Page 57 of The Sinner’s Desire (The Sinner’s Touch #1)

I spent the night practically on watch. Every few minutes, I’d drift off for a bit, only to wake up again to make sure she was okay. And when the daylight finally spilled into the room, I gave up trying to get any rest.

Looking at her one more time, I press a soft kiss to her shoulder and head to the kitchen to make some coffee.

Like a scene on repeat from a few weeks ago, Ethan’s name starts flashing on the phone screen. I glance at the clock—it’s already nine. I know exactly why he’s calling.

Ramon.

Besides the attempt on his sister’s life yesterday, by now the journalist has probably dropped the bomb on his blog. Even if, by some chance, the pervert has some cops in his pocket, no one will be able to protect him.

Not from the scandal that will follow—and not from me when I carry out his death sentence.

“I’m back,” says Ethan. “What the hell is going on? Where are you?”

“I’ll meet you at our apartment in twenty minutes,” I reply in the same tone, skipping any greeting.

“Where’s my sister? I managed to keep her name and the Greek’s out of the news, but I need to know she’s okay.”

“Lilly’s with me. Safe, sleeping in her own apartment,” I say, because even though his tone pisses me off, I can put myself in his shoes.

I wouldn’t have picked me as her partner either.

“I don’t want you anywhere near her.”

I take a deep breath, digging for a calm I don’t have, before finally saying, “I don’t give a damn what you want, Ethan. Wait for me. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. We’ll talk then.”

Abandoning the coffee, I throw on my pants and shirt.

I slip on my shoes without socks. I head back to the bedroom and sit on the edge of the bed, wanting to look at her a little longer.

As much as I don’t want to disturb her sleep, I don’t want her to wake up worried because I’m not here.

I need to come back and tell Lilly about Ramon.

I don’t plan to mention the videos.

I won’t allow that bastard to make a beautiful girl like her spend the rest of her life ashamed of something she wasn’t to blame for. But she needs to know her fear was real.

“Baby, I have to go.”

“No . . .” she murmurs, still half-asleep.

“I’ll leave someone outside watching over you. Don’t go out without telling me, okay?”

She nods, but since I’m not sure she really understands what we’re talking about, I leave a note on my side of the bed.

After breathing in her scent one last time, I force myself to get up and face what will be the hardest conversation I’ve ever had.

For the first time in my life, I punch in the code to our apartment without the slightest desire to go in.

It used to be my refuge, a place where I knew I could leave the world outside. But since Lilly left, the place feels empty and meaningless.

Anyone looking at her would never guess she was raised by absent parents or never shown affection.

She has so much to give—she breathes love with every breath she takes.

I remember her interaction with Bruno and know that when she has children of her own, they’ll never be neglected.

Lilly is pure giving. She has no armor against evil—and that is both wonderful and terrifying.

When I finally reach the living room, the blinds are partially closed. I can make out Ethan’s silhouette on the couch, head tilted back on the cushions. His clothes are wrinkled, and his face shows exhaustion. I can tell just by looking that, like me, he probably didn’t sleep.

“What happened?” he asks, skipping the pleasantries.

“With Ramon?”

“First of all, yes.”

“I need coffee first.”

While I wait for the coffee maker to finish, I think about how there’s no way to sugarcoat what I’m about to tell him. I grab two steaming mugs and sit in the armchair across from him.

“He’s not who everyone thought he was.”

“I already knew that.”

“What?”

“What do you want me to say? I knew about the brothels. I didn’t know they involved minors because I didn’t dig that deep, but I knew the car dealerships were just a front.”

“And you still let that pervert stay around Lilly?” Fuck, I’m so pissed. I grip the coffee so hard my knuckles turn white.

“The truth is there was nothing I could do to get her out of there. She was underage, and if I’d made a wrong move, Nora would’ve banned me from seeing her. When she moved to Paris, I thought she was finally safe.”

“ Safe? ”

“I’m a man, Amos. I noticed the looks that idiot gave my sister. But she was hardly ever home after he married Nora. Most of the time it was just holidays—and I was always around.”

“Not around enough.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

I walk over to the office and grab my laptop. It makes me sick to show this to anyone else, but he needs to know that his negligence put his sister at risk.

I can see the hatred building in him as he realizes what he’s watching. After barely a minute, he slams the laptop shut. “Bastard.”

“She still has nightmares, you know? Even without knowing what was going on, she used to wake up in the middle of the night and hide in her closet. That’s why Lilly didn’t want to go back home.”

“You’re the one who leaked everything to the press.”

It’s not a question, but I nod anyway. “And to the police,” I add.

“You should’ve told me.”

“What for? So you could go after him and tip him off? That would’ve ruined everything. I couldn’t risk it, not just for Lilly, but for all those poor girls being exploited.”

“Have you seen the news? Nora’s losing it. She’s called me like twenty times already. But you know what her biggest concern is? Finding the best divorce lawyer in the country.”

I shrug. I couldn’t care less. They deserve each other. “I haven’t checked online yet, but I know he’s been arrested. Blood messaged me on the way here.”

“And the girls?”

“They’ll be protected until they can contact their families. I’ve got a plan to help them.”

“What kind of plan?”

I leave out that the original idea was Lilly’s, because he’ll start asking questions I don’t want to answer yet.

“One that gives them a chance to go back to school and build a career without having to use their bodies as currency. For now, it’s just a draft.

I’ll have someone running a safe place for them to live until they can get their lives back on track.

But that’s only for the ones of legal age.

The minors, unfortunately, will either be sent back to their families or placed under government care.

Even so, I’ll make sure they know there’s hope—something good ahead.

And when they’re old enough, they can apply to the association I’m setting up. ”

“All right,” he says, ending the topic. “Now let’s talk about my sister.” I can feel his anger rising to the surface again. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”