Page 127 of Sinful

A wide grin spread across his face. “You truly are your father’s son. I am nothing but impressed with your work. You will be rewarded.”

“I only require the safety of my family. For Sirena to be mine,” I said. “I ask for nothing else. Sign her soul over to me.”

“You shall receive all that and more. Finish this task for me, and I will sign my name on the dotted line for you. Let us have dinner.”

“I do not wish to dine here.” I tried to keep from grinding my teeth together, my irritation at an all-time high.

He chuckled and got to his feet, completely ignoring my frustration. Or maybe I’d gotten so good at remaining emotionless on the outside he didn’t catch it.

“Of course. I have a table at Monico’s already booked for us. Come. I’d like you to finish out the week here with me.”

“You said I was free to return to Chapel Crest.” I rose to my feet, my elation at the possibility of going home deflating quickly.

“Yes, you are free. I would like for you to remain here for a few more days. I do need one more thing from you.”

Of course. A fucking catch. There always was.

“And what is that?”

“It’s really only a side task. I’d have assigned it elsewhere, but I feel it’s a good final job for you for this visit.”

“Sounds like fun,” I muttered as we walked to the front door. The men opened the door for us, four of them moving in to walk behind. I knew how this worked. He brought two to man the vehicle, armed to the teeth, with the other two following closely in another vehicle. His entourage. It was one of the reasons I couldn’t kill his ass. This entire place was crawling with idiots who’d die for him. Idiots who would overcome me since there was a vast number of them prowling the halls. My father’s orders were straightforward. If something happened to him, kill whoever did it, even if it were me. It was an issue I was working on. It was why I needed to somehow get him alone or get enough manpower to gut his ass, get out safely, then return to take over.

Of course, there was the issue of loyalty too. Just because the men were loyal to my old man didn’t mean they were loyal to me. They feared me, so that was a good start.

“I need you to simply go in and check on him. Make sure he’s still working.”

We got into the back of the blacked-out SUV, two of the men getting into the front like always. The partition was in place, so I knew they couldn’t hear us.

“And if he’s not?” I stared out the dark window, watching the scenery move past.

“You’re creative. I’m sure you’ll know exactly what to do. Ensure he works. I do ask that he keeps his hands and fingers. He does require those to work.”

“So I’m free to remove everything else?”

A wicked smile curled his lips upward.

“Bring me the spare parts if they happen to come off. I don’t like to waste. You can see to him after dinner.”

I said nothing, hating him a little bit more.

Just a few more days. . .

Then I’d be home with my girl and brothers. I only hoped I wouldn’t be adding Sin to my body count when I returned.

* * *

I stoodoutside a wooden door on the ninth level of the dungeon. Around me, the sounds of soft sobs and incoherent babbling sounded out. Typical for this part of the world.

I hated it down here. It was a fucking nightmare sent from the asshole of hell. The quicker I could leave, well, the quicker I wouldn’t mentally descend further into my own brand of madness.

With the key card, I buzzed the door open, nodding at the two men guarding the door. Father kept his most prized possessions down here. Many of them I’d never seen before, so only the devil knew what was holed up at this level of hell.

Carefully, I stepped into the dim room. As far as holes in hell went, this one wasn’t what I expected. There was a toilet, a sink, a bed, and a computer with five monitors connected to it.

And a man hunched over and staring intently at all the screens of code. He was a tall man. I could tell he’d wasted away after being trapped here many years, but that was typical. He may have been a force to be reckoned with at one point.

“Tell him I’m working,” the man called out gruffly with a Russian accent. “I’m only one man.”

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