Page 139 of Sinful Pleasure

And I? I was the fool who chose to ignore the stories and the signs. He is a heartless monster, thriving on destruction and fear. He is everything I should have stayed away from.

And yet, Maddox King was also the man who pulled me out of the caves of my scared, folded life. He brought me back to life.

He was the darkness I needed to escape my harsh reality.

He kissed me like he wanted me. He touched me like he’d die if he didn’t. And it was all just a game to him.

To fuck his brother’s fiancée.

To take yet another thing from Angelo, just for his sick amusement.

But it’s my fault, isn’t it? I pay the price for letting him in. I bet he’s been laughing behind my back this entire time.

I should have known better.

He’s Martin King’s son. The same piece of shit as his father.

And so, the seconds locked in this room turned into minutes.

Minutes into hours. Hours into days. Days into weeks.

All this time, the pain had been slowly transforming into something far deeper.

By Monday morning, it consumed me completely. I burst into Mikael’s office without knocking, catching him mid- conversation on the phone.

When he saw me, his expression didn’t change. He said something to the person on the other end and hung up, giving me his full attention with a welcoming smile.

For two weeks, Mikael hadn’t pushed me. He hadn’t violated my space or tried to sway me.

Instead, he gave me time—time to process, grieve, and to piece together the shattered fragments of my existence.

The people in the house treated me like royalty— as if I were some long-lost princess.And I hated it.

The freedom I finally had—the freedom I’d dreamed of for years—felt like a cruel joke. I didn’t want it.

“Teach me,” I said firmly, breaking the silence.

“Teach you what, exactly?” Mikael raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Teach me everything.”

His lips curled into a faint grin as he leaned back in his chair, studying me like a puzzle he was close to solving.

“What’s behind this sudden change of heart?” he asked.

“I want revenge,” I replied simply, my voice steady but laced with anger that had festered for weeks. “I want The King’s to suffer for everything they’ve done to me.”

For a moment, silence filled the room as Mikael’s grin widened. The look on his face could only be described as pride. Leaning forward, he crossed his arms over his chest, nodding slowly.

“Now you’re talking like a real Romano, my daughter.

CHAPTER42

MADDOX

“At least pretend you’re having fun.”

I shot Lydia a glare, but she was too mesmerized by the girl dancing on the pole in front of us to notice.

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