Page 27 of A Taste like Sin

It isn’t until another knock echoes off the walls that I realize I’m not hallucinating. We’ve been

interrupted. Within seconds, the world is a serious, shadowy place again. And the man in front of me

is someone to never underestimate.

“You are to never disturb me,” he bellows in a thunderous tone that radiates throughout the room. “In

fact, I don’t know whether or not to fire you—”

“It’s urgent, sir,” Julio replies, sounding muffled, as if he’s speaking from behind the door, as calm as

ever. “I apologize for the breach in protocol, but…I assumed you would want to hear it before Ms.

Thorne had the chance to catch the news coverage.”

News coverage? I undo the blindfold one-handed and blink, finding Damien scowling near the edge

of the platform.

“Get dressed,” he says before moving to the door.

I slip from the mattress and stoop for my dress and panties. Hunched away from Damien, I slip it on

over my head, but he’s already marching across the room, radiating rage with every thundering step.

“Are you dressed?” he barks at me.

I pull my coat on and fumble with the buttons. “Y-Yes.”

He wrenches the door open, revealing Julio on the other end. The man leans toward him and murmurs

into his ear.

“I see,” Damien says, his tone degrees cooler. “Yes, I understand. You made the right call, as

always.”

Julio nods and presses something into Damien’s hand. “Sir,” he says before stepping back into the

hall. He doesn’t go far, I suspect.

“Juliana…” Damien extends his hand in my direction, revealing just what he’s holding: my cell

phone. “Call your stepmother.”

“Diane?” Nerves unfurl in my stomach as I approach him, feeling too uneasy to voice my suspicions

out loud.

Has my father made a more public plea this time? Accused me of being insane on national television?

No, his reputation matters too much for such a stunt.

Right?

“What’s wrong?” I take the phone and glance at the screen. There are four missed calls from my

father’s office and four more from Diane’s direct cell—all within the span of an hour.