Page 88 of Sin and Deception

Xander tightened his embrace and nodded in agreement. "We do love you. More than words can express."

They were right. Our connection ran so deep that even I couldn't deny it. We were destined to be together.

"And no more secrets," Xander added sternly. "We're a team now."

I nodded in agreement, willing to promise them anything at that moment. Our bond was unbreakable, and we were stronger together.

"And now that that's settled," Xander growled playfully. "It's about time you two got married."

His words lingered in the air, heavy with truth. Theo gazed into my eyes with a gentle smile, and I realized without a doubt that he didn't need to ask. He already knew I belonged to him and Xander in every sense.

In marriage.

In life.

And even in death.

Twenty-Three

XANDER

Nerine's stilettos clicked sharply against the polished black marble floors beneath our feet, the sound echoing down the long corridor as we made our way to the conference room. Theo and I walked on either side of her, our movements in perfect sync, projecting a formidable and united front.

Since our intense argument and later reconciliation, we have discovered a sense of harmony and unity among our group. As long as Nerine understood that when our clothes came off, she belonged to both of us, everything ran smoothly.

We strode confidently down the hallway, exuding an air of authorityand power.

One family.

One force.

Behind us, our loyal soldiers followed suit, their weapons ready. Even Nerine was armed, her slender frame most likely concealing hidden daggers all over her body.

Walking into the conference room filled with enemies was a risky move. The tension in the air was palpable, and my nerves were wound tight like a coiled snake.

Godfathers of the Night from all New England families awaited our arrival, including rival factions of the Angelos Syndicate. The fact that even the Aetos Syndicates were present spoke volumes about how seriously they took Nerine's message.

Our enemies believed that Nerine had control over their children, using them as leverage or threatening to harm them if she didn't get what she wanted. However, our allies' offspring were safely hidden away in their families' strongholds. Keeping those loyal to us informed about our plans helped prevent issues from arising at inconvenient times.

We played a dangerous game in a world full of powerful individuals.

Nonetheless, Nerine's intentions were not harmful. While she had technically taken these children, they were safe and well cared for in a private, luxurious facility with skilled caregivers. They likely received better care than they had at home or in boarding school, where they faced neglect or abuse from families that regarded them as mere pawns.

Fortunately, Nerine never experienced this in her youth. Peter Angelos wanted his children close and loved themdeeply. The only time he softened was with his wife and kids. However, even then, unbeknownst to him, his death caused his daughter to sacrifice herself for her sisters.

The image of my little sister, Zoe, flashed through my mind. She had always been so innocent and carefree, and I had failed to protect her from the dangerous lifestyle we were all part of. The thought of her dying at such a young age, caused by the ruthless Aetos family, filled me with uncontrollable rage.

“What’s wrong, Xander?” Nerine asked.

Theo chimed in, his dark eyes searching mine. "You're fuming. What's on your mind?"

The two of them could read my thoughts like an open book.

"I was just thinking about those Aetos bastards. And Zoe," I replied through clenched teeth.

"Ah, yes, the sins of our past coming back to haunt us," Theo muttered, nodding in understanding.

Nerine touched my arm gently, halting our progress down the hallway.

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