Page 128 of Sinful Pleasure

Angelo patted me on the shoulder as he headed out to grab his things, leaving me alone with Allyn.I had no choice but to face her. I didn’t want to, but I did anyway.

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, her cheeks flushed, and I wanted to know what had her so worked up.Was it Angelo kissing her? Or the fact that I saw it? I decided to play dumb.

“For what?”

“For that with Angelo,” she bit her lip. “It’s weird.”

I almost laughed— but held it in. Such a petty excuse.

“I don’t care, Allyn,” I cut her off, even though I very much did. “You don’t owe me an explanation.”

“Yeah, I know.” She nodded, her hands clasped behind her back. “I just felt the need to say it.”

And I felt the need to pull her closer and kiss her, but I guess we both shouldn’t act on what’s running through our minds.

I nodded, forcing a swallow. “It’s fine, Allyn.”

Her eyes lingered on me, longer than they should for just her fucking bodyguard. My gaze stayed on her longer than it should for a woman I should only be protecting.

But she isn’t mine to take. Fuck, she’s not even mine to look at.

“I’ll see you later, Allyn. Take care of yourself.”

And like a real pussy, I just left the room, unable to bear being there with her, unable to touch her.

I bumped into Angelo on the way out.For a moment, I forgot why we were even meeting. I forgot everything when I saw Allyn in his arms.

But I need answers before I do something really stupid.

We got in my car, and as I drove off, I threw the folder in his lap, wantinghim to see the truth for himself.

Our father is supposed to be in a “Deadro,” a hotel a few blocks from the penthouse, and that’s where we are heading.

Angelo looked up from the folder, his eyes widening as he went throughit.“That’s some fucking joke, right?”

I shook my head. “I wish it was.”

“And you think our father is involved in this shit?”

“We’re about to find out.”

After my conversation with Alicent, I was left with more questions thananswers. Answers she couldn’t give me, but she was smart enough to tell me everything she knew.

I need to know if my father is behind all of this.

I need those fucking answers. He owes me this—after everything I’ve done to protect him and this damn family.I never had the chance to be a normal kid, playing with friends or growing up in a normal household.

Instead, I played with guns and knives.

He turned me into this monster.All these years, I’ve spilled blood on his behalf, only to realize I’ve been nothing but a stupid pawn in his sick games.

“So, what now?” Angelo asked, leaning back in his seat.

“We’ll get our answers,” I muttered, pressing the gas pedal down with rage. “One way or another.”I gripped the steering wheel so hard my knuckles went white, imagining how it would feel to suffocate my father instead.

He had played me like a puppet all these years, like I was just one of his dogs.He turned me into a weapon—depriving me of all compassion, all mercy. He made me turn against the fucking world just to protect his own ass.

“You’re not thinking straight, Maddox,” Angelo began. “It’s fucked up, yeah. But we both knew what we were signing up for when we swore an oath to him to carry on the family legacy. We knew this world was ugly, and yet we agreed.”

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