Page 170 of Sinful Pleasure

My eyes locked on Theo Stone—his face void of any emotion or regret.

“Desperate enough to suggest such a thing, Mr. Stone?” I sneered, myheart racing with fury. “I believe the last time we met, you told me I had no place at the table, you insulted me just because I’m a woman, and now you are coming here asking for my hand in marriage to your son? That’s pathetic.”

He nodded slowly,but there was no sincerity.

“I can only apologize for my words. I was wrong,” he said, his voice dripping with falseness. “But a union would be a fair trade. We will be untouchable.”

I almost scoffed at the thought.

Untouchable? The audacity of this man, of both of them, was beyond me.

“My family is untouchable already,” Mikael shot back, his tone cold and dismissive. “Why do you think we need you, Garrett?”

“We’re not eternal, Mikael. Someone’s going to have to watch over your daughter after we’re gone,” he said,his words dripping with a calculated calmness.

“I can take care of myself, thank you very much,” I snapped, my voice laced with venom as I flashed a fake smile in Garrett’s direction.

Garrett’s eyes shifted back to me, his grin widening. He clearly enjoyed the discomfort he was causing.

“If you get rid of Martin King, his children will stop at nothing until they get revenge for their father’s death.”

“I’ll get rid of them too,” Mikael responded, but Garrett’s eyes fixed on me once more, and that disgusting smile was still in place.

It’s almost like he knows something my father doesn’t.

Almost like he knows about Maddox King and the way I can’t get him out of my mind.

“You know that’s not going to be an easy task.”

Oh, yes. The fucker knows.

A murderous silence hung over the table.

My heart raced, and the minutes dragged on agonizingly slow as I waited for my father to speak, to defend me, or even kill them both for daring to make such a demand.

“It’s a fair trade, Mikael,” Garrett said, my father cupping his jaw, almost as if he were considering it.

“No,” I spat, loud and clear. “Hell, no.”

Garrett smiled at me, but it was wicked—laughing, mocking me once again.

“Miss Romano, I wasn’t asking you,” he nodded toward Mikael. “I was asking your father.”

And my father just stared at me.

His face was blank, like my hopes of getting out of this unscathed.

CHAPTER49

MADDOX

I hit my head back against the bed frame again, stretching the chains around my wrist only to feel the sharp pain.

My skin was turning purple and I’ve been doing this for the past few hours, staring at the same white dot on the dull wall.

The powerlessness was driving me fucking nuts.

Little by little, I’m regaining my strength, and it has everything to do with Allyn.She takes care of me, washing my wounds, bringing me medicine. I didn’t feel as much pain anymore when I try to move my leg or any part of my body.She was here every day, taking care of me behind her father’s back when she should’ve left me to rot in Hell.

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