Sin and Deception (Sin and Lies #2)

Chapter 3

Three

T HEO

Seated behind the intricately carved oak desk, I gazed out the window at the vast Angelos estate. Beyond the tall trees encircling the property, the city of Boston thrived with life, its sounds muted by the thick walls of my office.

I couldn't shake the twinge of guilt as I looked at all this luxury I hadn’t earned. I was the acting Godfather of the Night for the Angelos Syndicate, with Xander's assistance... if he ever bothered to show up.

My fingers tapped impatiently on the desk, recalling how Nerine loved this spot. Xander and I had brought her right here once, years ago, when she first assumed the title of Godmother of the Night. A small smile tugged at my lips at the fond memory.

But my mind quickly returned to the present, filled with tough choices and memories of past events that brought me to where I am today. None of it was easy. Xander and I faced numerous challenges and sacrifices to get to this point.

Our main priority now was defending our territory and protecting the Angelos family from enemy syndicates, particularly the Stratos from Chicago, who had been breathing down our necks for far too long. Today, an important strategy session awaited us if only Xander would bother to show up on time. He would never have dared to be late if it had been Nerine waiting for him.

I compelled myself to set aside these thoughts and concentrate on our successes. Together, we had successfully thwarted every attack against us and solidified our reputation as a force to be reckoned with. After Andraius's death left us vulnerable, we ensured to form strong alliances. We made it clear that anyone who dared to cross us or our territories in Boston and across New England would face dire consequences.

However, despite our achievements, I felt uneasy in this position as acting Godfather during Nerine's absence. I had only stepped into these shoes because there was no other option. Xander had refused to take on the role himself, and I couldn't blame him. His true strength lay in being an enforcer and second-in-command, his very presence striking fear into those who dared to challenge us.

But no matter how much we justified our decisions. I couldn't shake the disappointment and frustration of not being able to see Nerine fulfill her destiny. This title was always meant to be hers. We fought tooth and nail for her to reclaim her birthright. And yet, she was nowhere to be found.

I sighed, watching the trees swaying gracefully outside my window as a gentle breeze blew. Their fluid movements reminded me of Nerine and how effortlessly she carried herself. She was a mesmerizing sight, possessing a sharp wit and a tongue that could make even the toughest men weep.

The thought of never seeing her again was unimaginable. We had explored every lead in our search for her after her kidnapping, but each one came up empty.

It seemed that whoever had taken Nerine, along with her sisters and mother, did so intending to protect her from their enemies. But who? And how? Those questions, frustratingly elusive, haunted me day and night.

The Angelos family had countless enemies, and narrowing down who could have orchestrated such a plot was impossible. We investigated every organization, big or small, but none seemed powerful or organized enough to pull off such a feat.

I exhaled deeply and continued to gaze at the tranquil scenery. The burden of responsibility and worry weighed heavily on my shoulders, along with the fate of the Angelos family. Still, I only wanted Nerine to return safely and reclaim her rightful place as my queen, the Godmother of the Night for the Angelos Syndicate.

When Nerine vanished, we were desperate for answers. We first contacted Solon, an underground spy agency that had previously protected her. The mere mention of their name sent chills down my spine, aware of their capacity for dangerous secrets and covert operations. We hoped they could illuminate her disappearance, but instead, they refused to assist us, citing jurisdiction issues or some other convenient excuse. My suspicions about them grew as months passed without any updates on Nerine's whereabouts.

We then reached out to Nyx Drakos, who had introduced Nerine to Solon in the first place. But even she seemed genuinely devastated by Nerine's absence. Maybe she had no idea what had happened to our beloved. But I couldn't shake the feeling that someone at Solon held valuable information about Nerine's fate.

Despite our frustration and exhaustion, we refused to give up on finding her. Nerine had counted on us to protect her and her sisters from harm, and we had let her down. The weight of that failure sat heavily on my shoulders. It was personal to me. How could I face Nerine if we ever found her? Would she ever be able to trust me again after this colossal failure? I couldn't even bear the thought of marrying her now. She deserved someone better than me—someone stronger, smarter, and more capable of protecting her.

But who was protecting her now? The thought both terrified and enraged me. Had Nerine let someone else into her life? Someone who wasn't me or Xander? Was she safe? Was she even alive?

I often found myself lost in thoughts about what I would do if I discovered she had died. The mere possibility sent shivers down my spine and brought tears to my eyes. I could never move on if that became a reality.

Instead, I pretended she was still alive and well, living her life somewhere, untouched by the chaos and danger we faced. It was the only way to get through each day without falling apart.

But those dark thoughts still lingered like an unending nightmare that threatened to engulf me. That's why I immersed myself in work, attempting to keep my mind occupied and distant from the darkness that constantly hovered over me.

I glanced at the door again, hoping Xander would walk through any moment, so my mind shifted to some other priorities. And just as if he had heard me, the door burst open.

Xander strode in, looking like he owned the room. His serious expression added to his natural aura of confidence and made him more appealing.

Nerine liked to call it his god of lust and sex pose, and I couldn’t disagree.

At that moment, he reminded me that I wasn't alone in this mess.

My earlier annoyance with his lateness dissipated immediately.

"About time," I grumbled, reverting to my usual snarky demeanor.

Xander waved a book before slamming it down on my desk. I squinted at the novel with its innocent-looking cover and butterfly design. Across the top was 'Sin and Deception,' written in bold letters, hinting at a darker story within.

Then he dropped a piece of paper beside it—an article from a newspaper he had printed. I frowned as I read the headline: "Author of Sin and Deception Reveals the Inspiration Behind Her Sexy New Sensational Best Seller!"

I glanced up at Xander, who, on closer inspection, seemed beyond agitated.

"Are you suddenly into dark romance now that Nerine's not here?" I joked, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere. "I always pegged you for a mystery or sci-fi guy."

Xander dropped heavily onto the chair across from me, his energy filling the room and making it feel almost volatile. He looked like he was about to explode with frustration.

"What’s all this about?" I asked, gesturing toward the book and the article. And why did he look like he was about to burst?

"Someone wrote a dark mafia romance novel," he started, leaning forward and pointing at the article. "And it has striking similarities to Nerine's life."

I raised an eyebrow. "It's just a romance novel. What's the big deal?"

"Don't you understand?" Xander exclaimed, his voice growing louder. "The author claims that she drew details from real life for this book, and although she never refers to Nerine by name, it's far too similar to be just coincidence."

"You think Nerine wrote this book?" I snorted, knowing that Nerine preferred to keep her life private.

"I don't know what to think," Xander admitted, his hands on my desk as he leaned closer to me. I tried not to stare at his lips for too long. "But I have a feeling it could lead us to her. We have to check it out."

"Seems like a stretch, Xander," I said, trying to inject some reason into the situation.

"No, it's not!" he insisted, standing and towering over me. I reached out and placed a calming hand on his, hoping to soothe him.

"I know you miss her," I said gently. "But we have to be realistic. This seems far-fetched."

"At first, yeah," he admitted with a nod. "But listen—the book is about a Mafia family and its eldest daughter. There's a violent coup that results in the murder of her father and younger brother. Then she is forced into a marriage with the new Godfather to save the family."

"That does sound strange," I agreed, still skeptical. "But why would Nerine write a book like this? It doesn't make sense."

"That's what I can't figure out," Xander said, gripping his dark hair in frustration. "The author uses a pen name, and I can't find any clues about their true identity."

"Plenty of romance authors use pen names," I pointed out.

"I know," Xander sighed, looking distraught. "I just feel like we need to investigate this."

I shrugged helplessly. "Well, go ahead then."

"I already did some digging," he confessed. "But I couldn't find anything solid. The author is good at keeping their true identity hidden."

I could see the disappointment in Xander's eyes, and my heart went out to him. But deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just another dead-end lead that wouldn't get us any closer to finding Nerine. Where was she, anyway?

“Keep digging,” I urged, my voice barely above a whisper as I tried to calm the storm inside me. The possibility of finding Nerine brought back a flood of memories and pain, making it hard to maintain my composure. “Go talk to the publisher. See if you can get more information from them.”

I knew Xander needed this, whether it led anywhere or not. He had been suffering from terrible nightmares ever since Nerine went missing, constantly blaming himself for her disappearance. It broke my heart to see him like this, knowing I couldn't do anything to ease his pain. Maybe he needed to feel like he was doing something—anything—so he wouldn't drown in his dark thoughts.

Who was I to stand in the way of that?

“Keep me posted,” I added, hoping to see a spark of hope ignite in Xander's eyes. It had been a long time since I had noticed that glimmer of optimism in him. In response, I also tried to let some of his positivity seep into me. We both needed it at this point. Time had turned me cynical and bitter. We climbed into bed every night without our beloved Nerine, feeling like another failure.

We were both consumed by guilt and self-blame. But we also clung to each other, desperately trying to keep one another afloat amidst the sea of agony and tragedy we lived through.

We couldn't have done it alone .

As Xander turned to leave, I stopped him. Standing from behind my desk, I closed the distance between us.

“Xander,” I said softly, pulling him into a tight embrace. It was as much for me as it was for him. With a deep sigh, he returned the hug, and we stood there for what felt like an eternity, communicating everything we couldn't express in words.

I loved this man with every fiber of my being. Losing Nerine, the first time had shattered us, but somehow, this tragedy brought us even closer together.

But even as I held him close, I couldn't shake the feeling that a part of us was missing—and perhaps it would always feel that way. After a moment, Xander pulled away, and his words confirmed my fears. He looked into my eyes, his own filled with painful shadows.

“I love you, Theo,” his voice trembled with emotion. “Now, let me go find our Angel so we can be whole again.”

He kissed me fiercely before turning and walking out the door. I sank back into my chair behind the desk, feeling a heavy weight on my shoulders. Our precious yet maddening Nerine was at our enemies' mercy. The relentless ticking of a clock in my mind reminded me that each second that passed could bring her closer to harm and suffering. And if we never found her, the pain and torture Xander and I had endured for months would become a lifelong sentence.

We had no choice but to find her.

I grabbed the book Xander had left on the desk and started reading, attempting to distract myself from the overwhelming emotions that threatened to consume me.