Page 21 of Darkest Sin

“Of course. But tell them it’s not safe for Denis to know. For their own safety.”

“Of course.”

“I’ll grab your purse. It’s downstairs in the guest room. I’ll be back in a moment.”

I stand there in the room, waiting for him to return, but he’s taking longer than I thought. So, I decide to go find him. I might as well explore the house that is now mine.

I head downstairs and down the hallway where the guest room is. It’s then that I see the door to the confusing room I saw earlier. The one with the whips and paddles.

I try the door but find that it’s locked. Mikhail doesn’t want me going in there. Why not?

When I enter the guest room, I find Mikhail on the phone, talking to someone. He notices me and tells the person on the other end he’ll call them back.

“I apologize,” he says. “One of my guys had something they needed to tell me. Work takes up a lot of my time. That’s something you should know about me.”

“I understand. It took up a lot of my father’s time too.”

He hands me the bag I packed. “Here. You may call your sisters. I don’t want to keep you from them. But you should know, Natalya, that you can’t see them in person. Not right now.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want your uncle getting his hands on you. Once he finds out we’re married, he’ll be angry. I don’t want you to get hurt in the process.”

“So, I’ll never be able to see my sisters again?” The thought is a sinking one. My chest feels like it’s being pressed on with cement.

“For now. Until your uncle is dealt with. I’m also dealing with a war with the Italians. We’re always at war.”

“What are you saying, exactly?”

“I may not have time to dedicate to taking your uncle down. Not when I have Nico Bernardi breathing down my neck.”

“Nico Bernardi?”

“Head of the Italian mafia. He’s causing me problems. I’ll try to help but for right now, keep your conversations with your sisters over the phone. Not in person. Is that clear?”

I want to object but this is the life I signed up for. I chose what I chose to save my family and I have to hope it pays off. “Yes. I understand.”

“Now, I have some business to take care of. You can go anywhere in the house. Explore.”

“Except that one room.”

A small smile crosses his lips. “Ah. That room. We’ll get to that in the future. Now, call your sisters. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

He leaves the room without a look back.

What did he mean ‘we’ll get to that in the future?’ What is in that room to get to?

All I can do is shiver because I’m starting to wonder if I made a mistake in agreeing to marry Mikhail.

I call Irina first, since I know she’ll worry the most.

“Natalya? Where are you? You weren’t here when we all woke up this morning, Uncle Denis is very upset.”

“Did Mom tell you anything?”

“No. But she knows something. Uncle Denis isn’t letting her out of his sights. It’s why she hasn’t said.”

“I’m married, Irina.”