Page 11 of Sin and Deception

I had spent the last few hours holed up in my office, curled up on the couch, poring over every detail of my sister's book instead of doing my actual job. It was a daunting task that left me sick with fear. My hands trembled, and myknees shook with every step, my mind spinning from the disaster Fiona had created.

Thanks a fucking lot, baby sis.

All I wanted was to get to my apartment, lock the door behind me, and activate my top-of-the-line security system. However, the hundreds of bodies milling about the luxurious hotel lobby made it challenging. Coping with an endless stream of oblivious tourists was one of the downsides of living in Las Vegas.

After finally making it through the expansive atrium, I paused to observe the wide-eyed vacationers as they gazed at the stunning stained glass ceiling above them. Certainly, it was a beautiful artwork that took months to install. Still, their obliviousness created traffic jams that annoyed me endlessly.

Living in a hotel was a surreal experience—both good and bad. On the one hand, I could have food brought to my room at any hour or blend in with the crowds when I wanted to escape. On the other hand, dealing with massive crowds daily became tiresome—especially when they often watched where they were going. Many of them thought that paying for the "luxury" package entitled them to VIP treatment, and they would take advantage of it by shouting at employees and disregarding those around them.

Man, I was grouchy.

I blamed it all on Fiona.

As I continued toward the apartment tower, my mind spun from the disaster Fiona had created. All because of a damn book.

Why couldn't she write about some obscure romance in a lesser-known genre instead of taking the romance industry by storm with a well-crafted saga that mirrored my scandalous life?

The parallels between the story and my reality were too much for my comfort. The more I read, the more uncomfortable I grew. What was I going to do?

The book described a betrayal by a trusted member of a Mafia family—similar to what happened to me. It even included the brutal murder of my father and youngest brother, followed by my forced marriage to the man who’d betrayed the girl’s father. And if that wasn't close enough to my trauma, the main character endures horrific acts of violence, rape, and body mutilation—things I had personally experienced.

It felt like a personal betrayal. Why would Fiona write about such intimate aspects of my life? She may not have experienced it firsthand, but she knew what I had gone through and saw the scars I carried.

Only a select few outside my family knew about the word etched onto my abdomen by the monster I had married. If anyone caught wind of it, they would see the book was about me.

There were only two significant differences between our stories: the setting was in Chicago instead of Boston, and the two heroes only had a relationship with the heroine. There was no trouble situation. Even then, the mannerisms, speech patterns, and interactions between the male leads and the heroine were eerily similar to those ofTheo and Xander, the two men who held my heart to this day.

And, of course, she had to write a passage in which the younger sister complained about being left behind by her twin sisters when they visited, the older one in a “sparkling city of sin and indulgence.” It didn't take a genius to figure out that she was referring to Las Vegas, or, as it’s commonly known, “Sin City.”

Yes, she was upset when Ariana and Christina went, but she wasn’t even eighteen. Complaining about it in a book felt quite silly.

How could she not see that it would be easy for others to make the connection? As the smartest of the four sisters, I expected more from her. The book was a ticking time bomb, loaded with personal information and secrets. Hell, I was one too.

When I reached the front of the elevator leading up to my apartment, my anger and despair surged like a volcano, ready to erupt. Who knew whose hands it had already fallen into? The moment it went viral, chaos ensued, and there seemed to be no end in sight as more and more people continued to read it.

I prayed that this would all blow over, but deep down, it was wishful thinking. It was like hoping for unicorns to magically appear and whisk me away to a different realm.

My disappearance only fueled the fire, stirring up anger and revenge from Xander, Theo, and others who wanted to use me.

As I waited for the elevator doors to open, I noticed agroup of men hanging around the security desk. They wore dark suits despite the sweltering heat of Las Vegas. My instincts urged me to be cautious and alert around them.

Quickly, I reached into my shoulder bag and slipped on a pair of oversized black sunglasses before draping a scarf over my hair. Turning away from them, I hoped they hadn't seen me. With a sigh of relief, I entered the elevator as soon as the doors opened. I was finally alone again.

But even in the solitude of the elevator, I couldn't shake off the anxiety that had taken hold of me. Every passing day, I grew more and more accustomed to being alone. I missed Theo and Xander terribly. Their touches still lingered in my heart wherever I went. But with this prolonged separation, it became a little easier to accept.

That is, until now. Fiona's book shattered the peace and contentment I had worked so hard to achieve. Once again, despair consumed me. As the elevator ascended, I leaned against the wall and counted the floors until we reached my apartment on the eighteenth floor.

As soon as the doors opened, exhaustion swept over me. My safety routine kicked in as I scanned both sides of the hallway before entering my apartment. Once inside, I checked every corner of the room to ensure everything was as I’d left it. Then, feeling a sense of relief, I double-locked the door and activated the security system.

"Safe," I whispered to myself, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders as I embraced the security of my space. Sealed inside this room, no one could hurt me. But outside? In the world? That was a completely differentstory.

The mere thought of being recognized sent a chill down my spine. Chaos would surely follow if anyone identified me. Thankfully, my extensive training under Devani and others equipped me with the skills to protect myself and stay aware of my surroundings. But even with all my knowledge and abilities, I knew nothing was foolproof.

I walked over to a small nook in the corner of my apartment and gazed at the family portraits displayed on a set of shelves. The smiling faces of my sisters and mother offered solace and comfort amidst the chaos around me.

My heart ached as I shifted my gaze to a picture from my youth before all the horrors and tragedies struck. Papa stood tall and regal in it while little Linus beamed with his mischievous smile. The pain of losing them still felt fresh, as if their murders had occurred just yesterday.

I couldn't bear the thought of my mother and sister experiencing the same terror. I had to protect them at all costs.

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