Page 114 of Ruthless Sinner

Carefully and quietly, I get off the bed, deciding to get some coffee, so my brain will be functional enough to plan my next steps.

I put back on my clothes from last night and make my way down the stairs, then into the kitchen. When I head to the counter with the coffee machine I notice Dante’s phone on the floor.

I crouch down to pick it up. At my touch the screen lights up with a preview of a text message.

My first thought is to look away because I’ve never been the kind of person to pry into another’s privacy, but the sight of my father’s name in the message glue my eyes to the screen and the blood drains from my body.

The message is from a person called Virgo and it says:

I opened the messages. Need to speak ASAP. Looks like we’re back in business and Jason Bell’s days are numbered. He won’t get away with what he did to you.

God what is this?

My hands grip to the phone so tight my knuckles turn white.

I read the message again, checking that my eyes aren’t screwing with me and I realize they aren’t.

Jason Bell’s days are numbered. He won’t get away with what he did to you.

Those words race through my mind taunting me, telling me that Matthew was right.

But he can’t be.

He just can’t be.

But the truth is staring me in the face.

I try to open the phone to read the rest of the message but of course I don’t know the passcode.

The preview has also disappeared from my attempt to unlock the phone and gone into the notifications but every word is burned into my mind as if they’ve been branded with fire.

My God, my meeting with Dante wasn’t a coincidence.

I can’t explain him warning me away, but this… this is enough to make me think I was being used in some way.

Dad did something to Dante?

And he’s planning something. Just like Matthew said.

Oh Jesus, what kind of fool am I?

Was I that desperate to be loved that I couldn’t see the truth for what it was?

All the warning signs to stay away from this man were all there right from the very beginning when he found me at work, then after that first time at the club when I felt like he was watching me. None of those were normal. Anyone would have been freaked out like fuck but not me.

What kind of sicko am I to admit that it drew me in, tempting me right into the arms of the devil.

I’m the governor’s daughter and Dante is a mafia boss. The math is so very simple. Of course he wanted something from me and everything that happened between us must have been done by design.

I've been so foolish, so, so very foolish and naive. Fuck carpe diem.

I trusted Dante and carried on with this secret affair pretending he was my Romeo, not knowing my father was in danger.

God. Dad. What might I have said to add fuel to this trainwreck of a disaster?

“Everything okay?” Comes the voice of the man I would recognize in my dreams. Asleep or awake.

My head snaps up and my gaze collides with Dante’s.