Page 6 of Sinful Desires

I knew what that meant, and so did she. With a soft grunt, she turned and marched from the room, the heels of her ankleboots striking the hardwood hard enough that I snickered to myself. Spoiled little bitch. She didn’t know what to do with herself now that Daddy hadn’t stopped the world at her request.

We were no more than a half-dozen strides into the hall when she whirled on me. The composed mask she had been wearing in her father’s office fell away. This was the real Aria, all flashing eyes and flushed cheeks, her perfect teeth bared in a snarl before she jabbed a finger against my chest. Goddamn, she was hot, so hot I looked forward to working her up this way for weeks to come.

“Listen…” she snarled, “… you might have him fooled, but not me.”

“Excuse me?” I asked, all innocent, as I looked down at her finger. It would have been too easy to yank her close and make her think twice about poking the lion unless she knew she could handle the roar. “What is this all about?”

“Drop the act,” she warned. “All your life, you didn’t know him or any of us, and now you want to be part of the family? I’m sure you didn’t mind finding out your mother’s ex-husband is a billionaire. I’m sure that hadnothingto do with it.”

A billionaire who left his ex with nothing. Who abandoned her when something more interesting came along and conveniently ignored the fact of a child being involved. “Not everyone is as mercenary as you clearly are, Aria,” I murmured, pride swelling in my chest when her face went pink, and she fell back a step. “As for money, I have all I’ll ever need.”

“Sure, keep playing innocent. It seems to be working so fucking well.” She cast a doleful eye toward her father’s closed door. “You are not going to take advantage of his kindness. I won’t let you.”

“Really, Aria, you’re going to have to explain what you mean. I don’t have the first idea.”

Her cheeks went from pink to deep red. “You know damn well what I mean.” Touching a hand to her chest, she whimpered out, “Oh, poor me, a rich tech guy with nowhere to stay. I don’t have a family.Let me invade yours.”

“Is that what you’re worried about? Are you afraid Daddy doesn’t have enough time for you now that he’s found the son he always wanted?” That might have been a mistake, but it came tumbling out before I could help it. It was unusual for me to take such a risk, but then her imperious attitude left me craving the satisfaction of watching her wither under my perceptive gaze. “Maybe youshouldbe worried. He might want a son with business sense to manage his investments while you go to spin class and have your hair done. He may even add me to his will. That would put a crimp in your plans, I’d bet.”

Her head snapped back like she’d been struck. “Fuck you,” she whispered, trembling. “That is a foul thing to say. You’re a foul person.”

“I’ve been called worse things by people I’ve respected and who had a legitimate reason to sling slurs around.” I sighed, tired of where this conversation was going. “Your name-calling doesn’t matter to me, especially when I’ve done nothing to deserve it.”

“I am not going to let you do whatever it is you have in mind,” she warned, trailing me through the sprawling penthouse, her footsteps ringing out like gunshots.

The artwork on the walls would have put me through university twice over with thousands to spare, but they probably took it for granted.

“Is this the way to the door?” I asked over my shoulder, ignoring her.

“Yes,” she growled out. “And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll walk through it and not come back.”

“But Aria, I’ve been invited, remember?” It was almost impossible not to openly laugh at the impotent fury that twisted her features when I stopped at the door and turned to face her. “Look at it this way. We’ll get to know each other better. Your father seems very keen on all of us being a family.”

“You will never be part of my family,” she warned.

“Is that a threat? I can’t quite tell.” Chuckling, I opened the door and headed for the elevator. “We can work it all out when I come back. AndI will,” I assured her.

“It’s your funeral.” She slammed the door between us, and it was a relief to let out the laugh I’d been holding back, even as my dick twitched at the challenge she presented. I would surely remember her heaving tits later, alone, jerking off to the memory of sizzling heat that seemed to spring to life out of nowhere when we were face-to-face.

It wouldn’t be a hardship to take advantage of our chemistry and the fact she was so very easy on the eyes.

Magnus had no idea who he’d welcomed into his home. The man who would tear his perfect family to pieces.

I could hardly wait to get started.

3

ARIA

“So that’s it. Our brand-new stepbrother took one of the guestrooms on the first floor like he actually belonged here.” His suite was directly beneath mine. With that in mind, I stomped my feet, pacing at the foot of my bed. Immature? Of course. Funny how certain situations could make a person not give a shit about what was mature and what wasn’t.

“I think it’s cool.” Valentina’s laughter filtered through the phone’s speaker when I grunted at her ridiculous assertion. “We have a stepbrother now. We should be happy Dad seems so happy.”

The worst part was she had a point. I knew better. “Only because Dad can’t see the real Miles.”

“Oh? And you can? You have this huge amount of insight into him that Dad doesn’t?” The way she scoffed didn’t make things any better.

Gritting my teeth and stomping harder, I replied, “It’s hard to explain.”

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