Page 63 of Vicious Games

Instead of meeting me like she said she would, she’s spending time with God? The actual hell is that about?

Jaw tight, I make a beeline for the chapel. And there she is—Frankie—standing next to none other than my twin. And because the universe clearly hates me, Father Torres and Mother Superior are also there.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

I stride up to them like I own the place, brushing past their surprised faces without a second thought.

“Luciano,” Father Torres says, blinking at me. “Are you here for confession as well?”

I let out a short bark of laughter. “Confession? Nah, Father. My sins would take way too long to list. You’d have to cancel your afternoon for ‘em.”

“Then why are you here?” Sister Margaretta asks, eyeing me as if I were a cockroach she’d love to squash under her shoe.

“I was looking for Frankie. We have a study session,” I remind her since she was the one who blackmailed me into this arrangement.

“Yes, I’m quite aware.” Her tone is sharp. “Unfortunately, vocation and faith come first. Frances needs absolution, and Father Torres is going to give it to her.”

My jaw tics with the way Frankie’s head continues to be bowed, not looking at me.

“Absolution for what?”

Frankie shifts uncomfortably. “The sin of gluttony.”

I stare at her. “Explain.”

She lets out a disgruntled sigh before her blue eyes meet mine.

“I overate this morning at breakfast, and Mother Superior reminded me that we should only eat to nourish ourselves, not indulge.”

That’s it. I officially hate this woman.

“That’s bullshit,” I snap.

“Luciano!” Sister Margaretta gasps. “Language. You are in the house of God.”

I want to tell her to shove her God up her ass, but my brother grips my shoulder before I can open my mouth.

“Lucky, can I talk to you outside for a minute?” Enzo mutters, already steering me out of the chapel.

I glare as I watch Frankie disappear into the confessional with Father Torres.

As soon as we’re outside, I explode. “That was fucking bullshit, and you know it!”

“I know,” Enzo agrees. “But you’re on thin ice with Mother Superior as it is. You really want to get kicked out of school because you cursed in a church?”

“You’ve done way worse in that chapel,” I remind him.

“Yeah,” he grins, wiggling his brows. “And very recently, too.”

Dick.

I pinch the bridge of my nose just to cool myself down before I do something stupid.

“I know you’re worried about her, but Frankie is a big girl. She can handle herself.”

“How the fuck do you know?”

“She’s been handling you just fine these past few weeks, hasn’t she?” he jokes but then thinks better of it when he sees the rage in my eyes. “Chill, Lucky. Alejandro isn’t going to do anything bad to her. He’s just going to hear her out. That’s all confession really is. Free therapy.”

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