Page 28 of Sinful Sacrifice

Antonio hasn’t formally introduced himself, but I recognize him from the blog post. His lean body is so tense that you’d think it’s molded from stone, and his nostrils flare as he stares me down. All the tension in his face dissolves when his gaze slips from me to Amara.

As he stares at his daughter, I move my attention to Damien. His eyes are locked on me, and he pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Uncle Damien!” Amara slides off her stool, wearing pink dinosaur pajamas, and dashes over to him, hugging his legs. She’s either not catching on to the serious mood change or just used to these men’s stony demeanors. “I met your friend!” She turns to point at me and jumps up and down.

Damien squeezes her shoulders and half smiles down at her. “I see that.”

What’s with the sudden coldness?

Antonio kneels to face Amara and runs his hand along her cheek. “Time to get ready for school.”

You can tell he keeps what little gentleness he can summon bottled up for his daughter.

“But my school is here.” Amara frowns in confusion. “I never get ready for it.”

“How about you get out of your pajamas and get dressed?” Antonio suggests, kissing the top of her hair. “Later, when I get home, we’ll go out for ice cream, okay?”

Her face brightens. “Okay!”

“Oh, yes,” Clara says, circling around the island and walking toward them. “Let’s get you dressed, sweetheart.”

Amara turns and waves at me. “Bye-bye, Pippa!”

I smile and return the wave.

Clara escorts her out of the kitchen, and as soon as they’re out of earshot, Antonio glares at me.

“You need to leave my house,” he snaps before shifting his glare to Damien. “Ten minutes, and I want her gone.”

Damien nods before locking eyes with me and jerking his head toward the hallway. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”

Antonio retreats a few steps as if wanting to provide me with plenty of room to pass him. As soon as I’m at Damien’s side, he turns and retreats down the hallway. The echo of his shoes hitting the marble flooring is the only sound around us.

“I take it that’s Antonio?” I ask Damien.

He nods. “That’s Antonio.”

“The big, scary boss of the Lombardi family?”

“No, that’d be his father.”

I cross my arms, now feeling brave that Antonio is out of sight. “Yeah, well, he acted like a complete”—I pause, leaning in closer and inhaling Damien’s cologne, and lower my voice—“ass.”

“He doesn’t trust people around his daughter,” Damien says simply. “Don’t take it personal. He doesn’t even allow his parents to visit Amara here.”

I chew on the edge of my lip, grasping the weight of Damien’s words. He brought me into Antonio’s sacred place, the place he keeps his daughter safe. And if the rumors I’ve heard about their world are true, I understand his anger.

I don’t know much about Damien’s relationship with Antonio, but I have a list of questions I’m mentally adding in my brain.

That doesn’t mean Damien will answer them all.

Or any, really.

He seems to be well-rehearsed in the need-to-know-basis language.

Our drive back to my apartment is quiet.

I had this man’s cock in my mouth less than twelve hours ago, and now, I can’t even ask important questions with said mouth. I mean, he does have a huge dick. Maybe it pushed down my ability to ask crucial questions.

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