Page 33 of Sweetest Sin
Over the past several weeks, I’ve considered going in search of her, but it’s moments like this—when I’m about to kill a man because he wants to harm me and my family—that remind me why I can’t be with her.
She’s sunshine and waterfalls, laughter and happiness. And pulling her into my fold would only snuff out her light.
I watch as the life in Carlos’s eyes dims, and then I wait a few more seconds, just to ensure he’s dead. Then, using the hand not holding him up, I lower his lids and then let go, so he slumps to the ground.
This is my world.
Darkness.
Decay.
Death.
And Peyton doesn’t belong anywhere near it.
“He’s dead,” Matteo says. “I’ll call the cleaners. Why don’t you take off? Go blow off some steam?”
I look at him and scoff.
He’s one to talk.
“It wouldn’t kill you to get laid.” He shrugs.
My brother thinks the answers to life’s problems can be found in between a woman’s legs. I, on the other hand, find that women only complicate shit.
Except …
No.
I mentally shake the thought off.
“I don’t need to get laid.”
“Really? When was the last time you were with a woman?” He quirks a knowing brow. “It’s been over a month since your little rendezvous with … what’s her name?”
“It doesn’t matter.” I refuse to speak her name, not wanting the filth from my life to ever touch her, even metaphorically. “It was a onetime thing.”
“Well, maybe you should make it a two-time thing.”
“It’s not happening, so drop it.”
“I’m just saying, maybe?—”
“I left her. When you called to tell me about Andrey’s death, I left her in the fucking hotel room without even a note.”
Matteo chuckles. “Well, maybe that’s the problem. You guys have unfinished business. You know where she works. Go to her. Apologize. See where shit goes. You seemed really into her, and now that you don’t have the arranged-marriage bullshit hanging over your head …” He shrugs.
“What are you, Cupid? You don’t even believe in relationships.”
“Whoa,” he says, holding his hand up. “One”—he puts four fingers down, leaving only his index finger up—“I didn’t say anything about a relationship.” He laughs. “I just meant maybe you guys could have a repeat of whatever you had in the Dominican Republic. And two”—he lifts his middle finger—“I have nothing against relationships.”
“So, you’re telling me if you met a woman and liked her, you’d consider being in a relationship with her?”
“Now, you’re just talking crazy.” He grins. “I said I have nothing against them, not that I’d ever want to experience one. And not for the reason you’re thinking.”
“What reason am I thinking?”
“Pussy.” He rolls his eyes. “You think I couldn’t handle being with only one pussy for the rest of my life. But that’s not true. Pussy is pussy. Once you’ve had one, they’re all the same.”
