By Virtue I Fall (Sins of the Fathers #3)(6)

I was proud that my parents knew I was strong enough to handle my future like this. I wanted to keep making them proud, even if that meant putting up with Clifford.





Five years.

Five fucking years.

Today was the anniversary of my first day as Anna Cavallaro’s bodyguard, and as if she’d marked down the date, she did her very best to annoy the living shit out of me. Not that she didn’t do this on any other day of the year, but today she went the extra mile.

I could see her smug face in the rearview mirror. Gritting my teeth, I focused on the long driveway that took us to the Cavallaro lake lodge.

I missed my Camaro, the subtle vibrations, the uncomfortable seat, the impatient hum of the engine. But on the job, I was forced to drive a Mercedes limousine so Anna and Leonas felt safe and comfortable. Wouldn’t want their pampered asses to feel the bumpy road.

“Do you know if any of the guards have smokes?” Leonas asked.

“I think one of Sofia’s guards smokes,” Anna said, casting a glance at me. Sometimes I wanted to grab the brat, throw her over my legs, and give her a thrashing.

“If I catch either of you smoking, I’ll spank both your asses with my fucking belt.”

“Kinky,” Anna said, and for a second, I wasn’t sure I’d heard her right. Had she really said that?

I rammed my foot down on the brakes with more force than necessary, jerking the car to a premature stop before the parking slots.

Anna and Leonas both jolted forward. The latter hitting his thick head against the passenger seat because he’d ignored my order to put on his belt.

“Fuck, what was that for?” Leonas grumbled.

I got out without a word before I could do something Dante would make me regret. Samuel’s car and that of his sister Sofia’s personal bodyguard Carlo were already parked in front of the lodge. Samuel was Dante’s nephew and the brooding type, so I wouldn’t have to worry about him grating on my nerves too.

Anna got out as well, cocking an eyebrow at me as she smoothed that ridiculous checkered Chanel costume she wore. “You seem on edge, Sonny.”

I gave her a sharp smile, swallowing a very harsh reply.

“Get inside.” I nodded toward the front door of the big timber lodge. “And carry your own luggage.”

I headed inside, not waiting for them. In my wake, I could hear them bickering because of the luggage.

Low male voices came from the living room and I found Samuel and Carlo inside.

“Santino,” Samuel said with a curt nod. “Stressful day?” He scanned my face.

“You have no idea.”

Anna and Leonas came inside, the latter carrying his and Anna’s suitcase. I’d only packed a bag.

“Hi Samuel,” Anna said with a bright smile and hugged her cousin. Then she gave Carlo a friendly smile and shook his hand. She could be charming, I had to give it to her, little miss perfect.

Steps thundered down the stairs. I assumed this was Sofia, Anna’s sidekick and Samuel’s sister.

She rushed into the room, and I did a double-take when I saw her. She was dressed in a skimpy white bikini and was displaying womanly curves. How old was she?

Seventeen. Fuck. I always forgot that Anna would be seventeen soon as well. I still saw her as the annoying kid.

Five fucking years and no end in sight. As long as she wasn’t married, I was bound as her bodyguard. I really hoped Cliffy had his own security team once those two closed their doomed bond.

“That bikini looks hot on you. Good choice,” Anna said when she pulled out of Sofia’s embrace.

Leonas nodded, leaning back against the sofa with a shit-eating grin. “Yep, you look like a hot piece of ass.”

“Shut it,” I growled even if the little shit had spoken the truth.

Samuel walked over to Leonas and hit the back of his head. “Watch it. You’re not Capo yet, so we can still kick your scrawny ass until your balls shrivel to the size of raisins.”

“As if they were ever bigger than that,” Anna muttered, giving Leonas a smug smile.

As if she’d ever seen anyone’s balls. “I don’t care if you two torture each other. The only thing I care about is that you’ll return to Chicago more or less alive and that you don’t get on my fucking nerves.”

“Our other bodyguards don’t say fuck because our mother hates the word,” Leonas said.

I was close to exploding. “File an official report and see if I give a fuck.” I turned to Samuel and Carlo. “I’m heading to the guardhouse. I trust you to keep them alive.”





I didn’t return to the lodge until dinner, which was surprisingly pleasant thanks to the fact that Anna was busy talking to Sofia and Emma, and couldn’t be bothered pissing me off. That, and the fact that I didn’t trust the other guards to do a good job watching all of the teenagers alone, was why I joined them afterward as everyone settled around the fire pit. Unfortunately, Anna sat across from me and her gaze promised trouble.

“I want to take a dip,” Leonas said with a grin I knew too well. That boy was the spitting image of Dante but his troublemaking ways were a far cry from my Capo’s poised attitude. When I’d agreed to becoming Anna’s bodyguard, I hadn’t taken into consideration that her equally annoying brother would be part of the deal as well.