Page 4 of Sinful Sacrifice

My father holds up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. Never again.”

Damien releases him. “Now, get the fuck out of here.”

Tension in my body loosens, and my knees feel wobbly as I start walking around the Volvo toward the passenger door.

“I didn’t say you could go.” Damien captures my wrist and tugs me backward, my back connecting with his rock-hard chest.

“Damien … Mr. Bellini—” my father sputters, blood dripping on his shirt.

So, he knows this is Damien, not Vinny.

“I won’t hurt her,” Damien sneers. “Not that you gave a shit about that earlier. Did you, Paul?” He says my father’s name as if he’d just tasted expired milk.

My father stares at him, speechless.

When his attention turns to me, a flicker of apology flashes on his face.

Not enough for me to believe he’s remorseful, though.

Damien keeps his hold on me, his fingers sinking into my skin. “You have until the end of the week to get us the rest of our money.” He smacks the Volvo’s hood with his free hand. “Don’t come back until you have it all.”

My father nods and slams his foot on the pedal. The Volvo bolts through the parking lot, a passenger short.

Damien whips me around to face him.

I glare at him. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

He smirks, licking his lips as if he can’t wait to prove me wrong. I attempt to wrestle from his hold, but I’m not strong enough.

“Now, we can do this the easy or the hard way,” he says, dragging me through the parking lot. “I’d hate to have to shoot your pretty little face.”

People stare, but not one offers me help.

I talk shit as he hauls me toward the rear parking lot and straight to a blacked-out Range Rover. I up my struggling game when he opens the passenger door.

“We’re about to get to know each other so much better, Pippa.” He shoves me inside the SUV and shuts the door before locking it.

Ready to flee, I hit the unlock button, but nothing happens.

What did my father get me into?

2

I twirl my key chain around my finger while circling the Range Rover, unsure of my plans for Pippa. I didn’t have take someone’s hot-as-fuck daughter as collateral on my agenda for today.

Pippa should consider herself lucky she got me and not Vinny. His psycho ass would’ve played games with her and not been so gentle. He and his brother, Antonio, usually deal with debt situations, but they’re out today.

Well, Antonio is out.

No one knows where the fuck Vinny has been for the past week.

When they’re unavailable, that responsibility falls in my lap.

Thank fuck it did today.

I unlock the SUV, slide behind the wheel, and inhale Pippa’s sweet floral perfume.

“Do you live with your father?” I ask, starting the engine.

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