Page 55 of Sinner's Vows

And thank fuck for the extra pillow I managed to wedge between my cock and her sweet little ass.

Yep. Rough night.

Shut eye: zero. Blue balls: two. The forecast of sex that’s going to be halfway satisfying: cloudy, with a bit of jizz from the jerk-off I plan to have in the shower.

Yup. That’s as good as it’s going to get.

I slowly sit up and lean in, then reach over her so I can untie the slipknot with a few tugs and then let the whole wrapped business droop off my hand, leaving a pile of ties next to her. Once I’ve edged away, I tuck the duvet over her so she can sleep in.

I go find my phone where I left it in the bathroom on purpose. Four fucking thirty in the morning. I drag my hand down my face. And all this with the shit I need to deal with today. I have a to-do list neatly written up in my mind.

First, I need to get someone to guard Ariana. It’s too early for Portia. There’s a small army of men on site, but I won’t let any one of them stay with her without a chaperone. I trust our men—nothing is going to get you culled quicker than fucking with a woman in the newIl Consiglio—but I want Ariana to feel safe.

Fuck it. Portia’s going to have to come now. I find her number on my phone and ring her. When she answers, I kill the call and send her a quick message.Sending a driver to pick you up. Need you here now.

Her answer comes seconds later.Yes, boss.

I smirk. Sounding just like Burley there for a minute. I make the arrangements, knowing Portia will be here within half an hour because at this time in the morning, there’s no traffic. I pad back into the bedroom, where Ariana is still exactly as I’ve left her.

The second order of the day is to talk to Matteo, and he isn’t going to like anything I have to say. I have time to burn so I sink into a wingback in the corner of the room and send him a message.

Me:Figured out Ariana can’t be Gabriella. She’s 27 and Mom couldn’t have been pregnant with both her and Benedict at the same time.

There. The math finally did the math. And after I came to this conclusion, I didn’t feel half as much like an incestuous freak show when I snuggled closer to her.

I don’t expect him to answer, it being this early, but a reply pops into my inbox a minute later.

Matteo:Unless she’s a secret twin. Shit runs in the family after all.

I suppress a laugh.

Me:This isn’t The Young and the Restless, Matty. Plus no chance in hell Mom would have let go of one of her babies. We would have known. Five years between Benedict and Gabriella. It would have shown.

In so many ways. The only way Mom could ever give up a child was over her dead body. And that’s exactly what happened.

Matteo:Glad that makes you feel better, Nicky. It only makes me feel shittier about the whole situation. Why you’re up?

I can understand why he isn’t sleeping. And it’s about to get worse.

Me:Need to talk to you about the two guys in the basement.

Matteo:Yeah, did they talk?

Me:Yep. Hired hands. No connection with Franco beyond this job they cocked up. They won’t know anything about Ariana.

Matteo:You’re done with them?

I suppress a groan. He’s indirectly asking if I need the butcher to transport the bodies to his promession site.

I’ve opened the can of worms now. I didn’t expect him to respond, and Luca and I agreed to do this together. But Luca didn’t kill Igor Petrov’s nephew. I did. We have no proof of therelation, but that won’t be hard to get once I set Benedict on a scent to find out who’s who in the zoo.

I take a deep breath, bracing myself to face the music.

Me:I’ve fucked the pooch.

Matteo:Bruno? Poor boy. Desperate times, bro?

I bite down on my jaw not to chuckle. Jesus Fucking Christ. Now’s not the time for jokes. Desperate fucking times? He has no clue. The dickhead. Matteo can probably just roll over and make love to his wife. I bet she’s right there in bed with him, all warm and soft and beautiful.

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