“We wouldn’t turn a profit on it. We would only be doing it to save people’s lives.”
“How is selling drugs to people saving their lives?” I demanded.
“As I said, the drugs are tainted,” he said patiently. “That’s what’s causing the overdoses.”
The dark little voice in my head whispered,The wages of sin are death.
Guilt welled up in me like black poison.
But I didn’t want to face my own sins…
So I lashed out at the sins of others.
“If a bunch of people are taking drugs and something bad happens to them, that’s on them, not on you,” I said vehemently.
“It is if I can stop it from happening.”
“Then make the gangs stop selling drugs.”
“The only way to do that is with violence,” he said sternly. “Is that what you want?”
I hesitated.
Sin piled upon sin, until you’re buried alive.
“No,” I said, “but – ”
“Even if Icouldget rid of all the gangs, others would step in to take their place. And it won’t get rid of the demand. People will still seek out drugs. If they don’t get it from us, they’ll get it from other cities, other places – ”
“You said you were getting out!” I cried desperately. “You and Roberto said you were going legitimate in two years!”
“Weare.It’s just that, after what happened in Hong Kong, it might take a bit longer than we originally thought.”
Bathsheba sinned, and her baby paid the price.
I married amafioso.
Will my baby pay the price?
“Youpromisedme, Dario,” I said, my voice rising. “You swore an oath to me – ”
“And I will fulfill it,” he insisted. “Our childrenwillbecome doctors, or lawyers, or writers, or whatever they want to be. They willneverfollow in my footsteps – ”
“But you swore that they would besafe!”I cried angrily.
“They will be.”
“How will they be safeif you go back to selling drugs?!”
“I’mnotselling drugs – ”
“No, you’re just ordering people to go out and do it for you!”
His brow furrowed. “I do this not because Iwantto, but because a lot more people are going to die if I don’t.”
“That’s a convenient excuse,” I snapped.
His eyes burned with anger.
