Page 124 of Sinful Honor

I wasn’t in a position to take on the Irish mob—not yet.

I walked out of the kitchen and to the door, feeling Sophie’s gaze follow me like a ray of sunshine warming my back.

I crossed the entry hall and activated the display mounted next to the entrance.

The camera at the front gate showed Hawk’s familiar figure accompanied by Birdie, one of his most trusted operatives and a skilled sniper.

The cavalry had arrived.

I pushed the button that opened the gate, allowing them entry.

Sophie joined me by the door, her eyes wide with apprehension. “What’s going on, Gabe?” she asked softly.

Her usual gumption was so subdued; she was borderline timid. Was it still from her witnessing me killing Enzo?

“Your escort is here,” I replied, straining to keep my voice steady. The words tasted bitter on my tongue. “It’s time for you to go home.”

“Home? No, I can’t… I’m not ready to leave yet.” She looked at me, desperation in her eyes.

I realized with a painful jolt that she was as attached to me as I was to her.

What a fucking nightmare.

“Listen, Sophie,” I said, trying to hold back the emotion threatening to choke me, “come tomorrow, there will be war. Fausto is going to launch an all-out attack against me.” I skimmed my knuckles over her jaw. “And you are a weakness I can’t afford.” The words felt like knives tearing through my chest. “And a complication I don’t want.”

Sophie’s face paled.

She turned away abruptly and fled up the stairs to my bedroom.

I watched her go, feeling as if a piece of myself was being ripped away.

Hawk and Birdie arrived at the house, and I greeted them with the familiar bro-hug, trying to push aside my emotions. “ETD 15,” I told Hawk, who nodded solemnly. Fifteen minutes would give the girls in the kitchen time to finish their pasta and me time to say goodbye to Sophie.

I left Hawk and Birdie and made my way up to my bedroom, with thoughts of what to say to her bombarding my mind. Letting her go would be excruciatingly difficult. In the short time we’d spent together, she’d embedded herself into the very core of me, and cutting her loose felt like I imagined self-amputation must feel like. My chest tightened painfully, but I knew it had to be done.

For her sake, and mine.

My hand lingered on the doorknob, and with one last deep breath, I pushed open the bedroom door and stepped inside the room.

Sophie stood by the window, her eyes fixed on the night outside. The moonlight cast a soft glow on her face in the otherwise dark room, highlighting the tension etched in her features.

I flipped the switch, and light flooded the room.

“Isn’t this what you wanted?” I asked gently, trying to hide the pain in my voice, “To finally end this madness?”

Sophie turned to me, her eyes blazing with anger, but she didn’t say a word before she turned back to stare outside.

My chest tightened as I closed the distance between us. I wrapped my arms around her from behind.

She pressed herself against me, yet she remained silent.

Her body fit perfectly against mine.

Felt perfect against mine.

This moment would be burned into my memory forever—such a powerful connection arose from the most unlikely of meetings.

We’d been doomed from the start. Like day and night, like two sides of a coin, fated to be forever apart, yet inexplicably drawn to one another.

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