Page 106 of Made to Sin

Displeasure riveted off my chest at his retort. The temptation to throw a punch was high, and my cousin’s face was proving to be a suitable target.

“Don’t try me right now, Dante,” I bit out.

He straightened his cufflinks, indifferently shrugging and not giving a shit about my warning. “Look, as your cousin and a member of the family, I trust your judgment. But as a consigliere, we won’t have anyone to work with at this rate. Get your shit together before coming to work tomorrow.”

As he walked out to get air, I poured myself a finger of whiskey. Add becoming an alcoholic to the never-ending list of things Katarina brought out in me. It might have been unfair to blame her for my shortcomings, but they didn’t start until she entered my life.

I sat through another lackluster meeting and concluded I wasn’t going to get anything done today. Even a small stutter irked me. If I wanted to stop breaking all my relations, I neededto listen to my cousin and pull myself together first.

The fastest way to solve anything was to remove the problem from its roots. Though it was easier to, Katarina was one of those problems I couldn’t shoot to make it go away. So whether she liked it or not, she and I were going to talk.

Fuck whoever developed the concept of giving a person space. Being away from Katarina when she was upset was the last thing I wanted. My body agreed, sending a jittery sensation that pushed me to leave work and head straight to her.

On the drive home, I devised methods to get whatever she was hiding out of her. It ranged from asking nicely to tying her up to the headboard and questioning her while she begged for a release. The latter was more self-motivated, but it could work if I made her desperate enough.

Similar to the other night, the house was quiet when I walked in. Maria wasn’t inside, and Arnold wasn’t sitting on the patio space I had built for him. Panic weaved through my spine as the brief thought of Katarina not being there crossed my mind.

I knocked tersely on her door, waiting for her to answer, waiting for her to calm the pounding in my ears. Every second that passed was a ticking time bomb in my chest.

She wouldn’t have left, right? Even if she tried, I would unfold every corner of this round planet to find her.

I tried knocking again.

This time, when the other side of the room remained silent, I took it upon myself. She could call me an asshole all she wanted, but I was as impatient as a dog given fresh meat after years of starving. With a whitening grip on the knob, I opened her door.

I prepared for her room to be devoid of items and cold to confirm that she left. Luckily for the angry knot in my stomach, it was the complete opposite. Her makeup was scattered over the wooden dresser, her shoes were kicked off by the sliding closet door, her pictures were hung on tack pins. And most importantly,there she was, curled into a ball in the middle of her sheets.

The invisible hands around my neck lifted temporarily. I walked closer to make sure this wasn’t some sick fragment of my imagination. Not having a clue about what I should do once I reached the side of her bed, I quietly sat on the nearby chair and stared at her.

My heart pumped blood at double its rate, impressed by her beauty. She was so breathtaking, it should be illegal. Her long hair was in a pile on top of her head, her mouth slightly ajar, and the light shined on her sweet features.

She was an angel personified.

The man above thought so too, surrounding her figure in a stark glow. I bet it was a cynical taunt to say that I didn’t deserve her. That I would damage her light with my shadows, taint her with my darkness. It was a good thing I was already misguided because I would take her regardless. If I sinned in the process, so be it.

“Luciano?” Her groggy voice broke through my twisted trance.

She sat up, blinking through her sleep haze as the blanket slipped to reveal her silk pajama top. Under the pale moonlight, every inch of her exposed skin glimmered and her soft eyes brightened, attracting even the coldest of hearts.

I dug my forearm into my leg, willing myself to remain calmly seated. Fuck, how was she this beautiful after waking up?

“Did I wake you?”

She shook her head, chewed on her bottom lip, and asked, “What are you doing here?”

She was nervous.

I despised it. Since when did it get hard for her to talk to me? A prickling sensation stored itself under my skin at her reaction. It felt like a million needles were poking their way out— painful and irritating.

“I wanted to see you.”

Her eyes dropped to the quilt she was picking at, avoiding theheavy eye contact I was trying to make. “Oh, is something wrong?”

“Yes, something is wrong.”

“Is it about me staying at your house?” Her voice shook.

She thought I was here to kick her out? This woman was going to drive me insane.

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