Page 52 of Deadly Sins

“No. I just miss my kids.” He glanced up at me, and his eyes were red. I wondered if it was because he was drunk or sad. Most likely, both. “I fucked up with her, and I own it. We were so young when we met—only got married because I knocked her up. We barely saw each other once I became a SEAL, and we became toxic together. She loved making me jealous, and I couldn’t handle it. It doesn’t matter anymore. But there’s something about you…I think I can trust you.”

For the first time, I could almost relate to Mitch. I missed my baby, too.

“You can.” My fingernails traced his beard, and I kissed him on the lips, knowing I needed to do whatever it took to get him to truly trust me so I could pump him for information. I still had a tracking device on his phone, and I wanted to figure out who Rafael was, the recipient of Mitch’s weird textless text. Why would a SEAL send another man a smiley face?

Grant had cut me out; Mitch was all I had left, the only connection I had to my brother. Mitch was the only one who could help me now.

His lips took me hard and rough, and his hands traveled down my body. Dominant, rugged, intoxicating. I hated myself for liking this kiss, my traitorous pussy responding to his masterful touch. This guy raped me, for God’s sake! What the fuck was wrong with me?

“I’m gonna make our first night together real special, you just wait. I can’t wait to fuck your tight pussy. But before we move forward, I need to know that you are done with Grant.”

I choked back tears, genuine ones this time. Done with Grant. More like Grant was done with me. Forever. Mia and Grant would never be together again, in any incarnation. “Yes, we are done.”

Mitch pushed back a lock of my hair, his piercing brown eyes looking at me like I was a juicy steak. “Good, you’re mine. It’s better for you this way. Look, Grant is still hung up on his ex. He’ll never love anyone else.”

My heart leaped inside my chest. Hearing these words from Grant’s brother-in-arms was bittersweet. Grant might be hung up on Mia, but Mia no longer existed. I doubted that Grant would ever be able to find love with Ksenya. When he finally learned what I had done, I was pretty positive that he would never speak to me again.

“He’s a good guy, and I love the dude, but he’s not like you and me. We’re different—we’re damaged.”

I pursed my lips and gave him an understanding nod, relaxing into his embrace. Inwardly, I seethed, thinking about his goddamn literal scar. That night had ruined my life. It was more than being drugged and assaulted. It was a loss of control. Guilt, shame. It enveloped me.

I had been too afraid to tell Grant what had happened to me. Would he have blamed me for drinking that night, putting myself in that situation? For a week, I’d tiptoed around him, keeping my secret to myself. Even though he was injured, we’d made love one last time. Once I found out I was pregnant, I tortured myself, not knowing if my baby’s father was Grant or my attacker.

My baby’s daddy could’ve been Mitch—that thought alone made my skin crawl, reproducing with this Neanderthal. But ultimately, it didn’t matter; I never found out who my baby’s daddy was. I loved my baby more than anything in the world, regardless of his paternity.

It had to have been Mitch who had ruined my life. There was no other explanation. I would hate him until the day I died. And I would seek revenge. I would make him pay, make him beg for mercy, make him suffer at my hands.

Even so, I refused to allow my desire for revenge block the way of my one goal—freeing my brother.

I had successfully portrayed the wounded-bird stripper. Men loved to save women, especially men like Mitch. Little did he know he was caught in my web. He might have fallen for Ksenya, but my soul was still Mia’s.