Page 43 of Sins of the Son

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back.

I wasn’t even sure who'd won that battle.

I knew I had come dangerously close to letting my anger slip its reins.

I knew deep in my heart that Milana and I were fated to be together.

Fuck, I really needed to get us to the other side of this mess.

Somehow, someway, I needed to break past her walls before we ended up killing one another.

Or someone else.

I tilted her chin up and looked down at her.

Her gaze was still slightly unfocused when she opened her eyes to look back at me.

I stroked her cheek and smiled at her fondly. “If you ever try something like that again… with Matteo or any other man… I will put a bullet between their eyes. Do you understand me, babygirl?”

Her eyes widened.

“I need you to say that you understand me, Milana.”

She swallowed. “I understand you, Cesare.”

I kissed her on the forehead. “Brava ragazza.”

CHAPTER 16

MILANA

I climbed off his lap and moved to the other side of the sofa. Sinking into the cushions, I raised my knees to my chest as I wiped under my eyes in a vain attempt to clean up my smeared mascara without a mirror. “You broke your promise.”

Cesare rested an arm along the back of the sofa.

In that moment I wanted to scratch his arrogant eyes out. He didn't have a hair out of place. He looked as devastatingly handsome and put together as he did this morning. I, on the other hand, probably looked like a slut who had just been bedded by the boss. I looked like my mother. So much for breaking free of my family’s reputation and becoming someone to be respected and admired.

I blinked back tears, dismayed to see the smudge of red lipstick on the back of the hand I'd just rubbed over the side of my mouth. “I have to go.”

Before I could rise, Cesare placed a restraining hand on my raised knees. “Don’t move.”

He stood and glared down at me. “I mean it, Milana. I think we both know you’ve tested me enough for one day.”

I lowered my head and nodded.

He strode over to a door partially hidden in the paneled decor of the office. I listened to the sound of running water before Cesare returned with a dark cloth in his hand. He sat near me. I tried to take the cloth away from him, but he held it back. With a sigh, I lowered my arm. He tipped my chin up and gently wiped the cloth across my lips and face, cleaning the lipstick off my cheeks. He then wiped under my eyes.

He caught my gaze and winked. “Still achingly beautiful, with or without makeup.”

I ran my hands through my short curls to try to tame the tangles in an effort to cover my nervousness.

Cesare placed his hand on my knee. “Open your legs.”

My mouth dropped open. “No, I’m fine.”

“Do as you’re told,” he ordered.

Not wanting to risk another punishment, I opened my knees barely a hand’s width apart.

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