Page 133 of Sins (The Sins Trilogy 1)
Tony takes one look at my face, comes over and puts an arm around my shoulders. “Are you all right?”
I start to nod, then change my mind and shake my head instead.
He takes in the suitcases and glares at Sam. “What’s the meaning of this?”
“She can’t stay in Los Angeles.”
“Why the hell not?”
“It’s all your fault, you son of a bitch,” Sam hisses.
“That’s where you have it wrong. I definitely want her to stay here, and I’m not letting you abuse her this way.”
Sam regards Tony, then laughs dryly. “Have you ever considered what Margot would think if she saw that video of you two together?”
The name Margot creates a tiny ripple on my mind, like a snake under a sheet.
Tony’s voice grows colder. “Leave my mother out of this. You’d do well to remember I don’t take kindly to people trying to use her.”
“Why the hell do you care? She disowned your ass.”
“She’s still my mother.”
Sam sneers. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you know what she really is—what she did.”
“There’s nothing she could’ve done that’d change how I feel about her.”
“Even ruining your life?” Sam’s gaze darts toward me so fast that I almost miss it, then swings back to Tony.
“Even that.”
“Well. I still can’t have you making decisions for my darling niece.”
“If she doesn’t want to go, you can’t make her. Don’t push me, Sam. I can destroy what you’ve built.”
“At what cost to yourself?”
“Unlike you, I don’t give a damn about the cost. But you…” Tony sneers. “You’re different. You couldn’t bear to be a nobody again. You need your money like a baby needs its mother’s tit.”
An ugly shade of red blooms on Sam’s face. “You fucking bastard.”
Tony smiles, a mere baring of teeth. “Get out before I throw you out.”
Sam shoots me a “this isn’t finished” look, then storms out. The tension in the room drops, and my legs turn to jelly. I sit heavily on the edge of the bed, my hands an inch above my knees.
Tony pulls me into his arms. “Hey, it’s okay.” He cradles my head, stroking me, offering solid comfort and warmth as I shiver.
“How did you get here? I thought we were meeting at your place.”
He shrugs. “I couldn’t wait any longer.”
That’s really sweet, but…“I’m sorry you had to see that,” I say, humiliated. How many of Sam’s horrible, ugly words did Tony hear?
“I’m glad I was here to put a stop to it. He won’t do anything like this to you again.”
I rest my head on his chest. “Is he going to have an unfortunate series of falls in a dark garden, too?” I ask, half-serious.
He laughs softly. “No. I’ll just leave him penniless. That’ll be the cruelest fate of all for someone like Sam.”
