Page 103 of Sinful Kingdom

“My… our mum was Luciana’s older sister.”

I sit back and stare down at her.

“Holy fuck, Evie. That’s… huge.”

Pushing up, she tucks her legs under the covers and tugs them up to her chest.

“Dad’s parents… they… they bought Mum for him, apparently.”

“Fuck.”

“And Luciana was sold to the Riveras years later. There were five of them. Only Luciana has survived.”

I stare at her dumbfounded and scrub my hand down my face.

“She discovered what happened and went on a mission to take the ring down and discover the truth about her family. She found us because of all this. Because of you, and Brianna, Reid.”

“Holy fuck,” I blurt again, apparently unable to come up with anything more eloquent. “Did you know she had sisters?”

I shake my head.

“Wow. Have you told Blake?”

“Of course. She looked about as stunned as you do right now.”

“Understandable.”

“We did DNA tests while you were out of it just to check.”

“And they’re positive?” I ask, although I don’t need to. Firstly, she wouldn’t be telling me all this if they came back any other way, and secondly, looking into her eyes now, I can see it. “Fuck. Evie, that woman, she’s—”

“Beautiful, fierce, terrifying.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Yeah, all those things and so many more. So your mum was purchased for your father. And then all these years later, he turned around and put you up for sale. Why?”

She shakes her head. “We don’t know.”

“You can ask him, though, right?”

Again, she shakes her head.

“What am I missing?”

She lets out a pained sigh. “They found him dead in the cell he was in a few days ago.”

“WHAT?” I roar. The level of injustice in that slams into me so hard I’ve no doubt I’d topple over if I weren’t already sitting. “Fuck, Evie. I’m so sorry.”

She waves me off. “Doesn’t matter. It’s not like he deserved to live to tell his tale,” she says without even a tremor of doubt in her words.

“You mean that?”

“Yeah, I really do. Am I pissed that I don’t get answers? Yeah, I am. But am I sad he’s no longer in my life? Nope. I’m surrounded by incredible people, and I have a new aunt that would probably burn down the world to keep me safe and a boyfriend who would be standing right beside her. What more could I need?”

“Baby,” I breathe, falling even deeper in love with her with every word she says.

“Now it’s your turn. I know it’s not going to be easy, but will you tell me what happened? Help me understand what you’ve been through so that I can do everything I can to help you through this?”

“You sure that’s really what you want?”

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