Page 163 of Sinful Lord

“Because they betrayed me first!” he roars, his voice like broken glass.

“… How?”

Through all my fear, I have enough sense to make a decision.

I need to buy some time. It might be the only way to save my life. There’s no way someone isn’t out there looking for me. Tytus. Maksim. Rian. If I just give the chance, then maybe this won’t end so horribly…

“They killed my father,” Krol hyperventilates, his one pale eye growing wide and wild.

“Drago?” I remember out loud.

That pale eye snaps up. Just like that, Krol’s hand is clenched around my jaw, his stubs digging into my skin like callous knives.

“Don’t you dare speak his name!” he shouts.

“He was Tytus’ dad too,” I somehow gather the courage to say, remembering how tender Tytus had gotten when he talked about his family’s ragtag past. “And Roz’s. And Gabriel’s…”

“No! No! No!” Krol shouts, his rancid breath blasting me in the face. For a moment, his grip tightens, then he pushes himself back and bellows up to the ceiling. “It’s their fault he’s dead. And it’s only because of him that I’m still alive,” he looks down at his broken body, his voice trailing into a whisper. “If you can even call this living.”

“Drago saved you?” I ask, grabbing onto the tiniest thread of curiosity. It’s all that’s keeping me from drowning in terror.

“My father found me in that pit,” Krol remembers, his knees crumbling as he nearly falls to the floor. “He tended to me. He found someone who could save me. He did whatever it took to make sure they did. And then, when I was nearly back on my feet, he went to find my ‘supposed’ siblings. All he wanted was to get us back together again. But he never came back. And I knew exactly who to blame.”

“No,” I rasp. “Tytus would never… he… he only ever wanted to get his family back together too. That’s what all this was for. That’s what I was for…”

I hang my head as I remember everything. But the sadness that permeates my soul isn’t because of all the lies and deception. No. The bad stuff hardly fills up any space.

Instead, all I can remember is every time Tytus made me feel good. With his body, with his words, with his love.

Deep down, behind all the muscles and tattoos, he’s a family man.

Just like that, it hits me.

His plan, it was to use me to get back to his family. Did I interrupt that? Is it my fault this is happening?

He fell for me… but at what cost?

The idea hits me like a sledgehammer. But that pain quickly turns back into fear when I hear Krol’s approaching footsteps crunch the plastic sheets lining the floor.

“Don’t be so naïve, girl,” Krol spits. “My brother was never using you for anything other than his own selfish desires. Even from the shadows, that was clear. And it’s the only reason you’re involved in this. If I thought you were just another one of his pawns, I’d have already offed you like that bitch who led me to the lake house.”

“Her…”

My chest heaves as I remember the woman who unlocked my bedroom door. I see the gun lift to her temple. I see her brain splatter against the walls.

“Yasha von Bingen,” Krol grumbles. “Another one of my brother’s old whores. That was her lake house, you know? It took some… convincing, but without her help, I would have never found a way to get around Tytus’ security measures. Yasha led me to the underground entrance… and straight to her doom. Once I found you, I didn’t need her anymore.”

“You monster.”

“No. I’m not a monster,” Krol grimaces. “I’m far worse.”

Composing himself, he turns his twisted back on me.

“You’ll find that out soon enough,” he coughs, bending his neck as he glares up at the painting. “This is her penthouse, too,” he mumbles, wiping his lips. “Or, it was. Don’t you recognize the painting? It’s supposed to be him. Tytus. She had it commissioned not long after they first met. That rich idiot was obsessed with my brother. They all are. Yet somehow, he was the one obsessed with you.”

I swear I can hear his bones crack as he turns to look over his shoulder.

“I don’t see it,” he huffs, glaring at me. “To me, you’re just another spoiled brat who’s never felt real pain. But I’ll change that.”