Page 191 of Sinful Pleasure

And that was all it took to snap me from any semblance of reason.

I saw fucking red.

In a flash, I had Angelo pinned against the nearest wall, squeezing his throat so hard I could feel him gasping for air around my fingers.

He struggled to push me away, but there was no survival chance for him. The veins in his neck bulged as he fought for breath—breath I was determined to deny him.

I tried to be fucking reasonable. I really did.

But Angelo just had to test me.He’s in no position to come here and give me orders—especially not when he dares involve Allyn in this.

His voice came out in a rasp, my name like a whisper mixed with choking as I watched the life drain slowly from his eyes. I wanted him to look mein the eye as I said my next words, so they could stick in his stupid fucking head if he wanted to make it out of here alive.

“She’s not yours. Never was,” I spat in his face. “I don’t give a fuck that you’re my blood. Keep provoking me, and you’ll end up just like the others—dead.”

After making sure my words hit home and he was on the brink of passing out, his face ghostly pale, I finally released him. He coughed violently, crumpling to the floor, clutching his neck where my fingerprints wereimprinted in red.

I felt no guilt—only disappointment that I let him live after the sharp words he threw at me.

Theo Stone wasn’t so fortunate to see another day. He truly thought I would let him marry Allyn, but I let him hold onto that delusion for a while. Watching him fool himself was almost laughable from a distance.

It was a fucking thrill to watch him at the masquerade ball, strutting around with confidence, holding Allyn in his arms like she was his.

He wanted her, I could see it, and honestly, I couldn’t blame him.

She’s chaos and beauty wrapped in one. Powerful enough to destroy you, innocent enough to deceive you. But this fool wasn’t equipped to handle the fire that burned inside her.

He tried to tame it.

I wanted to watch it burn the world down.

Allyn needs more. She craves more.

She wanted the pain, she wanted it rough. She’s the type of woman who thrives on that. The only way to handle a woman like her was to dominate her.

And Theo Stone was too weak to do that.

That’s why he’s dead. If he hadn’t laid a hand on her, maybe I would’ve spared him. Maybe.

Angelo was still breathing right now only because he’s my brother—my blood. Otherwise, he’d be keeping Stone’s dead body company by now.

“You can’t keep me away from her forever, Maddox,” he rasped, still coughing, gathering enough strength to speak. “Allyn is not your property.”

A dark grin spread across my face.

Oh, brother, if only you knew.

But maybe it’s time he learned the truth. Time to put all our cards on the table and reveal the dirty little secrets we’ve been hiding.

His secrets—the ugly ones I only recently discovered.

If he wants to play this game with me, who am I to refuse?

I was in for the fun, especially when I know I was going to win.

I signaled to the guards standing by the door, giving them the command. They’re loyal— they’d follow my orders without hesitation.

That’s why one of them swiftly trapped Angelo in a hold while the other delivered a single punch that knocked him out cold, his body crumpling to the floor.

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