Page 29 of Taken By Sin
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 saysquietly, 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- haveyou?”
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 isnothing 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.