Page 36 of Beautiful Sinner

“I don’t want to get married right away.”

“Well, we’ll have to plan for the wedding of course,” Viktor says. “So in a few months’ time and in that time, Connor, you will prove yourself to me.”

He frowns. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, I need to make sure you’re truly worthy of my sister. We’ll start to plan the wedding but I have the right to call if off any time I see fit. You will never hurt my sister, do you understand me? If you ever lay a harmful hand on her, I will kill you and our deal is off. Is that understood?”

Connor looks like he wants to object but what’s there to object to? Either hit me or don’t. Die if he does. “Yes,” he finally says. “I understand. I won’t hurt your sister, Viktor. I promise you that.”

“Good.” He turns to me. “I want you to have your dream wedding so you’ll be in charge of planning it. This is my gift to you, Julia. I know this is all sudden and I know you’re not exactly thrilled with this but I want you to be happy.” He lowers his voice so only I can hear. “And if he ever hurts you, let me know.”

“I will.” Except, I can’t tell Viktor how Connor tried to hurt me the first time we met. That’s a story that can never leave my lips.

Viktor brings Connor into his office to talk more while I’m left out in the hallway. My fate has been decided. I’ll marry Connor.

And all I can think about is Matteo.

Matteo

All I can think about is Julia. On a date. With Connor fucking Barry.

I hated knowing another man might put his hands on her. Kiss her like I did. Touch her in ways I’ll never get the chance. It’s maddening how this woman has cemented herself in my mind when no other woman has. The girlfriends I’ve had in the past were good women. Ones I cared about. But none made me want to marry them. None made me want to fight for them. I chose my work over them and I never regretted it.

Until now.

Now I wish my job wasn’t the reason I can’t have Julia. I still barely know her in so many ways and yet, I want her to be mine. I kissed her to claim her and she’s still not mine.

“I can’t believe that,” Erik mutters as we walk along the boardwalk. “Viktor’s own sister thinking she has the right to be in the same space as us.”

“Erik, it’s not her fault,” Anya reminds him. Thank god for her because otherwise, I would have fucking snapped at him.

They needed a guard to go with them on their family outing and I volunteered. Figured it would be a good way to get on Erik’s good side after I killed Anya’s father all those years ago. Anya never blamed me since she hated her father – he was abusive. With Erik though, I was never quite sure where I stood and being on Erik’s good side is a good place to be.

If he were to find out I like Julia, then things would not end well.

“I know,” Erik sighs, holding onto Mila. She’s passed out in his arms from the long day she had. “But still. It’s the principle of the thing. Viktor started this war and now his sister just gets to have a fun day out while I’m worried every day for your safety? And for Mila’s? How the fuck is that fair?”

“It’s not but it’s also not her fault. She didn’t ask for this war.”

“How do you know? You don’t talk with her. She could be encouraging Viktor for all we know about it.”

“She’s not,” I cut in, even though I shouldn’t. Erik and Anya look at me with surprise. I clear my throat. “She’s not encouraging him. When I spoke to her after talking to Viktor about peace, she made it clear she didn’t approve of what her brother was doing. She doesn’t want this anymore than you do.”

“That’s what she wants you to think,” Erik mutters.

Anya sighs. “Viktor is just upsetting you. Let’s go back home. We’ve had a long day anyway. Mila is wiped.”

I have to clench my mouth to keep from snapping at Erik. He doesn’t know Julia like I do. He doesn’t know that she’s innocent in all of this. That she didn’t want to be on that date with Connor. She doesn’t want to be with him at all.

At least that’s what she told me when we kissed. I have to take her at her word because that’s all we have with each other.

When Julia calls me that night, I’m not ashamed to say my heart almost leaps out of my chest. “Julia?”

“Matteo. Can we meet? Somewhere more private? I need to talk to you again.”

I would suggest my place but who knows who could be watching? And it’s probably better Julia isn’t in my apartment. Seeing her here will only make me want to keep her.

“A hotel,” I suggest. We agree on the time and place.

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