Page 216 of Sinful Pleasure

“Interesting,” I muttered, leaning casually against the wall. I crossed my arms, my smirk sharpening into something razor-edged.

“Father said the same thing right before I slit his throat. Do you think those words will save you?”

His eyes faltered, flicking away from me. For a moment, the room fell silent. I could almost hear the invisible bomb ticking, the countdown to the moment when I blow this place apart.

Because I am the fucking bomb.

“Where are the bodies of our father and sister?”

“I can take you there if you’d like,” I said, tilting my head. “I’ve even reserved you a spot right next to them.”

His hands curled into fists at his sides, and I saw his eyes darken with a spark of anger.

Ah, there it was. That’s the reaction I wanted. But it was all he could do—stand there, impotent, pretending to have control. He couldn’t handle me, and we both knew it.

“We could have prevented their deaths,” he muttered, his voice heavy with something that sounded like regret.

“Oh, yeah?” I almost laughed in his face, my eyes narrowing into slits. “You and I both know that’s a load of shit. You shouldn’t have worked with our father behind my back, but you did, didn’t you?”

He said nothing, and that silence told me everything I needed to know. My smirk sharpened.

“I know what I did was wrong,” Angelo finally said, surprising me by stepping out from behind his guards.His bravery—or stupidity—caught my attention, but I didn’t let him off the hook. My gaze tracked his every move, unblinking.

“I know I fucked up.”

“Oh, we agree on something,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Did you know they were plotting against me? You seemed to know about their deaths awfully fast.”

“I wasn’t part of the plan,” he blurted, his tone defensive. “When I found out, it was already too late. They were both gone.”

I tilted my head, studying him like the liar he was.

“So you’re telling me our father you worshiped like a god lefthis most loyal dog in the dark? Yeah, I’m not buying it.”

“It’s the truth,” Angelo said, his voice steady, but I saw the flicker of doubt in his eyes. “He knew I would never stand against you, Maddox. No matter what.”

“Then why take Allyn?” I growled, my voice rising with the storm inside me. “That’s a shitty move, even for you.”

“I didn’t take her,” Angelo corrected, his eyes never leaving mine. “I saved her.”

“From who?” I barked a bitter laugh, pointing at myself. “Me?”

“She never made it to your car,” he said, ignoring my challenge. “She was escorted to mine.”

“Why?” I managed to croak, my throat tightening.

Angelo didn’t flinch, his voice cold and steady.

“Do you think our father was going to let Allyn get out of there alive?” He let out a short, bitter laugh. “He had men surrounding the entire building, waiting for her. My men took them down before she could even get out.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in like a stone to my gut.I didn’t know if I should feel relieved, betrayed, or completely fucking lost.

Angelo took another step forward, and his guards mirrored the move- meant, but he held up his hand, signaling them to stop. It was just us now—alone in the thick silence. His eyes never wavered from mine.

“I’m not your enemy, brother,” he repeated. “And Allyn is not a hostage here.”

I looked at him, hoping for some kind of clarity, but nothing came.

“Why is Allyn here? Why am I here?”

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