Page 52 of Liberated By Sin
Santi, I repeated in my thoughts.
I could extract information while he was vulnerable—or kill him. Both options were solutions in my eyes.
“I’ll give you whatever you need,preziosa.”
“I won’t accept your money.”
He rolled his eyes. “You’re not going. Not him. He’s a slimy son of a bitch who respects no one. And if he touches you…”
Santino sucked in a harsh breath and looked away from me, as if measuring his composure. I didn’t know whether to feel annoyed or…whatever this something else was that was tickling the pit of my stomach.
“That’s not how this works. And he can’t touch me. You know that.”
“Oh, I know he won’t.”
Santino pulled a blade from his pocket and started for the door.
“Where are you going with that?”
“To remove the temptation.”
I never thought I’d feel flutters at a man’s possessive tendencies, but I couldn’t deny Santino made me feel like I wanted to be claimed and taken care of.
Did I want that?
“Santi,” I called, knowing full well that would grab his attention.
He froze, stiffening slightly when I placed a hand on his back. “I’ve disemboweled a man. I can handle Andretti.”
“Is that what you think I’m worried about?” Turning around, he gently tilted my chin and inched closer. “I saw the way he looked at you. And I don’t appreciate him thinking he can have what’s…”
Pausing to wet his lips, Santino broke eye contact and seemed towar with whether to finish that sentence.
“What?” I asked, silently pleading for him to meet my gaze again, to say what he’d meant. But he never did. And without another word, he slipped out the door. I hated that I’d upset him. But I hated even more that I cared and was now debating whether to accept just to appease my boss.
My cell buzzed against the vanity.
Fuck. It looked like I’d be shakingmyass for Andretti, after all.
Before my private, I went looking for Santino, hoping to smooth things over and explain my motives, but he wasn’t in his office. I couldn’t deny my disappointment when met with an empty room. We’d been teetering on the edge ofsomething, dancing around each other…or maybe it was me doing the dancing in more ways than one. But what had I expected? It had been so long since I’d felt attracted to a man, especially after everything I’d been through. Even my time with Ezra was so short, and I was soyoung and naive.
Leaning against the door frame, I smoothed a hand around the black silk covering my scarred wrist. Santino had no idea of the hell I’d endured and how I’d barely clawed my way back.
What if I told him?
He won’t want you, a petulant voice reminded me. But the thought wasn’t just intrusive. It was realistic. I’d been tainted and ruined.
Over and over.
It didn’t matter thatmaybeI wanted him to tell me I was his. Not just for one night or a fun time.
But his.
I gripped at my heart as the realization I’d been denying myself barreled into me. I liked him. A lot. It was terrifying, exciting, and…sad. Because even though our worlds were similar, Santino and I couldn’t be farther apart.
I had nothing left for anyone. And that was just the way it would always be.
A tear broke away and wet my mask before I could swipe at it.