Page 33 of Love At the Gates of Hell (The Seven Sinners Trilogy #1)

twenty-one

Benny

“Are you sure you wanna do this?”

No. Benny wasn’t sure at all.

The Caruso family had a warehouse near the manor, a collection of things that were too important not to keep close.

It was mostly used for meetings, and it was kept safe under a mixture of warding spells and security systems. After a day of arguing back and forth, Angelo finally relented.

But Benny's nerves were starting to get to her.

She was pacing back and forth in front of the room where they were keeping Christian, working a path into the concrete floors.

Her heart was beating so rapidly in her chest she was certain it was going to explode as her brain played out every imaginable scenario.

She could feel Gideon’s eyes on her. But he said nothing as she paced, merely watched as she spiraled. She rubbed at her chest, shaking her head as she spared him a glance.

“No,” she told him, the word truthful enough. “But he might be our best bet at finding out who’s behind all of this. So I’m going to do it anyway.”

“Okay,” Gideon said. “We’ll do it together.”

She stopped in her tracks, her brow knitting together. But when she opened her mouth to say something, he raised his eyebrows as if to challenge her. As if this wasn’t a suggestion.

“After everything you’ve been through recently?” He shook his head before pushing himself from off the wall. “I’m not letting you go in there alone.”

“Good,” Jamie said from the opposite end of the room.

He had been there when they arrived, his gloved hands covered in blood splatters that told her all she needed to know about how the interrogation was going.

Healers were required during interrogations, if only to be there to help continue the process, letting the body mend just enough for the talks to keep going. It was a particular kind of torture. To be half-fixed.

And when it was one of their own?

Christian had been working for her father for the last couple of years. He was loyal. Had proven himself enough to pass all of their rigorous screening procedures. But maybe Benny’s secret was too good to keep to himself, however he learned. She couldn’t have felt like a bigger fool.

Having Gideon by her side felt like a relief.

So, she nodded and offered him a grateful smile.

“Thank you.”

“Just so you know, I already hate the guy,” he said, shrugging.

Jamie snorted. “Wait until you meet him.”

She heard a grunt from behind the door and exchanged a look with Gideon.

Her father was inside with Jimmy. Luke and Pasquale were in another part of the warehouse, digging through manuscripts and artifacts to see if they could find anything on Halmanthoran while Benny was talking with Christian.

Luke was like a kid in a candy store at the prospect.

He would have thrived in an academic setting.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and her godfather stepped out into the hallway first. He flexed his hands, a scab from his knuckle freshly cut open.

Her father followed after a moment, the door slamming shut behind him, his chest heaving slightly.

His hair was a little matted with sweat.

There was a level of anger in him she’d only seen a handful of times in her life.

Benny stepped toward him, her hand resting on his forearm.

He considered her for a moment before his eyes drifted to Gideon behind her.

There was a little wrinkle of his brow before he looked back at her with a nod.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come in with you?” he asked.

She knew Christian well enough that he would make any interactions with her father present extremely uncomfortable. She was already anxious about what he had relayed to her father, how he might have talked about her and their relationship. She shook her head.

No, that was absolutely not an option.

“It’s alright,” she said. “Besides, your hired bodyguard here will keep me safe.”

Gideon’s eyes flickered to the ceiling as he exhaled.

“We’ll be right outside the door,” Angelo said. “If you need anything.”

“Thank you,” she told him, reaching up to kiss her dad on the cheek.

The doorknob felt cool to the touch as she turned it and the heavy metal door creaked open slowly.

There was a single hanging lamp in the center of the ceiling but nothing more.

Save for the figure sitting in the middle of the room.

Tied to a simple wooden chair with zip ties, his head hanging slack against his chest, was Christian d’Aviano.

The light overhead reflected deep shadows across Christian’s face, but the damage that had been done to him was clear.

His fair skin was bruised and bloodied, and his normally bright blue eyes were black with welts.

His lip had been split, blood spilling down his chin, staining the neck of his shirt a deep red.

His body seemed to jolt awake at their presence, and he slowly dragged his head up.

The smile that once endeared him to her was plastered across his face, his teeth stained with his own blood.

He looked nothing like the man she had once let into her bed.

The shame and embarrassment she felt before had started to warp into something new. Something darker.

Here was the person who sold her out.

The man responsible for the scars on her wrists.

“My little witch,” he said, his eyes brightening.

Benny hovered in the doorway. Once she crossed this threshold, she knew there would be no turning back. The thrill tempting her right now was the exact reason she had stepped away from her father’s business. Had been the reason she had chosen academia, instead.

Gideon’s hand ghosted against her lower back, fingers curling in the fabric of her shirt, and it gave her the little push she needed. She could do this. She wanted to do this.

“Christian.”

“Did you bring a bodyguard?” He gestured toward Gideon with a nod of his head, amusement flickering behind his eyes. “Or is this a new friend? Wait—no, a boyfriend?”

“You don’t get to ask the questions.”

“Oh, is it your turn to interrogate me?” His grin was toothy and red and vicious. “You know, it didn’t go so well for your father. And he doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. What do you think you’ll accomplish?”

“I don’t mind getting my hands dirty.”

There was a wicked glimmer behind Gideon’s eyes as he adjusted the cuff of his dress shirt.

Benny took another step toward Christian.

“I think you’re going to tell me the truth,” she said. “I think you’re dying to.”

“Is that right?” Christian dragged his eyes from Gideon to fix his stare back on Benny.

“He promised you something,” she continued. “He needed my blood and you delivered. You knew the opportunity would put you in his good graces. So, what is it? More money? More power? Were you unhappy with your role here? Did you feel unappreciated?”

The look on Christian’s face sent a chill down Benny’s spine.

“Do you think you know me, Benedetta?”

She thought she did.

But this— stupidly, she never saw this coming.

“Parts of you,” she said, instead. “The things that made me want to leave.”

“I scared you, didn’t I? Was I too possessive? Too hungry?”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“You were a walking red flag,” she muttered.

“Can’t blame me for wanting more,” he said, somehow shrugging against his bindings. “There’s something addictive about a Strega witch. I wish I would have gotten a chance the last time we tried this.”

Benny stilled.

“What?”

“Did you think you were the first?” He smiled. “This was a grift, Benedetta. You were a target. The man you were with was Christian d’Aviano. But that’s not me.”

Gideon cursed quietly under his breath.

“No.” She felt a deep sinking in the pit of her stomach. “That can’t be right. My father has every man vetted. How could you—”

“Get one over on the infallible Angelo Torretta?”

“How did you find out?” Gideon asked. “About Benny?”

“We’ve known for a while. Since mommy bit it all those years back.” His laugh was menacing. “Well, I guess, it was the other way around, huh? Really put a damper on things.”

Benny swallowed, shock rattling her bones.

Her mother was killed fifteen years ago. It was brutal and shocking and the details had always felt fuzzy. Her father never wanted to talk about it. But she knew the vampires responsible were taken care of soon after. The rampage her father had waged was something she would never forget.

“Is it connecting for you, little witch?” Christian said. “Is it starting to make sense?”

“You tried this with my mother,” she said quietly.

“A setback.” He shrugged. “But we aren’t going to let it happen again.”

She could feel Gideon’s eyes on her but she tried to keep her focus on Christian—or whoever he was now. They had done this to her mother. Had tried to use her for this stupid ritual. She blinked her eyes shut to calm herself. To take a moment.

“Your blood has come in handy,” he continued. “It’s a wonderful insurance while we prepare. But Master will find you, and he’ll keep you. He’s been planning this for a long time.”

“And you’ve just been playing double agent?” Gideon asked.

“It was fun,” he said, a flicker of something dark behind his eyes as he stared at Benny. “I’ve got a special talent for attraction. Seducing you was hardly difficult. You were so eager at first. Maybe I got carried away, but you were such a good fuck—”

She could feel Gideon’s movements behind her, knew his intention, but she held out her arm to stop him, her hand pressing against his abdomen. She spared him a small glance, a shake of her head, and he stilled but there was something simmering inside him. The same rage she felt, no doubt.

“I really wish I could say the same,” she mused. “At least then I would have gotten something good out of this.”

Christian snarled, his eyes darkening. “You lying little bitch—”