Page 84 of A Taste like Sin

flirtatious, young girl with a wealth of besotted suitors at her disposal. Heirs to various fortunes,

diplomats, the son of a police chief, even. As the daughter of a prominent businessman, the world was

at her disposal. At least until the day she was found murdered in her apartment, possibly raped.

Nothing was stolen, therefore making the crime far more heinous: personal in nature.”

“Your brother was the only suspect,” I say, scouring what few shreds of information I know about the

case. “They were dating.”

“He wasn’t the only suspect.” As if settling in for a long story, Damien rearranges himself, leaning

back into the cushions of the chaise. His hand finds mine again, gripping tighter in a subtle way that

warns I won’t break free easily. “She had other suitors. Other men in her life who were questioned.

ButMathiaswas the only one arrested, the poormalparidoimmigrant—at least that’s what the

reporters crowed. Even if he was a citizen as much as the rest. Even if there was no DNA linking him

to the crime. No real conclusiveevidence. Out of the rich, white suspects, he had the brownest skin.”

“But there was enough there that a jury found him guilty,” I point out.

“Guilty,” he agrees. “But tell me why the expert witness who could testify as to the validity of the

lack of DNA was barred from testifying? Why evidence of Emily Borgetta’s phone records and a list

of her prior lovers weren’t allowed into evidence? Why the fact that Mathias had been questioned for

nearly forty-eight hours straight in a nonstop barrage by the police department was not allowed to be

presented in front of the jury?” He pauses, letting every bitter accusation sink in.

“Why not?” I ask, hating a part of me that already knows the answer.

“Every decision in that aspect was up to one person who consistently ruled against the interest of

Mathias: Heyworth Thorne. His reasons are difficult to parse, but I believe that it was for personal

gain. Someone powerful had an interest in closing the murder case quickly. Mathias was an easy

scapegoat and Heyworth Thorne the willing pawn.”

“I want to deny that, but…” I swallow hard, eyeing the city beyond this room. “But I think I’m starting

to wonder if my adoption was more than a merciful whim on his part. What if he picked me

because…” God I can’t even say it. My fingers tremble in his grip, and I rake my free hand through

my hair, twisting the strands. “What if he’s the reason Simon was always able to find me on my

birthday? What if he gave him access to me? What if all this time—”

“You’re upsetting yourself,” Damien warns. His thumb traces my cheek, capturing the tears he

shouldn’t be able to sense.