Page 100 of Sinful Sacrifice

“I missed you,” I say. “I didn’t get any work done because I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

She smiles against my lips. “You saw me last night.”

“Even a single moment from you is too long.”

Her face lights up. “I missed you too.”

I plant a kiss on the tip of her nose and pull out onto the street.

“Where are we going?” she asks when we turn in the opposite direction of home.

“It’s a surprise.” I drum my fingers along the steering wheel.

“Damien, the king of surprises,” she says with a giggle.

When we reach our destination, I park in front of the brick building. Pippa might get angry with me for doing this behind her back, but I don’t care. It’s better than her being at Cernach’s mercy.

“What’s this?” she asks when I help her outside and lead us toward the sidewalk.

I pluck a key from my pocket and hand it to her. “Your dance studio.”

It’s a small space but enough for what she needs. The front is a wall of streak-free windows, allowing a sneak peek inside. It’s a loft layout, one large room, and I’ve already scheduled setup to install all dance studio necessities.

“Let’s go see your new space.” I clasp her hand, leading her to the door.

She tries to hide it, but I don’t miss the way her hand shakes as she unlocks it. The smell of fresh paint wafts through the air when we walk inside.

“You don’t have to do anything,” I explain, closing the door behind us. “The space is in your name, and the rent is paid for the next ten years. The Lombardi family controls this block, so you’re safe.”

She’s quiet as her gaze slowly creeps around the room, taking in the space. I stand there, shoving my hands into my pockets, waiting in anticipation.

“Thank you,” she finally says, her voice as wistful as I know she’ll move around this space. Her eyes are teary when she finally turns to peer at me. “This …” She stops to swipe at her eyes. “I’ve never had someone do something so special for me. I love it, but?—”

“You can do whatever you want with it,” I interrupt, knowing she’s ready to reject my offer. Not only is she under Cernach’s thumb but she’s also under Enya’s. “Open a studio, or let it sit here and do nothing. It’s here if you ever need it.”

While I’ve offered to fully support her, she wants her own financial security. I want to give her that. My hope is she’ll convince Enya this is the right avenue to take.

I tenderly cup her face in my hands, using the pad of my thumb to clean her tears. I stare at her, transfixed and obsessed, fully aware I’m completely done for when it comes to her.

She gathers herself, inhaling deep breaths, and I grunt when she launches herself toward me. As I catch her, she wraps her legs around my waist, and I cup her ass cheeks to hold her in place.

“Thank you, Damien.” She loops her arms around my neck. “I love you.” She smacks a kiss to my lips. “I love you.” Another kiss. “I love you so damn much.” More tears fall down her face, smearing along my skin.

I lower her to her feet and give her a tour of the space. It’s simple, just how I wanted it. Pippa doesn’t need to worry about maintenance. I want her to have it easy here, to do what she loves without stress.

“You’re too good to me,” she whispers.

“I think you have it the other way around,” I say. “You’re too good for any man in this world, but somehow, you’ve lost your mind and settled for me.”

This woman is my everything.

I need to do all that I can not to lose her.

We stop at a local pizza joint for dinner.

Pippa takes a giant bite of pizza, and the cheese stretches from her mouth. She laughs, slicing through it with her finger, and swallows her bite.

“Cernach visited my office,” I tell her, leaning forward to wipe the corner of her mouth with my napkin.

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