Page 143 of Sinful Pleasure

“Because you know that Angelo and Father may be bad, but I’m much worse.” I gave her a hard look before shoving her away from me.

She stomped back, her eyes shooting daggers at me.

“Now get out of my fucking sight.”

I heard her mumble “fuck you” under her breath before she turned and headed back to the party, she’d organized for herself.

She was having more fun than I was in that shitty place anyway.

I exhaled sharply, trying to regain my composure, but my mind was too far gone to focus.

The solution was somewhere far away from me. Hiding.

It’s embarrassing to admit how often I’ve caught myself thinking about her.Even more embarrassing to admit that I don’t want to fuck another woman since she’s gone.

To be more accurate—I can’t. It’s like a curse.I thought things would get better with time. That it would be easier now that she’s gone, but the truth is—it’s only getting worse.

I stared down at the pile of unnecessary gifts, lost in my thoughts.

By pure chance, one of them caught my eye. It stood out from the others.A large black rose encased in glass. A black rose that was wilting.It reminded me of the one from the movie Beauty and the Beast, except this one was painted black.

My heart pounded harder.

“I love black roses, you know,” I overheard Allyn telling Tamara on the phone as we walked through the mall, searching for the perfect dress for her engagement party. “That’ll be enough of a present.”

I picked up the glass, afraid it might slip and shatter. A black piece of paper was attached to it, and my attention was immediately fixed on it.

“Happy 26th Birthday, Maddox King.

Until we meet again.

Trust me, we will meet again.”

The letter wasn’t signed, but it didn’t need to be.

I knew exactly who it was from the moment my whole world seemed to turn upside down as I read the words over and over again.

CHAPTER43

MADDOX

Five month later

I scanned the room, disgusted by the faces around me.

If given the chance, I’d erase every last one of them from the Earth.

I hate these meetings—forced to breathe the same air as these pathetic excuses for men is exhausting. But I kept my composure, holding back my frustration, staying on my best behavior.

Each family sends one representative. Twenty of us in total, all sitting around the large round table, waiting to discuss business, as always.

This time, my father made the rational decision to send me instead of Angelo.

I haven’t crossed Martin off my blacklist yet, but after the mess Angelo caused at the last meeting in Italy, I had to put our differences aside and handle this shit myself. He’d brought too much trouble to be trusted with any meetings anytime soon.

Looking around, I couldn’t help but think how laughable it was that we had to sit at the same table, pretending to be partners, even friends when we all knew that, if given the fucking choice, we’d turn this place into an ugly bloodbath.

I leaned back in my chair, frustration building.

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