burrowing into my nostrils.

  Part of me felt guilty for searching for evidence against my father, especially when I had Faith to think about. She was already down one grandparent. Her other grandfather was a sadistic criminal. At least Angelo’s mother was a sweet woman who would do anything for Faith.

  My stomach rumbled around six o’clock. Faith heard it and leaned closer, attempting to touch my stomach with her hand. “Mommy’s hungry,” I told her in my baby voice.

  “So is Uncle Sonny,” Sonny added. “But I think I found something.”

  I lifted Faith in my arms and sat her on my lap, facing Sonny. She smiled when she saw him, her eyes lighting up. His stiff features softened when he locked on to Faith.

  “What did you find?”

  He bit the inside of his cheek, a sure tell Sonny was nervous. After twenty years of friendship, I
knew Sonny as well as I knew Angelo.

  “Your dad was responsible for the accident.”

  His revelation made my entire body grow rigid. Even Faith noticed my tension. She tilted her head back to look up at me, and the first tear began to fall, followed by a rainfall I couldn’t stop once it started. I’d been trying to keep my shit together for the past few hours, all while hoping my father was innocent, and that the life insurance policy was a coincidence.

  Sonny moved next to me and took Faith from me, hugging us both against his thick chest. He smelled spicy and manly. I laid my head on his shoulder and sobbed for my mother. Cried out in pain for her. I mourned the loss of her, the loss of my father’s humanity.

  Where did we go wrong? We were supposed to be the good guys. He was never supposed to be like the Made men he grew up with.

  “Are you sure?” I glanced up at Sonny who nodded in affirmation.

  “I’m sorry, G. I found a lot of small cash withdraws and a note that says, O’Shea ten-thirty.”

  I stopped crying long enough to choke out, “The time my mother was murdered.”

  He held me tight, whispering he was sorry into my ear, as he comforted both Faith and me. My daughter was crying now too, mostly because she was mimicking me. Sonny kissed each of us on the head and wrapped us up in his warmth.

  Faith had no idea why her mother was so upset. Now that I was a mother, I understood what my mom went through for all those years. It killed her on the inside how my father made a living. She wanted a better life for me, one that didn’t involve the Mafia. I wanted that for my daughter, too. But would I ever be free?

  I would never leave Angelo. He was my entire world. My heart didn’t beat without him in my life. Faith deserved a father, one who could provide for her. Angelo was that man. Even though he had his flaws, he was a good man. He loved us unconditionally and would do anything to protect us. That’s why I didn’t understand why my father would betray me. Why he would betray my mother’s trust.

  Husbands and wives said vows, promised to love each other until death do they part. Did he ever love my mom? For years, my father stood by and allowed her to fall to pieces. He watched her crumbled and break into tiny slivers of the woman we once knew. I never had a real mother because of him. Not until the night of her death did I see the woman I used to admire. And then he killed her.

  “How could he do this?” I screamed the words, tears streaming down my face. “How could he do this to her? To me? My dad said everything he ever did was for us.”

  “Some people place their own survival above those they love,” Sonny muttered, stroking my hair. “They’re called cowards. Your dad cared more about pleasing Mr. Morelli and saving his own ass. I wish that weren’t true, but the paper trail doesn’t lie. He was stupid for keeping a record of everything, but at least he did. Otherwise, you never would have known the truth. So, what do you want me to do?”

  I shrugged. “Take us home, I guess. Angelo promised to be home by seven for dinner. I need to talk to him.”

  Sonny rubbed my back to soothe me. “Sure thing, boss lady.”

  I smiled. Like Angelo, Sonny always knew the right thing to say, even though nothing and no one could truly comfort me at my darkest hour.

  My father was a murderer.

  Whether he pulled the trigger or not, he set everything into motion. He killed my mother, all because of his stupid loyalty and fear of the vilest man I’d ever known.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Angelo

  I hated making promises I couldn’t keep, which was why I had a massive fight with Pete before I left. He didn’t want to accept the fact I was bailing on him and Marco to have dinner with my family. Even if they controlled most of my life, they didn’t own me. And I was fed up with being a loyal soldier.

  When the elevator doors opened, I stepped into the marble foyer of the apartment I’d bought last year. The entire first floor was an open concept layout, with high windows that spanned most of the rooms, providing us with the perfect view of the Camden Waterfront. Sony was on the couch in the living room with Gia, his arm rested across the back of her neck. I dropped my keys on the dining room table and strolled over to them, concerned when I heard Gia crying.

  “Hey, boss,” Sonny said to me without turning around. “We have a problem.”

  I came around to face them and dropped to my knees in front of Gia, taking her hands in mine. “I’m only a few minutes late. I got stuck in traffic. Don’t cry, baby.”

  “It’s not you, Angelo.” She squeezed my hand. “My dad. He… He k-k-k…”

  Why is she stuttering her words?

  The last time I saw her this upset was when her mother died.

  “Talk to me, G. What happened?”

  She couldn’t speak, so Sonny answered for her. “Lorenzo paid O’Shea to kill her mom for the insurance money.”

  I dug my fingers into her skin on accident, not meaning to hurt her. Releasing my grip on her, I sank back on my heels and sucked in a deep breath. “You’re sure of this?”

  Sonny nodded.

  I balled my hand into a fist and bit down on it. “Where’s Faith?”

  “Napping,” Gia choked out. “She passed out right after I fed her.”

  So much for a peaceful dinner with my girls.

  Nothing in our lives ever made sense. The people in them were no good fucking bastards who took everything from us.

  I got on my knees and pushed Gia’s thighs apart so I could move between them. She allowed me access and leaned forward to cry on my shoulder, as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

  “When did you find out?”

  “About an hour ago,” she muttered between sobs.

  “Do you want me to take care of him?”

  “No,” she whined. “Don’t do anything until I’ve had time to process all of this. How could my dad do this to our family? He betrayed us. Everything he ever told my mom and me was a lie. His friendship with your dad was more important than us.”

  My father was to blame for every bad thing that had ever happened to Gia. So was her father. They were bad men hiding behind the crimes of others. If we’d met under different circumstances, I would have been able to give Gia everything she deserved, which was a lot more than a Wiseguy like me. The only thing I could do for her was avenge her mother’s death. Someone had to pay for taking the life of an innocent.

  I looked over at Sonny. “And you’re sure O’Shea ordered the hit?”

  He nodded again. “One hundred percent. What do you want to do about it?”

  “I don’t know.” It was the truth.

  I couldn’t act without thinking, a simple fact Pete had instilled in me over the past year. As much as I wanted to ruin Enzo, Dante, and everyone involved in Gia’s kidnapping, I knew the price of her freedom. No vendettas. That was what my father had asked of me. My obedience was the key to her safety, and in turn, it was also the key to my daughter’s.

  If my father had a hand in Bianca Carlini’s death, then I couldn’t turn to him or my brothers. They were pulling the strings all along. Gia’s mom had to die because he would profit from her loss. All he did was take from us. All of us. Even Sonny was reduced to my family’s security detail, all because he didn’t trust him the same as before Gia was kidnapped. So, he kept him at a distance. He did the same to all of us. No one ever got too close to the old man. He was invincible. Untouchable.

  “Run away with me,” Gia whispered against my lips. She cupped my face in her hands, her tears streaking mascara down her cheeks. “We can leave with Faith and never come back.”

  “Running isn’t the answer, Gia. You know it as much as I do. My father would find us. He would have men hunt us to the ends of the earth.”

  “Remember when I asked you to let me kill the person who killed my mom?”

  “On the lawn at her funeral,” I muttered.

  “Is that what you want? To kill your dad?”

  She slid her hands from my face and up to hers,
covering her eyes. “I don’t know what I want. For the longest time, I thought I would feel better if I got my revenge for my kidnapping and my mother’s death. But I can’t do a damn thing to my kidnappers and neither can you. But my dad… how do I kill him?”

  “You’re not like him, G. You’re not like any of us. There’s too much good in you.” I peeled her hands from her face and held them in mine. “If this is what you want, let me do it for you. Let me bear your burden.”

  “I love you, Angelo,” she choked out. “But I can’t let you do this. He deserves to pay for what he did. I want him to suffer.”

  “You want me to torture him?”

  She shook her head. “No, I want to hit him where it hurts most.”

  I cocked an eyebrow at her, confused. “His company?”

  “No, I want to ruin his election. He doesn’t deserve to be mayor. The last time I checked the vote was in his favor. A scandal could ruin everything for him. He did this to my mom, and to me, so he could destroy our family and build a new life for himself. Not gonna happen.”

  “You can’t go to the cops,” I stated the obvious, because she seemed unhinged as if she needed a reminder that none of us were legitimate.

  We’d also lost a lot of our political connections, which was why my family needed Lorenzo’s help. All of his influence would go away if Gia went through with her revenge plot. But I had to help her. She deserved peace.

  “No police,” she shot back. “That would only shine a spotlight on all of us. I can use other methods to expose him. But I want to confront him first. Will you come with me when I do it?”

  “Of course.” I kissed her on the lips. “Whatever you need.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Gia

  After checking my father’s schedule with his assistant, I arranged for us to meet for dinner on Thursday at Del Frisco’s, his favorite steakhouse in the city. I knew he would be at his most relaxed here. The old building was once the home of First Pennsylvania Bank and later renovated into an elegant, upscale restaurant. One thing they left behind was the bank vault, which was now a private dining room encased by glass wine cellars.