Semua Bab Sinful Dragon.: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Chapter Eleven Myra “Your father hates me.” Nicholas said it so casually that I nearly choked on my tea. We had barely made it back to the apartment. I lowered my cup. “That’s what you took away from that conversation?” “It’s one of several observations.” “My biological mother is apparently some mysterious woman whose identity could put me in danger, Damion is threatening my family, my father wants me to leave the city, and you’re worried Daddy doesn’t like you?” “I’m not worried.” “You sounded wounded.” Nicholas loosened his tie. “I assure you, Angelo Benardi’s approval isn’t high on my list of priorities.” I watched him pull the tie free. Then undo the top button of his shirt. Then the next. I completely forgot what I was going to say. Nicholas noticed. Of course he did. “Something wrong?” “No.” His mouth curved. “You’re staring.” “You’re imagining things.” “Am I?” “Yes.” I deliberately looked at my tea. He came closer. “Interesting.” “What?” “You became

CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Empty Grave “Her grave is empty.” I said the words again because my brain refused to understand them the first time. Nicholas stood beside me on the sidewalk, one hand still resting against my waist. Around us, Manhattan continued as if my entire life hadn’t just cracked open again. Cars moved. People passed. Someone laughed across the street. A horn blared. Normal life. I hated normal life. Less than an hour ago, I had been eating ice cream with Nicholas and teasing him about choosing vanilla. Now I was staring at a photograph of my biological mother’s grave. SERAPHINA VALE 1982–2005 Twenty-three. She had supposedly died at twenty-three. I was twenty-one. She had barely been older than I was now. “Nicholas.” “I’m here.” “Why would someone send this?” “To scare you.” “That isn’t what I asked.” “I know.” I pulled away from him. Not because I didn’t want him touching me. Because I needed room to think. I enlarged the photograph. Flowers.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN The Sins of Our Fathers “Gabriel?” Seraphina’s eyes filled with tears. “Yes.” The word seemed to suck every bit of air out of the SUV. I stared at her. My biological father. Gabriel Black. The man whose eyes I had inherited. The man Seraphina had apparently loved. The man Angelo had spent twenty-one years protecting me from. The man whose family had wanted me. And now— The man responsible for Chase Aspen’s death. Beside the driver, Nicholas sat completely still. Too still. I had learned enough about him to know that his silence was sometimes more dangerous than his anger. “Nicholas.” He didn’t look at me. “Tell me exactly what you mean.” His voice was directed at Seraphina. She swallowed. “Chase discovered something Gabriel couldn’t allow him to expose.” “What?” “I don’t know everything.” Nicholas laughed once. Cold. Bitter. “Of course you don’t.” “Nicholas—” “No.” He turned in his seat. “You knew my brother.” “Yes.” “You spoke to him

Chapter 17 The Vale Clinic Thirty-four minutes. That was how long we had when Nicholas shut the SUV door. Thirty-three by the time Marcus peeled out of Ruth’s driveway like traffic laws were a personal insult. I sat in the back seat with Nicholas beside me, Gabriel’s letter clenched in my hand. Marcus drove. Seraphina sat in the passenger seat. Nobody spoke. Which was impressive considering this particular group seemed genetically incapable of silence. I looked down at the letter again. I did not order Chase Aspen’s murder. Five words. Five words that had somehow managed to tear open everything we thought we knew. Seraphina had told us Gabriel ordered the hit. Gabriel said he didn’t. One of them was lying. Unless— “Stop.” Nicholas looked at me. “What?” “I’m thinking.” “That usually doesn’t require an announcement.” “It does around you.” Marcus glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “She has a point.” “Drive.” “I am driving.” “Faster.” Marcus looked at t

Chapter 19 My Father, Gabriel Black Marcus took the turn too fast. The SUV fishtailed. Seraphina grabbed the door. Ethan groaned. Nicholas grabbed me. I grabbed the folder. Priorities. “Marcus!” “I have him.” “You almost had a tree.” “The tree moved.” “The tree did not move.” Nicholas looked at him. “Drive.” Marcus glanced at the mirror. “See? He appreciates me.” “I appreciate arriving alive.” “Everybody is a critic.” Normally I would have laughed. I couldn’t. Gabriel Black’s sedan was fifty yards ahead of us. My father. My biological father. The man I had spent my entire life not knowing existed. The man Seraphina had loved. The man Victor hated. The man Chase Aspen had supposedly named before he died. The man who had just looked through a car window and said my name. My stomach turned. Nicholas’s hand closed around mine. “You can still change your mind.” “No.” “Myra.” “I said follow him.” “I know.” “Then stop giving me exits.” His thumb moved acr