Sinful Pleasure (Sinful #1)

CHAPTER 2

C HAPTER 2

ALLYN

“Mrs. Delgado demands your presence in the dining room, miss.”

I turned to see Clarissa, one of our maids, standing in the doorway.

I offered her a kind smile in return. “I’m coming.”

She nodded, then hesitated. “You look beautiful, Miss.”

“Thank you, Clarissa.” I smiled.

As she left, I glanced at myself in the full-length mirror, letting my eyes trail over the red vintage Prada dress clinging to my frame. It was simple and classy—exactly my mother’s style.

Not mine.

If I had a say in this, I wouldn’t be suffering in these torturous high heels. I’d be in my comfortable white sneakers, a T-shirt, and a pair of well-worn jeans.

But of course, this wasn’t about what I wanted.

It never was.

Tonight’s “special occasion” was the arrival of my new bodyguard.

Why I needed to look like I was heading to the Met Gala was beyond me. Still, I swiped on a fresh coat of red lip gloss and gave myself one last look in the mirror.

The color on my lips matched the dress perfectly, but the reflection staring back at me felt like a stranger.

With a sigh, I left my room. The sharp click of my high heels echoed down the marble hallway, each step drumming like a reminder of everything I’d lost control over.

A sound drifted from the first floor—the unmistakable sound of laughter. My mother’s laughter.

She was never one to laugh. Not like this.

I paused on the stairs, my chest tightening. She wasn’t alone.

When I finally descended, reaching the end of the stairs, I was greeted by the sight of a massive male figure standing with his back to me. My mother stood in front of him, smiling—beaming, even—like I’d never seen her before.

Then they both sensed me.

The man turned, and his eyes locked onto mine.

Oh, Lord.

He was huge.

I’m around six feet tall in my high heels and this man loomed over me still. His body was built like a fortress, solid and unyielding, with broad shoulders stretching the black suit he wore to its limits.

His hands hung at his sides, relaxed but impossibly large. Hands that looked strong enough to break me in two without effort.

Black ink curled across his knuckles, intricate designs that crept along his skin and disappeared under his sleeves, leaving me to wonder how much of him was tattooed.

There was something venomous about him. Something deviant. An energy pulsed from him, predatory and dangerous.

His head tilted slowly as he measured me, his sharp gaze dragging over me like a hunter sizing up his prey.

When our eyes met again, something inside me twisted. It was as if the air had been punched out of my lungs, stolen in an instant.

Not in a good way.

His face was a masterpiece—strong and perfectly defined in all the right places, as if God Himself had taken his time crafting him for the sole purpose of destruction. His pitch-black hair was slightly tousled, emphasizing the sharp lines of his features. But it was his eyes that truly captured me.

Dark, intoxicating pools of black that seemed to steal the air from my lungs and curse my soul all at once. Looking into them felt like staring into the abyss—like death itself was watching me.

The absence of color suited him perfectly, as if brightness would wilt in his presence. He stood there, his chin high, exuding dominance and power without needing to say a word.

Then, his gaze dropped from my face to my body.

It wasn’t a glance—it was an assessment. His dark eyes scanned me slowly, methodically, as if he were dissecting me piece by piece. My cheeks flushed under his scrutiny; he didn’t seem to care that my mother stood right next to him.

When he was done, his eyes narrowed briefly, dismissively, before flicking back to my mother. As if he’d decided I wasn’t worth more of his attention.

“She finally decided to join us,” my mother exclaimed, her tone light as she reached for my hand, pulling me forward. “That is my daughter Allyn.”

He nodded, his eyes meeting mine for only a moment.

“Pleasure to meet you, Miss.”

That’s it? No introduction, no name?

Enough with the polite formalities, apparently.

Then again, there was nothing about this man that suggested politeness or manners. Even his voice—low, rich, and dripping with darkness— carried a subtle, dangerous allure that sent a shiver down my spine.

It’s going to be a long night.

*****

Dinner was awkward as Hell.

I was used to silence at the table. My mother and I ate together in quiet almost every night. It had become routine at this point.

But tonight, the silence was different. Sharper. Heavier.

Or maybe it’s just the man sitting across from me, calmly enjoying his food, completely unfazed by the awkward tension hanging in the air.

I tried not to stare, but it was impossible not to. He was so massive—a towering presence that demanded attention without trying.

This mysterious man, who hadn’t even bothered to introduce himself, terrified the life out of me. He exuded an energy that screamed danger, perfectly fitting the role of someone who would work for The Kings.

It suited him too well.

“Maddox,” my mother’s voice cut through the silence. “I hope you find your room comfortable for your stay with us.”

Maddox.

So that’s his name. Dark, sharp, and enigmatic—just like him.

“Yes, thank you, Mrs. Delgado,” he replied curtly, his attention already drifting back to the food on his plate. Even though my mother kept smiling at him like a lovesick teenager, he didn’t return the favor.

Not once.

His expression remained stoic, completely void of emotion, as if he were carved out of stone. I started to wonder if this man even had emotions—or if he’d traded them for that unshakable, lethal calm.

“If you need anything else, you can always turn to me,” my mother added, her tone syrupy sweet.

I nearly snorted.

Maddox gave her a slight nod, his voice as sharp and dismissive.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

His answers were clipped and precise, as if everything about this situation bored him to death. At least we had that in common.

“I’ll be late tomorrow,” I said, my tone as casual as I could muster. “So don’t wait for me for dinner.”

Both my mother and Maddox turned their attention to me. I caught a quick glance at him—still no sign of emotion on his face. It was like staring into the soulless eyes of a machine.

As I’d already noted, everything about this man was mysterious and terrifying. His eyes, his hair, the way he carried himself. As if someone had stamped “WARNING” across his forehead in bold letters.

“Why?” my mother asked. Her hands rested delicately on the table; her voice strained with forced calm.

“I’ll be helping out at the shelter. Tamara mentioned they need me.”

My mother’s disapproval was immediate. She’d always hated my volunteering at the local dog shelter. Even when Dad was alive, she had tried to convince him to forbid me from going.

But Dad never did. He understood how much animals meant to me.

Honestly, I’d rather save a dog than a person any day. Call it wrong if you want—I don’t care. People are evil by nature; animals are only ever forced into it.

“Allyn, when are you going to give this up?” She shook her head, her face lined with frustration. “You have more important things to think about right now than this.”

I rolled my eyes, my annoyance bubbling to the surface.

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

“Like your wedding.”

I couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped me. I leaned back in my chair.

“Yeah, I’d rather not.”

“Allyn—” she began, her tone sharp and firm, but she didn’t get the chance to finish.

“I’ll go with her, Mrs. Delgado.”

The interruption came from the man, his deep voice cutting through the tension like a knife. I blinked at him, startled.

This Maddox guy—whatever the hell his name was—had suddenly decided to insert himself into our conversation, as if it had anything to do with him.

And just the way he was sitting with his legs spread, relaxed back, like he didn’t have a care in the world and owned this place—pissed me off even more.

“Excuse me, but I’m having a conversation with my mother.” I spat the words at him, more forcefully than I’d intended. His response was to narrow his eyes at me, a flicker of amusement crossing his face.

“Weren’t you taught that it’s rude to intrude on other people’s conversations?”

“Allyn!” My mother scolded, but I didn’t care.

Maddox and I locked eyes, falling into some kind of unspoken challenge. His gaze, like two deep holes, seemed to swallow every detail of my face as if he was looking for something—anything—to use against me.

Then, as if to remind me of my place, he curled his lips into a smirk so wicked that it made my stomach churn.

“Manners, Allyn!” My mother’s voice cut through the silence. Her words flat and disapproving, pulling me out of the silent stand-off.

But even as she spoke, I could still feel his gaze digging into me from across the table, like he was undressing my very soul with his eyes.

“Of course, mother. It won’t happen again.”

Sarcasm dripped from my voice as I took a sip of my water, making sure she caught every ounce of it.

I was lying through my teeth. It most certainly would happen again.

She turned to Maddox, her face softening with that fake warmth she reserved for moments like these.

“Excuse my daughter,” she said, as if I weren’t sitting right there. “She’s always been… difficult. But she’ll come around.”

“I see.” Maddox’s voice was low, drawn-out. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Delgado. I can work with that.”

The words sent a cold chill through me. I could feel the weight of his eyes lingering, like he was studying me.

And I was done.

I wiped my mouth with the napkin, folding it neatly before placing it on the table.

“As much as I’m enjoying this sweet little conversation, I’m tired. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed. Enjoy the rest of your dinner.”

I didn’t wait for a response.

I turned sharply, my heels clicking against the marble floor like a countdown, each step an urgent echo that pushed me further away from their suffocating presence. The last thing I needed right now was to spend another second in that room.

But then, just as my hand reached for the doorknob, her voice pierced through the silence.

“Maddox will accompany you tomorrow.”

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t.

I simply left, slamming the door behind me with enough force to rattle the walls, my heart racing in my chest, the sound of it drowning out everything else.