Page 19 of The Fall of Sin (The Sins of Saint 2)

James got up and joined me as we both stared out over the ocean. “There’s a lot of blood on your hands because of her.”

“Yeah. And I have a feeling there will be more.” I took a deep breath. “Anyway, we’re sure my father hasn’t bought Raphael’s shares yet?”

“He doesn’t want it if it doesn’t give him the majority shares. With you adding Mila’s ten percent to your shares, and the other five still tied up, he’s not interested.”

“He knows,” I muttered. “My father knows about the newest version of Torres’s will, and about the added clause.”

James remained unfazed. “Doesn’t matter whether he knows. He can’t do shit about it.”

“Oh, but he can.” I weaved my fingers together. “He still has Raphael on his side.”

“But Raphael is gay.”

I snorted. “He can still do it, whether he’s gay or not. Question is, how far is that fucker willing to go to get his greedy hands on my father’s money?”

“Then you need to do it.”

I eyeballed the man. “As easy as that?”

“As easy as that.” He nodded. “If there’s a chance Raphael might step up, then we have to make sure you beat him to it. It’s simple.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “Simple, you say?”

“Yup. Simple. If beating your father and getting the truth out of him is still your number one goal, then there’s no doubt about what you need to do here.”

James’s pointed stare and furrowed brows painted the picture of a man who was serious as fuck. A man whose only concern was getting the results we wanted—no questions asked.

“I’ll just leave this topic hanging over your head like a ten-ton truck while I go check in on the younger Torres sibling, see what the little SOB is up to.”

I watched as he walked out, shutting the door behind him. What James suggested wasn’t something that hadn’t crossed my mind before. In fact, I thought about it many times. Pondered the idea ever since I found out about that extra goddamn clause in Mila’s father’s will. It’s been grating at my spine every goddamn second.

I wasn’t new to the world where money meant power, and power meant you could do whatever the fuck you wanted. Going to bed at night with blood on my hands and another brick laid on my paved path to hell wasn’t new to me. It wasn’t something that kept me up at night. But this—this was a very thin line to cross, even for a man like me. It meant a whole new level of deception, and I wasn’t sure if I was strong enough to carry that burden.

8

Mila

I showeredand slipped on a comfortable pair of tights and a t-shirt two sizes too big for me. Something told me this new addition to my designer wardrobe was thanks to Elena’s pity. It was neatly folded and laid on top of the chest of drawers, easy for me to spot and be thankful for.

While towel-drying my hair, I sat down on the bed and stared at the now empty chair Saint had sat in when I woke up that morning. Usually, I’d find a man watching me sleep creepy as fuck. But Saint was so good at acting his part, he even made creeping look attractive.

I huffed and blew a wild curl from my face then fell back on the mattress. My thoughts were all over the place as I glanced from the ceiling to the walls around me. There was a time not too long ago that I hated this room, this yacht, him. I wanted nothing more than to get away from him and wake up to this entire situation being nothing more than a bad dream. But now, while I lay there on top of the silk sheets, surrounded by his wealth, my body craved his touch. My hate which was previously aimed at him had now turned to myself.

I hated that I suddenly felt confused.

I hated that I liked the way it felt when he carried me onto the yacht.

I hated that I now felt the need to decipher him and uncover his secrets rather than fighting to escape him.

Was this how it felt to be brainwashed, going to bed feeling one way, then waking up feeling something completely different?

“Goddammit!” I buried my face into my palms.

“Is that what confusion sounds like?”

“Jesus.” I shot up and held my chest as I glared at Elena. “Does no one knock around here?”

She smiled and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “I just wanted to check and see how you’re doing.”

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