Page 52 of Heartless Sinner

With a rough sigh, I find my father’s number and call him. He answers on the first ring as if he was waiting for me.

“Micah, I’m growing impatient with you. I’ve been trying to reach you for the last two days.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“No one should be too busy to answer the phone to the boss. You are no exception. But you get away with too much because you are my son.”

“What’s going on? What is so urgent that it can’t wait until I get back?”

“I wanted to find out how things were going. Has anything more happened since yesterday?”

“Nothing more. I’m still investigating.” I didn’t tell him about Scarlett and her father. I’m keeping them under wraps for the moment. Brahm won’t say a word, either, unless I tell him to.

“How long are you planning to stay there?”

“A few more days.”

“Have you thought more about the wife situation?” His voice takes on a firm edge I don’t like. “I’m sure you’re aware you only have three more days.”

“I’m very aware, Papà. And you don’t have to worry about it.” Fuck, I sound so confident I believe my own words.

“Well, that sounds promising. However, in the event that you make it back by Thursday, I’m having Luis and his family over for dinner. Eloise will be there. Since you missed yesterday’s fundraiser, I thought it may give you another chance to get reacquainted with her.”

And there it is. Not even two minutes into the conversation and he had to find a way to slip in fucking Eloise.

“I’ve already told you what I think of her.”

“Getting reacquainted would not hurt you, mio figlio. Neither would considering her. Luis has just informed me of his expansion into the Middle East. He stands to make quite a good fortune. So, you and Eloise as a couple make even more sense to me.”

Frustration curdles my already heated blood. “You’re not going to let this idea go, are you?”

“Not until you’ve picked a wife and you’re taking your vows at the altar. Because Eloise is a good choice. As she’s only available for a month, I won’t stop pushing you toward her.”

“That is fucking ridiculous.”

“I’m afraid I don’t think so, son.”

“I’m going now.”

He starts to say something else, but I hang up. He’ll probably bitch at me about that, too, when next we speak, but I don’t care. He’s not going to force me anymore than he already has.

I just have to figure things out on my own without him breathing down my neck.

The situation with the hacker is more serious than finding a wife, but my father has pushed me to split my attention because he wants things a certain way.

I know what he’s like, so I’ll have to get married straightaway the moment I have a name.

I gun the engine and drive away.

As soon as I’m on the road, thoughts of Scarlett return to my mind.

I need to forget her. It’s just not easy.

I’m not doing myself any favors by hanging around.

I try to tell myself that the next morning as I park outside the diner she’s working in. There I realize I can’t leave her alone because I’ve gone from mildly fascinated to fucking obsessed.

If I wanted to help myself, I would have left her alone the moment I saw her sitting in the hotel bar in New York. I dug the hole for my resistance and shoved myself in it the instant I buried my cock deep inside her. I should have known there would be no coming back after that.

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