Page 104 of Kissing the Villain

Dad’s jaw tightened as he burned a hole through me with his laser beams. “What did you do, Luca?”

I rolled my shoulders, giving him a bored look.

“He tried to suffocate Marcello with his pillow,” my mother said with tears streaming down her cheeks.

“It’s okay, Eva.” My dad pulled her into his arms. “The boy will learn and take it like a man.”

A typical child would have trembled in fear. But not me. The thought of punishment almost excited me. When I did terrible shit, my parents paid attention to me. They stopped making a big deal over Marcello and had to deal with my behavior.

My dad released his grip on my mom, approaching me with a snarl tugging at his mouth. “Is this true? Did you try to kill your brother?”

I nodded, not the least bit sorry.

He smacked me so hard across the cheek that my knees hit the floor, and an intense pain crawled up my legs and back. Standing over me, he kicked me lightly with his shoe. It didn’t hurt as much as the fall, but it still fucking hurt.

“Look at me, boy,” my dad growled.

I did as he instructed.

“You are my heir, Luca, but you are rotten to the core. And if you touch Marcello again, I will beat the sickness out of you.”

“I’m sorry,” I lied.

I wasn’t sorry for shit. It pissed me off I didn’t get to follow through on my plan. When I looked up at my mother, who hugged herself as she cried, I knew I’d fucked up. Because her love meant more to me than anyone. Only a mother could love someone like me.

My father shook his head. “You’re not sorry.”

He always saw right through me. Our souls were so similar that he just knew what I was thinking. I was his son in every single way that counted.

Mom grabbed Marcello from his bed and held him in her arms, planting kisses on his head and cheeks. She rocked him, and I hated him for it. I wanted to take his place.

“It’s okay, Marcello,” she whispered, stroking his dark hair. “Mommy’s here now.”

A hole ripped into my chest. I never wanted to see that look in her eyes, never wanted to feel… whatever this was again. My mom was the only person who made me feel something. I felt dead on the inside with other people, like there was a hole in place of my heart.

Dad slid his fingers beneath my chin. “One day, this kind of brutality will serve you well. Until then, you better not defy me. Do you understand me?”

I blew out a deep breath. “Yes, Father.”

“Step out of line again, and you will suffer.”

I rubbed my knees, wincing at the pain still shooting up my thighs.

He glanced down at my deliberate movements. Then, his focus was back on my face. “Pain is weakness leaving the body. Once you understand that, Luca, it doesn’t hurt as much. Toughen up. I can’t have a baby as my heir. There is no room for weakness in our world.”

“I’m not weak,” I shot back and meant every word.

“No, you’re not,” he said with the same vacant look. “One day, my son will rule the world. And I will make sure you understand the consequences of having weaknesses.”

“No weaknesses,” I muttered. “Never.”

I cupped my father’s shoulder as Carl Wellington performed his magic on Marcello. If my brother didn’t survive, it wouldn’t just break Alex. It would crush all of us. Thankfully, my father had taught me how to take the pain and use it for good. He showed me how to wield it like a weapon.

I never had a single weakness.

Not until I met Alex Wellington.

Despite our past differences, I was like my father in every way. Years of his cruelty had hardened me into a man forged from steel. I embraced the pain and believed I needed to atone for all of my horrible thoughts and actions. We were both sick fucks. I enjoyed receiving his punishments as much as he liked giving them. And as an adult, I enjoyed handing out the same misery to others.

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