Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
“ C ome on,” Sin murmurs softly, guiding me upstairs to his bedroom. I stare in awe at the architecture. It’s modern, different from the rest of the house which has now grown eerily silent since his demand for everyone to leave.
Two amber lamps gently illuminate the space, filling the room with a warm, soft glow. The dark oak floor feels silky beneath my bare feet as I take in my surroundings. The furniture is minimal, featuring just two matte black nightstands that sit beside a California King bed elevated on a platform.
The walls are adorned with art, predominantly showcasing shades of gray and white blended together. My bedroom has a beautiful view of the gardens, while his overlooks the city. Although not in a skyscraper, it provides a glimpse of the sparkling lights along the streets, with shops and people bustling below.
I focus all of my attention on this to ignore the fact that I’m standing in Sin’s bedroom, awfully close to his bed.
He slips off his suit jacket and tosses it onto the mattress, loosening his dress shirt as he does. I stare, wondering if he’s interested in conversation or something a bit more daring. With a grin that seems to understand my wandering thoughts, he opens the French doors and steps out into the warm patio air.
A fire pit crackles with flames, accompanied by two glasses of champagne and a dozen chocolate-covered strawberries on a rectangular plate.
“They brought them here earlier; I wanted to talk to you tonight about things, too.”
I tilt my head. “Like what?”
“I just want to get to know you better, but you deserve answers more than I do.” He grabs his glass and sits down on the cushioned chair. “So go ahead, Magnolia,” he drawls, “ask me anything.”
I don’t hesitate. I forgo the champagne, wanting all my senses to be alert. A grueling game of twenty questions is about to commence.
“Don’t lie,” I say simply.
Sin nods appreciatively. “Honesty is at the forefront of my personality.”
All I can do is hope that he’s telling the truth, but it seems to me that this is a man who lives by his word. “Where are you from?” I start simple.
He peers down a moment, recalling a memory. “A tiny village called Portofino,” he says with a heady accent.
“When did you move here?”
“I was twelve when my parents decided to stake a claim in New York, and my father...” He leans back, his eyes darkening slightly. “Well, he always gets what he desires." I sense a touch of resentment in his tone.
Sounds familiar , I want to say, but I don’t. “Okay, you don’t sound happy about that.” I sink further into the soft, cushioned seat.
“It was the worst mistake my family ever made.” This sounds touchy, and I’m not sure if I should brush on that topic just yet. “What is Zeik’s deal?” I ask about instead.
“His family is one of the richest in town, but they cut him off because he only spent it on women and drugs. I hired him.”
“Do you have bad blood with his family?”
“Not at all; they’re like my own. Zeik really is like an annoying little brother. Bria wasn’t wrong.”
I nod, wanting to direct the conversation back. “Why don’t you just go back to Italy?”
“We’re entrenched here. New York is what it has to be for now.” He shrugs as if there is no other choice in the world.
“You have endless money, Sin. Why don’t you just go?”
He laughs, tossing back the rest of his champagne. “I wish it were that simple, Bella .” (Beautiful)
I try not to anger knowing he called me by another woman’s name, but the fact that one of his answers leaves me with more questions helps. “Explain why it’s not.”
He gazes up at the sky, devoid of stars, mirroring the chill in his stone-cold eyes. His gaze shifts to the city lights, and I observe the tightening of his jaw. Finally, he turns to me and says, “My father is a hitman.” He speaks flatly. “Among other things. I deal with those other things.”
“Wow,” I reply in a whisper.
“You’ll meet him soon. He’s coming for a visit next week.”
“And your mother?” I ask.
“Dead,” he says simply, setting down his empty glass.
“I’m really sorry.” I don’t push him; he gestures to shift the topic, eager for a distraction. I nod, understanding. “Among other things?” I inquire, attempting to curb the evasive answers he’s sharing. It must be difficult for him—a man who lives and breathes power and answers to no one—to discuss matters with an orphan girl who struggles to grasp his world.
“I run multiple businesses. After my mother’s... demise, my father left to go back home, but I couldn’t go with him. Bria will stay with me, as she and I are what we have.”
“I take it you don’t like your father?”
“I love him,” he says with a fervent tone, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t blame him for what happened.”
“What did happen?”
His eyes darken. “She was murdered. A byproduct of her husband being a hitman, the rivalry between family names. I have the utmost respect for my father, but Bria stays with me so I can protect her from his work.”
I suspect this has something to do with the Rusco family. It’s hard to believe Sin would be so upset with Bria just for mentioning their name otherwise. I mentally note to discuss this later. "Is your work..." I hesitate on how to phrase this, "any better? Given how fearful you are about me leaving without a guard?"
"I'm not scared, Magnolia. I'm prepared. I don't want anything to happen to you or Bria. Bria is all I have," he says quietly, his eyes looking me up and down as if to say, 'Now I have you, too.'
“So, your work?” I ask again.
“I don’t kill people,” he laughs, “I just hurt them... badly.”
“What is it that you do?”
“That’s a complicated question, Mags.”
“We have all of the time in the world.” I relax further into the chair, showcasing just how much we don't need to leave.
“As you heard in the dining room, I run a business. There are two more. The nightclub called Roller, Zeik handles that one. It houses most of my clientele. I don’t like bringing them to my home, and an office would be too conspicuous. The other is a strip club called ‘The Mystic’.”
For some reason, that one fills me with jealousy. I need to focus on something else. “And the third?” I ask with a whisper.
“Sure you want to know?”
“Honesty.” I remind him.
“Sin City. It’s a sex club.”
I gasp involuntarily. “Is that even legal?”
He laughs. It's deep. "It's a gray area. So, Roller is for my investment clients. The Mystic and Sin City are for money laundering."
“What is that like? The sex club?” I ask curiously, trying not to blush as the words leave my lips.
“I would have a hard time explaining it. I can show you sometime.” He winks.
My cheeks flush crimson. I take the champagne now, tossing it back. It fizzles on my tongue, like a soda but drier if that makes sense. “So... ha- have you?”
He leans in, picking up on my question. “Have I ever taken a life?” he queries, his tone darkening. “Let me put it this way, Magnolia: If anyone were to harm you or Bria, it would be the final act of their existence.”
I shift in my seat, wondering if that kind of loyalty is healthy. “What have I done that’s so spectacular that you would commit a cardinal sin in my name?”
“You, with your gentle eyes and perfect skin…” He leans in, placing a hand on my knee before kneeling before me at eye level. “The moment my eyes landed on you, Magnolia Finley, there’s nothing else I have ever wanted more.”
“But I am a nobody,” I whisper to him as he leans in closer, his lips a wisp from mine.
“You’re everything to me,” he says back, “everything that is pure in this world. Untouched by it.”
Finally, I understand why I’m here. The things he’s seen, I have not. The feelings he’s felt, never have been felt by me. The weight of his world has never weighed me down.
“I know, you’re in danger with me, Magnolia. Fuck, do I know it, which is why you have to trust me.” His fingertips lift my chin. “You have to obey me.”
And just like that, his full lips gently touch mine, and I’m receiving my first kiss under a starless sky from a man who is as dangerous as the fire that burns beside us.
The moment is utterly enchanting, and I can't help but wonder if it feels the same for him. His hands delicately cradle my face, while his tongue, tasting of champagne, dances harmoniously with mine. A twinge of insecurity creeps in—am I doing this right? Yet every heartbeat assures me that this is nothing short of perfection. We blend seamlessly together. In this embrace, it feels as though the universe sculpted us for one another, destined to share this exact moment.
My lips tingle once he pulls back. "I have needed a safe harbor since I was a little boy, Mags," he whispers, afraid for anyone else to hear. But he could shout it, and not a soul would recognize his words as the buzz of the city below drowns him out. "My ship has been in rough waters my entire life, always churning and being shaken by violent, roaring waves. Until I saw you standing there by all of those terrible works of literature, I didn't know what it was like to feel anchored to anything.”
My heart swells, never having felt the admiration of a man who longs for me. To experience this kind of connection is something I've only read about.
I nearly forgot my most important question, his kiss and the intoxicating scent of bourbon and cedar distracting me.
“I heard you last night, in my room. What you said...”
He runs his fingers through my curls, which have surely fallen by now.
“Is that what you were so mad about?” he laughs, tipping back a sip of his drink.
He doesn’t seem startled by my admission. “Yes. Why would you say you would ruin me?”
“I knew you weren’t asleep.” A small chuckle escapes him. “Want me to answer that?”
“Sin,” I sigh in exasperation. He knows I want the truth.
“Last night, I was getting ready for bed, and I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” His hungry eyes graze my face, landing on my lips. “I wanted to devour you; it was all I could think of. But you haven’t even had your first kiss yet.” Sin raises his brow, insinuating that this was the start of something more. “I want to destroy you. Mind, body, and soul,” he growls lightly.
“It’s not about if Magnolia.” He grins, running his hand up the sensitive skin above my breast and resting it gently around my throat. “It’s about when.”