Page 120 of Syndicate of Sin Bundle

“I won’t say anything,” I promised.

“Laila was in foster care since she was three. She stayed with … probably around twenty families until she turned eighteen. Some—not all—were abusive to her. More verbally and emotionally than physically.”

My eyes widened. “That’s terrible.”

“She moved around so much that she never really formed any friendships,” he said. “So, since we started dating, she has tried to please all the girls in the family by doing anything that they want. She’s desperate to be accepted and loved by them.”

I frowned, tears building in my eyes. “She doesn’t like saying no.”

“She can’t,” Constantino said. “She’s terrified that they’ll all end up hating her and she’ll be left with nobody.”

“But she has you,” I said.

Constantino paused.

“Right?” I asked.

“Sage,” Constantino said, leaning forward and lowering his voice, “of course she has me, but I have the FBI breathing down my neck. If another person squeals to them about our family, they’ll put me in prison for decades.”

“D-decades?” I whispered, unable to believe it. “But that … that can’t happen.”

“I’m not going to prison without a fight, but if something happens to me, I need you to be there for Laila. I don’t want her in the middle of the mayhem that will follow once they sentence me. This family will do everything in their power to hurt her so they can become the head of this family, especially because we don’t have a child.”

“A child?” I asked. “Would that stop it?”

“Probably not, but it’d be someone for Laila to care for so she doesn’t get wrapped up in the drama those girls she calls friends bring her,” he said, then paused. He glanced around once more and then dropped his gaze to our table and let out a breath. “We’ve been trying.”

“You have?” I asked softly, hearing how fragile his words sounded.

“For months.”

My lips curled into a frown. “If anything happens, I promise to help Laila.”

He held out his hand, and I reluctantly set my hand in his. His expression softened more than I had ever seen it, the lines in his face disappearing.

Then, he chuckled. “I was going to ask for your phone.”

Cheeks reddening in embarrassment, I pulled my hand out of his and stuffed my hand into my purse for my phone. God, what is wrong with me? Why did I think he wanted to hold my hand? He just held it out there and expected me not to take it?!

When I placed my phone in his palm, he snatched my hand, too, and squeezed, throwing me a breathtaking smile. Not one of his smirks or those harsh eyes he’d had the first night with me. A genuine smile.

“I didn’t mean to make you embarrassed.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” I lied.

For some reason, his smile softened even more. I swallowed and smiled back, warmth exploding through my chest. God, his smile … and those eyes. He might’ve killed people for a living, but, damn, he was so sweet.

Once he finally released my hand, he typed something into my phone and handed it back. “I saved a contact in your phone. His name is Vito Ferrara. He’s a family friend. If anything happens and you’re in trouble, contact him.”

After nodding, I placed the phone into my purse.

“And thank you for talking Laila back into art,” he said, smiling genuinely to himself again, his eyes lighting up when he talked about her. He leaned back in his seat and finished off the last of his burger. “I haven’t seen her that excited and happy in a long time.”

My smile faltered just a bit, but I quickly recovered and nodded. “Of course.”

Stupid Sage.

He had only brought me out because of Laila. Of course he wouldn’t bring me out for any reason other than his wife and the gratitude he had for me being with her and maybe because of the way she had left me earlier too. I had been contracted to be their toy. Nothing more.

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