Page 55 of The Sinner’s Desire (The Sinner’s Touch #1)

I’m sitting in an armchair in Bruno’s room while he plays on the floor.

Visiting him has become a routine—and with each visit, our bond grows stronger. There’s no doubt in my mind anymore: I want him with me, even though my lawyers have told me the process won’t be quick.

Ethan is finally returning from Africa, and I’ve decided I’ll talk to him in person about my relationship with his friend.

Though Amos’s loyalty kept him from telling me that yes, it was my brother who interfered in our relationship before, I know that’s exactly what happened.

Ethan will have to understand once and for all that I’m no longer a baby—I’m a grown woman capable of making my own decisions. And what I want is to be with Amos.

I glance at the clock and know that soon Theo will arrive with a bag of toys I ordered for Bruno. I gave him a brief summary of my new little friend, sharing only the most basic parts of his story, but he didn’t ask for any further details.

That’s one of the things I like about him. Theo doesn’t pry like most people. If I want to talk about something, he listens and gives advice—but if I choose to keep something to myself, that’s perfectly fine with him too. No guilt trips. No pressure.

I smile as I listen to Bruno talking to himself. The boy is so curious and smart—and loves building toys. Maybe he’ll be an engineer one day.

“Angel Lilly, are you hungry?” my little man asks me. He lifts his head, setting aside the blocks he’d been playing with.

“I could go for a snack. How about you?”

“I’m not sure, but I think there’s a dinosaur in my belly. It’s growling for food so it can let me play in peace.”

I barely manage to hold back a laugh. “Oh, yes, hungry dinosaurs can be a real handful. What do you think it would like to eat?”

He looks down at his tummy, pretending to think. “I think it likes milk and cookies.”

God, he’s so clever.

“Alright. Let me call the nurse to stay with you while I go on a food hunt.”

“Lilly, I’m a big boy,” he says, rolling his eyes. “I can wait quietly. No one has to watch me.”

“Of course you are. But I’ll feel better if she keeps you company.”

“Are you sleeping here tonight?” He asks me the same question every day—and every time, my heart aches.

“I can’t, remember? I need to study. But like we promised, I’ll come back to see you.”

He holds out his pinky, and I don’t hesitate to seal our pact. “Because Lilly never lies.”

“That’s right. Lilly never lies, baby. You can trust me.”

He goes back to playing, but just as I’m about to leave the room, I hear him say softly, almost to himself, “I trust you. And Amos too.”

I’m getting ready to meet the driver when I see Theo’s car pulling into the clinic parking lot. Earlier, he dropped off the gifts and left—I wasn’t expecting him to come back for me, especially since the driver and security were already here.

I put my phone back in my purse and walk over to where my beautiful friend is standing.

“Ready, sweet thing? Did our little man like the presents?”

“He loved them. Thank you so much. I wasn’t expecting you to come back again.”

“I missed our chats,” he says—and once again, I feel his loneliness, which squeezes my heart.

“I’m going to call Amos and let him know I’ll be having dinner with you tonight. What do you think?”

“I think I’ll risk being murdered by your delicious man—because I’m selfish and want you all to myself tonight. Just tell him I’ll get you home afterward. Or maybe I should say your home now?”

My cheeks heat up because I can’t deny what he just said. Amos and I are practically living together—since the night of Nora’s party, he’s been sleeping at my apartment.

“Yes, I’ll head back home later, but don’t worry about taking me. Amos will want to pick me up himself, and he won’t take no for an answer.”

“Because he’s a control freak?”

“Something like that,” I say, smiling because it’s a perfect description.

I send a message to security and decide to call Amos once I get to Theo’s place. We’ll be having dinner at his apartment; he told me he wanted to cook.

I get into his car, and we pull out of the clinic parking lot. In the rearview mirror, I see the security detail following us, but after a stretch of road, we lose sight of them.

“Does your brother know about you two yet?”

“I think he suspects.”

“Honestly, I don’t know what he expected. He practically threw Beauty into the Beast’s arms. You two are young and gorgeous, alone in an apartment—how else was that going to end?”

“I think Ethan never imagined Amos would be interested in me,” I say, because I’ve analyzed it from every angle, and that’s the only conclusion I’ve come to.

“But he was wrong.”

“Completely. From the first time we met, there was a different energy between us.”

“Energy also known as sexual tension?”

“Theo!” I say, laughing.

The phone rings, and I smile when I see Amos’s name on the screen.

“Speak of the devil. We were just talking about you,” I say, hearing Theo chuckle.

“Lilly, where are you? Security just told me they lost sight of you.”

“On the way to Theo’s place. Why?”

“Yeah, I know the Greek picked you up, but he shouldn’t be driving that fast. Tell him to slow down; the security team will catch up with you.”

“Amos, it’s the middle of the afternoon. I’m fine.” At another time, I might have thought he was being overprotective, but after our talk in the bathtub, I know he must have enemies.

“I don’t want you taking any chances. You should know by now you can’t let your guard down. You’re my woman, Lillyana, and I have enemies.” He confirms what I’d already suspected was the reason for his concern.

“It’s four o’clock, handsome. What could possibly happen in broad daylight?”

Almost the moment the words leave my mouth, I hear Theo shout. “Oh, shit!”

With his curse, we feel a violent impact—and I’m shocked when I realize a car just hit us.

“Amos!”

“Lilly, what’s wrong?” he asks, because there’s no way he didn’t hear the crash.

“I don’t know! Someone hit us! Theo lost control and we went off the road!”

“Stay in the car. Look around. What do you see?”

“Another car’s pulled over. There’s a man coming toward us. He probably wants to apologize and give us his insurance card. Theo’s gotten out to talk to him.”

“Tell him to get back in the car.”

“He’s already out there.”

“Lock the door!”

“Amos—”

“Lock the fucking door, Lilly! My men will be there in two minutes,” he says, and I can hear the sound of fingers flying across a keyboard.

“I can’t lock him out!” I reply, feeling my body start to tremble.

“Do what I’m telling you.”

Before I can respond, I see a gun pointed at my friend, and without thinking, I get out to help him.

“I’m sorry,” Theo says to me, and I hear Amos shout through the phone, “Lilly? Lilly, stay in the fucking car!”

But there’s nothing else I can do, because now, the redheaded man has shifted his aim from Theo to my chest, while holding out his other hand for my phone.

“You’re even prettier in person, sweetheart,” he says with a smile.

But his eyes are ice-cold.

“Lillyana, talk to me. Who’s there?” I can still hear Amos asking.

“Amos . . .” I call out, though I know no one can help me now.

Frozen in terror, I watch the man bring the phone to his ear.

“Hello, little boy. Did you miss Daddy?”