Page 186 of Heartless Sinner

“Thanks, cunt,” I said before shooting him in the face.

Brain matter and blood spewed through the air, some hitting me in the face. I used my elbow to wipe it off. One of his eyes had sprung loose and sat beside my shoe. I stepped on it, crushing it under my foot.

Now, the fucker can’t even see a computer screen to write bullshit in the afterlife.

I turned to find everyone’s eyes on me.

We had a name. Now, I needed to hunt down Sterling.

I threw out my arms. “It seems the man whose marriage arrangement I fucked up is the one responsible for the story.” I gave each of my fellow Sons a heated glare. “Now you know it wasn’t me.”

“You know we never thought you betrayed us—” Enzo started, taking a step forward.

“Bullshit!” I roared, slamming my hand against my chest. “I told you all I’d never do that to us. For years, I’ve kept this society a priority. One fucker points a finger at me, and everyone wants me dead!”

They all went quiet.

Emeri stepped to my side, clasping his hand on my shoulder. “I’ll take care of the body.”

Enzo nodded toward me in apology. “Time to get Sterling.”

“Why would you fuck this up?” my father asked, sitting beside me in the back seat of the sedan. “Sterling was my most generous donor. I spent a lot of time setting up that marriage contract.” He slammed his hand into the seat in front of him. “You’d have been set up for life! He’d have fully funded your bid for the White House!”

I finished my text to Enzo and dropped my phone into my lap.

Before giving me the chance to answer, he continued his rant. “I wasted my breath asking why you’d fuck it up. It was all for her.”

I stared out the window, working my jaw. People waved from their vehicles and the sidewalk as we passed them. My father forced a smile while waving back.

“You’re not even going to deny it?” he asked.

I cleared my throat and shifted in the seat. “There’s nothing to deny.”

“I should’ve never okayed you choosing her as your Fawn.”

I turned my head to fully face him. Any control I had snapped. “You really think that would’ve stopped me?”

My admission shocked him into silence for a moment. I’d spent years proclaiming to hate her, but it was nothing but lies. He just hadn’t expected me to finally be up front about the truth.

He relaxed in his seat, turning his neck to stretch it. “Fine, since we’re going there, let’s discuss you being seen with her. My office has been swarmed with requests for comment. We can deny it all we want, but there’s now speculation. You have no idea how stupid you’ve made me look.”

“What Daphne’s dad did wasn’t her fault.”

“You’re sticking up for her now?” he asked in disbelief. “What’s next? You love the girl?”

I went quiet.

“Goddamn it, Brooks!” he roared, causing the driver to glance back at us for the first time.

I stayed calm as I spoke. “Don’t you think it’ll look good on us?”

His eyes went so wide that I waited for them to pop out of his head. “Have you lost your mind?”

“It’ll make us look forgiving. People like that.”

He shoved his finger close to my face, but not enough that he knew it’d piss me off further. “Don’t you dare try to tell me what my people will like.” That finger went to his chest. “I’m the president, not you, buddy.”

“Trust me, you say that enough for me to know.”