Page 160 of Sinful Sacrifice

After looking through the books, Riona shared that Enya’s dance studio had been in the red every single month. She wasn’t booking enough classes and was hardly able to keep the limited hours they had. It’s surprising Cernach’s cheap ass hates losing money. He did it to keep control of Enya.

Riona also said she’s selling the building the studio is in. No matter what, Enya’s studio is getting shut down.

I rub at my temples. “We’re going to her house later today to rip off the Band-Aid. Hopefully, she’ll agree to work at Pippa’s studio.”

“I’m sure that’ll be fun,” he deadpans.

“Personally, I always thought Enya having a studio was a bad idea. It’s Pippa’s feelings I’m worried about. Her mother seems to be … unstable at times.”

“You mean, she treats her daughter like shit?”

I nod.

He snaps forward in his chair. “That’s one thing you need to make clear when you’re married. Do not let anyone treat your wife like shit. I don’t care if it’s a parent, a friend, the king of the motherfucking planet. I will correct every person who doesn’t treat Gigi like the princess she is. I’m not telling you to hurt Enya, but what I’m saying is, you have to set her straight. Her problems are not Pippa’s, and Pippa should not suffer for them.”

Antonio isn’t bullshitting. When Cristian was playing hardball with Gigi, he risked his life, going there and telling him he was fucking up. He even handed him pictures of what he was missing. Just as his speech said, he doesn’t play when it comes to Gigi’s feelings.

I stand from my chair. “I’ll see you at work next week?”

He rears back. “Next week?”

“Yes, I’m taking my wife on our honeymoon.” I smirk. “I have to make sure she’s treated like the princess she is, right?”

He scowls at me. “Go before I change my mind and find some random asshole for you to murder because I don’t like my words being used against me.”

As soon as I leave his office, Gigi calls out my name.

I rub my temples harder this time, knowing she’s about to be a pain in my ass. She’s in the kitchen, eating a bowl of M&M’s and glaring as if I were here to deliver her divorce papers.

“I hear a congrats are in order.” She glares and tosses an M&M toward me. “Why didn’t you invite me to your wedding? Me? I’m, like, one of your favorite people.”

“You’re my least favorite here,” I say, cracking my neck. “There wasn’t a wedding either. I’m sure Antonio also told you that.” Although, I can’t be too mad at her since she’s the one who moved all of Pippa’s belongings back to the brownstone while we were at the rehearsal dinner.

“He did.” She raises a shoulder and smirks. “I’m just bored, and I wanted to give you a headache. But I’d better get an invite and a front-row seat if you have a wedding.” She snatches another M&M and points at me with it. “Tell Pippa I’m throwing her a bachelorette party. Strip club, here we come.” She waves her hands in the air at the same time Antonio comes up behind her, snatches her wrist, and eats the M&M from her hand.

“You’re not going anywhere with half-naked men,” he tells her.

“Nor are you taking Pippa,” I add.

“Oh, yes, I am,” she argues.

Antonio flicks his hand through the air. “Don’t listen to her bullshit. She’s fully aware that if any other man has his junk near her, he will absolutely lose it. I’ll hold the knife in her goddamn hand and force her to cut it off to teach her a lesson.”

That’s Antonio’s way of romancing Gigi. Somehow, she fell for his psychotic ass. He’s worse than I am.

Gigi crosses her arms. “True, with people knowing you and my father, they probably won’t even look at me.”

“That’s just how I like it, baby.” He steals another M&M as she glares at him.

For as long as I can remember, I scoffed at marriage.

I witnessed men marry for the sake of a contract and business deal.

I saw women miserable in those marriages.

A happy marriage was a rarity, and I thought it was something I’d never find, but everything changed when I met Pippa. Suddenly, I believed in marriage. I imagined my life with her as my bride. But imagining and getting it are too different obstacles.

She walked away from me.

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