Page 102 of Sinful Pleasure

“Allyn, you don’t need to help me. If someone from the King family sees you, they’ll kill me.”

“The King family can go to hell.”

And I meant it. Every single one of them.

If I want to help my friend, then damn right, I will.Lately, Lara’s been slowly opening up to me—talking more, even laughing. She’s the reason I’m still sane in this mansion.I can feel her eyes on me as I mop the floor in the vast, open space on the first floor.

“Why don’t you go to the place I told you about?” she asked. “I think you’d love it there. You look like you could use some quiet.”

Lara told me about a small, beautiful lake hidden in the mansion’s sprawling garden forgotten by the King family, tucked awayamong the trees on their property.

When I say the land around the residence is huge, I mean it’s like an entire forest in their backyard.

“Maddox would never let me go anywhere alone,” I said. “You know I’ve got a babysitter following me everywhere I go.”

Lara bit her lip. “That’s sad.”

I nodded. “It is.”

Lara’s the only person here I can have a real conversation with. Well and Lydia as well but she is not around that much.

I always look forward to our mornings together with Lara.

Life hasn’t been fair to her. She’s so kind, so young, but life’s already stolen her spark. Yet, I’ve never heard her complain.

She does her job with a smile and she’s been doing it for years.

She deserves so much more than this—mopping floors and serving breakfast. A future, dreams to chase, not to be locked in this place all day, doing whatever this family tells her to do.

“Lara, I have an idea,” I said out of nowhere, pausing my work to look at her. She turned, still holding a rag, giving me her full attention.

“Why don’t you come home with me sometime? Get away from all of this, even just for a little while?”

It would be good to take her out of this grey, monotonous life she’s stuck in here, even if only for a brief escape.A surprised expression crossed her face, blinking slowly—as if processing the idea.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said quickly, sighing. ‘‘The King Family-’’

“Why are you so concern about what they will think?’ I stopped her before she could even finish.

“They saved me. I owe them everything.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused, but she couldn’t meet my gaze.

In an instant, the entire mood shifted. Her smile vanished, and her eyes started to water. I panicked.

“Lara, I’m sorry if I said something wrong.”

She wiped her eyes, forcing a soft smile, just like she always does.

“No, it’s okay,” she whispered, shaking her head. There was a long pause before she spoke again.

“My family was killed. I had no one. I had nothing. And if it wasn’t for them… I’d probably be homeless or dead, like my parents.”

She was crying, but my heart shattered with her words.

I dropped the mop and pulled her into my arms, holding her as tightly as I could while she sobbed into my hands.

She is carrying so much pain, it’s unfair. My heart breaks for her and her family. This world has failed her.

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