Page 147 of Sinful Pleasure

The whole room was staring, but his gaze was the only thing that mattered. Making my body tremble with something I thought I had burieddeep within myself months ago.

How can I hate him— yet feel my heart sink when our eyes meet?It was a challenge to speak for the next three hours, trapped in that same room with him.

I hid my emotions behind a pretended calm, forcing my voice to sound unaffected, all while ignoring the burning weight of his gaze on me. I could feel him watching me the entire time, every glance like a touch, making my skin burn and dredging up memories I didn’t want to relive.

Something I absolutely didn’t need.

Even though the meeting had been a success, deep down, I felt like I lost. My heart still ached for someone who should’ve been dead to me a long time ago.

The men filtered out of the room, not giving me a second glance.

But Maddox—he stayed He was the only one left, still sitting in his chair, his gaze fixed on me. When I finally moved to leave, his hand shot out, gripping mine. I froze.

My whole soul seemed to collapse in on itself, my body reacting with a shiver, his touch sending a chill down my spine. A touch I once craved — now it felt like a foreign sensation on my skin.

“It’s not polite to walk past people like that.”

I looked down at him, forcing myself to meet his gaze.

My body warmed, betraying me, my skin tightening with an unwanted awareness. A devilish grin played on his lips, and then, as if satisfied, he returned his attention to my face.

“We have nothing to say to each other.” I swallowed.

“Oh, but I think we do.”

“Thinking’s never been your strong suit.”

“Ouch.” He feigned a hurt grimace, but I knew the grin that followed wasn’t genuine—it was as dangerous as ever. “Right in my feelings.”

“You don’t have feelings,” I snapped, my teeth gritting.

“Maybe,” he said, his voice dropping lower as he stood to his full height,still holding my hand. “Or maybe not.”

And just like that, I felt small again—like a helpless toy in his grasp.

A toy he’d broken once, and now he was just reminding me of it.

His hard chest pressed against mine, the closeness unbearable. Heart to heart, but there was no warmth between us. Where mine beat with life, his felt like a shield—shallow, cold, and distant.

“I don’t have time for this,” I said, lifting my chin high to show him that he wouldn’t break me this time. “I have places to be, so I’ll cut this little conversation short, which I’d rather not even be having.’’

“You’re playing the big bad mafia boss now, huh, princess?”

His voice was laced with amusement, like he didn’t take me seriously.

He didn’t think I had it in me, and that’s exactly what made me want to prove him wrong.

“Why? Afraid I’m better at it than you?” I shot back, the challenge thick in my voice. His grin widened.

He didn’t say anything in return, but his eyes spoke volumes. I tried to pull away, desperate to escape this suffocating space.

I needed to get out, but once again, he stopped me.

“Not so fast,” he muttered, his voice cold, but I could feel the storm lurking just beneath it.

His hand caressed mine, a touch far too intimate for this moment. His eyes were scanning my face, reading me, studying me.

“The new role suits you. I like it.”

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