Page 45 of Beautiful Sinner

“I… I’m not sure,” I lie. “I just know what Julia told me and that he physically hurt her. It wasn’t bad but it still happened. Are you sure you want to marry a man like that to your sister? The sister that you’d protect more than anyone else in this world?”

He pushes the covers back. “I need to talk to Julia.”

“No.” I grab his arm, stopping him. “Not tonight. It’s late. But listen, Connor might make up lies about her.”

“What lies?”

“Like… Julia sneaking out of the house. Getting into trouble.”

Viktor scoffs. “Julia wouldn’t do anything like that.”

“I know. But Connor really wants to be allies with you and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen and that means Julia is his ticket in. If she says he hurt her, then he threatened to make up lies about her to you. I think it’s a way to break you two apart. You and Julia.”

“Why would he do that? Inessa, none of this makes sense.”

I know because I’m lying about half of it. “Just… listen to me, Viktor. I get a bad feeling about Connor and I know Julia doesn’t like him. We don’t think he’ll help you win this war. The only way to end this war is to -,”

“Make peace,” he interrupts. “I know. Trust me, I’ve heard it countless times by now.”

“So why aren’t you listening? Instead of marrying Julia to some random Irish man, marry her to one of Dante or Erik’s men. Make a deal. You know it’s smart.”

“Of course I know it’s smart,” he snaps. “But I am not losing my sister to the enemy side.”

“And yet, you’re ok with losing your sister to a man who might hurt her?”

He blows out a long breath. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” he admits. “For the first time in a long time, I’m lost.”

“But I’m here. Let me help you. We can do this without you having to marry Julia to Connor.”

He shakes his head. “No. I’ll talk to her about it but Connor hasn’t shown me any signs he’d hurt her. Maybe you and Julia are mistaken.”

I know Viktor is losing his sense of self. The Viktor I fell in love with would never question his sister, not for anything. He’s becoming lost in this war and I’m not sure if I can get him out.

Chapter Eight

Julia

I’m desperate to see Matteo again and while I know it’s risky, I sneak back out of the house. It’s starting to become almost too easy. The guards are predictable when it comes to their schedules.

Matteo and I are going to meet at a new hotel and this time, we have to be more secretive about it. I can’t risk Connor finding out about us again.

I knock on our hotel door and Matteo answers. The sight of his handsome face instantly makes me comfortable and before I can stop myself, I throw my arms around him.

“I got you,” he murmurs into my hair. “I got you. I won’t let Connor hurt you.”

“How are you going to do it?”

“I haven’t spoken to Dante yet but he wants Connor dead. I don’t have any details. And anyway, you won’t want to know, Julia. I can’t risk putting you in danger if you know too much.”

I step out of his arms. “I understand. Just tell me you’ll be safe.”

“I always try to be.”

“So… what do we want to do?” I purposely avoid looking at the bed.

“We could talk some more.”

“That sounds good.”