Page 60 of Sinful Sacrifice

Pippa’s phone rings, and she shuffles through her new purse for it.

“It’s my mom.” She accepts the call and surprisingly puts it on speaker. “Mom, now’s not really a good ti?—”

“That son of a bitch left!” she screams through the phone, interrupting Pippa. Her sobs creep out from the phone’s speaker.

“Who?” Pippa asks, and it’s that moment I see the red mark across her face. I hold in my anger, waiting until she’s off the phone.

“Your father! He’s gone!” Her voice heightens. “Two men came to the house yesterday, threatening all of us. I came home today to find him and all his things gone. He finally answered my hundredth call and told me he had to flee New York and is never coming back.”

Pippa rubs her cheek. “You know how Dad is. He’ll leave for a few days and return when he’s out of money.”

“He’s never packed his bags like this before. He always leaves his shit. This time, it’s for real.”

“Mom,” Pippa says around a sigh.

“Please come over. I need you here. Lanie needs you.”

Pippa’s shoulders slump. “Okay, I’m on my way.” She ends the call and peers over at me. “Can you give me a ride to my mom’s?”

“Did one of them put their hands on you?” I cup her chin in my hand and clench my jaw. My blood boils. I scoot in closer to examine her face, and she winces as I caress her cheek.

“I’m okay.” She clasps her hand over mine. “Can we leave? She’s probably on the verge of a breakdown right now.”

I nod, start the ignition, and head toward her mom’s. There’s no need for the address. I have it memorized.

During the drive, I make Pippa recite every detail of what happened with the Razzo brothers. They might think they got away with their behavior now, and I planned to be semi-lenient with them, but now knowing they put their hands on Pippa, I won’t have any mercy on them.

I want to shield Pippa from my dark side for as long as I can. I warned her I had one, but she hasn’t seen it to its maximum level yet. The longer I can hide it, the better.

Her mother’s split-level home is in the suburbs, twenty minutes from the city. Most of the landscaping is dead, but it does have a fresh coat of paint. I park in the driveway behind a bright red VW Beetle and follow Pippa into the house.

Lanie is comforting their mother, Enya, on the couch. Enya’s face is red, tearstained, and her shoulders are slouched forward. The woman looks like she hasn’t slept in weeks. Pippa dashes to Enya, hugging and telling her everything will be okay.

I crack my knuckles, unsure why Pippa is lying to her.

Nothing will be right in Enya’s life for a long-ass time. Her husband left her in a mess. Paul might’ve skipped town, but that debt didn’t leave with him. People will continue to show up at their doorstep, wanting their money.

As Pippa sits next to her, Enya’s gaze flicks to me. “Who are you?”

“Damien,” I say simply. I’m never one to elaborate on that question.

“Are you her boyfriend?” Her gaze slips from me to Pippa. “I didn’t know you were dating.”

“He’s my friend,” Pippa explains.

That sure as hell stings.

Boyfriend sounds so fucking juvenile anyway.

I’m just hers. Her protector. Her lover. The one who’ll do anything for her.

While Pippa works on consoling Enya, I fish my phone from my pocket and start making calls.

“Two of my men are coming here to change your locks and install an alarm system and video surveillance,” I tell Enya thirty minutes later. “They’ll also walk you through how to work everything.”

Enya holds up her hand. “Who’s supposed to pay for that? I can’t afford it. I can barely make ends meet as it is.”

“I’ll help,” Pippa says, stroking Enya’s arm.

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