Page 5 of Sinful Sacrifice

“No,” she snaps.

“What’s your address?”

“I’m not telling you. As a matter of fact, let me out of here.” She presses the lock.

It doesn’t make a sound or move.

I smirk at her next unlock attempt. She curses and smacks the door when the lock doesn’t budge. After I purchased the Range Rover, I had the lock system modified. No one gets in or out without my permission.

While she fights with the lock, I snatch her purse and dump the contents in her lap. She stops as her phone, the cash, and other random, useless shit falls out. As soon as a wallet lands on her lap, I swipe it.

Her pouty lips pucker as I unzip the wallet and pluck out her ID. It takes only a few seconds for me to memorize her address. I toss the ID back to her and reverse from the spot.

“Um, excuse me?” she asks. “Where are we going?”

I turn out of the parking lot. “You’ll figure it out the closer we get there.”

“Or you could just tell me.” She starts tossing her shit back into the bag. “God, what a way to spend my day off work. Kidnapped by a crazy my dad owes money to.”

“If I were kidnapping you, you’d be gagged and tied up in my trunk.”

She twists in her seat, scanning the back, as if expecting to find someone in that situation. It’s comical she’d think I’d ever kidnap someone in my personal vehicle. You steal cars for that.

But I’m almost positive Pippa doesn’t know who I am yet. Otherwise, she wouldn’t give me this much lip. She’d be as terrified of me as she was while waiting for Vinny to enter the room earlier.

She slumps in the seat. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“It should, considering you’re not tied up.”

Her cheeks warm, a stroke of pink on her sun-kissed skin. “Do you plan to tie me up?”

“Not unless you ask for it.”

“Spoiler alert: I definitely won’t.”

“Bummer.” I tsk.

“No, what’s a bummer is you not letting me out of this car.”

“Sweetheart, the biggest bummer of the day is your father sending you into the casino as his scapegoat.”

“What was the alternative? You killing him?”

“Better him than you.”

Paul knew the danger he was putting her in, yet he did it anyway. If Pippa wasn’t with me, I’d have done more than break his nose. I’d have cut the fucking thing off. You don’t use women, especially your daughter, to handle your debts. That’s some cowardly shit.

Just as I told him, if he attempts to use her as leverage again, I won’t make an exception, even if she’s standing right next to me. The asshole racked up the debt. It’s his responsibility to pay it.

The drive from the casino to her apartment is short, but New York City traffic is a fucking nightmare. When she grabs her phone, I veer to the left, causing her shoulder to smack into the door.

“Put it down,” I snap.

She lowers her phone, glowering at me, but keeps it in her hand.

No spots are available in front of her building, so I parallel park across the street. I step out, straighten my blazer, and watch her glare at me through the windshield as I walk to her door. When I open it and extend my hand, she crosses her arms, refusing to take it like a goddamn child.

“I’m not above dragging your stubborn ass out,” I warn, biting each word out and kneeling so we’re eye level. When she doesn’t move, I up the ante. “Fine, we’ll drive around until I find your father. I’ll make you wait in the car and watch me kill him. Does that sound like a better time for you, Pippa?”

---