Page 64 of Heartless Sinner

Vittoria: Or better yet, YOU leave him alone.

If only it were that freaking easy.

Me: Tell your mom to make it official then. Xo.

I guessed the old rivalry between Aunt Oriana and my mom was about to become one between Vittoria and me.

Yay.

I switched off the lamp and powered off my phone.

For the first time in years, I watched the screen go black.

No one else was stealing my peace for the rest of the night.

With Brooks in Calira, I knew better than to expect it to last.

Fifteen

Daphne

“I’m so sad it’s your last night here,” my mom said over the phone.

I zipped my suitcase and dropped it to the floor. “Me too.”

“I hate that you’re spending it sick and couldn’t at least join us for one last dinner.”

“The dinner they brought up was good at least.”

“You make sure you come say goodbye before you leave. Contagious or not, I’m hugging you goodbye.”

“I will.” I added a yawn for good measure as I climbed into bed.

“Goodnight, honey.”

“Night.”

I ended the call and dropped the sick-girl act along with my phone. I’d spent the last two days holed up in my room, pretending to be sick. I hated lying to my family, but after the yacht party, hiding in my room felt way easier than facing them.

By the time Vittoria’s version of the yacht story reached my mom and grandparents, I’d apparently gotten drunk, stripped in front of the party, and jumped overboard.

Funny how her memory skipped the part where she’d practically delivered Brooks to my bedroom.

Or her little striptease. How convenient.

I was finally getting a taste of the side of royalty my mom had warned me about.

Brooks was another reason I’d been hiding. He was here in Calira to fuck with me. If I didn’t leave my room, he’d get fewer chances to do it.

Tomorrow, I would fly back to Saint Vale. If Brooks somehow ended up on my flight, I’d seriously consider crashing the damn plane.

Ever since finding out about the cameras, I changed in the bathroom, flipped off every corner of my room four times a day, and barely took any calls so he couldn’t eavesdrop.

I picked my phone back up when it buzzed.

Brooks: Take off your clothes. I’m bored, and I would appreciate a good show.

I debated how much prison time murdering a president’s son actually carried … then how many years would be worth it to do just that.