His Secret Sin Read online

  Her father had warned her that people were out there to take advantage. It wasn’t in her nature to see the bad in people though. She liked to think they were mostly good because if they weren’t, didn’t that just fucking suck?

  She wanted to believe there was more to people than pain, manipulation, and lies. Her father, though, had a different perspective on life. After her mother died, it had taken him a few years to start dating, but it had left him cynical. Fortunately, he was still an amazing father, and one she loved dearly, who believed in helping her live her own life, and to always venture out into the big, wide world.

  Belle jumped as someone bumped into her table.

  “Well, well, well, hello, sexy lady,” he said.

  He was a little too close, and she smelled the alcohol on his breath.

  Allowing her hair to fall around her, she tried to hide how terrified she was.

  The man sat down right next to her. The way he did pulled on her dress, and she gritted her teeth, trying to move away from him, hoping to create some distance, but it wasn’t working.

  He was stuck on her dress.

  She gasped as he stroked a finger down her bare arm.

  “How about you and I get out of here? I know I can totally give you the time of your life. You can ride my dick all night long. I’ll give you the best cum you’ve ever tasted.”

  “No, thank you.” She had never had sex before in her life.

  It wasn’t because she didn’t want to. Most of the men she knew were friends. They helped her on a daily basis, and she adored them like brothers. When she met “the one,” she always believed she’d feel it. The fluttering in her stomach, the need in her gut. All of it would count and would matter to something more.

  Her mother had told her she’d find the right one, and when she did, there would be no doubt.

  Mr. Smelly Breath and Touchy Hands was nowhere near the right one. He was so far not the right one it wasn’t even funny.

  “Could you please leave?” she asked.

  Now her heart was pounding, and it wasn’t for any feeling other than a need for him to be gone.

  “Is that any way to talk to a guy? I’m offering your fat ass a chance to ride some grade-A cock and you’re treating me like this?”

  She let out a cry as he grabbed her arm. Pain shot through her flesh and she tried to get away, but he was the one in charge here. He hurt her as he pulled her.

  Just as suddenly as his touch was there, it was gone, but she sensed another presence.

  “The lady would like you to leave,” he said.

  His voice was strong, dominating, powerful.

  It sent a thrill down her spine as she listened to the guttural tones. When he stopped speaking, she wanted to listen to him again.

  “Dude, fuck off. This is none of your concern. She wants me, and she likes to play hard to get.”

  “No, I don’t,” she said. “No hard to get. No nothing. I just want to be left alone.”

  “You fucking bi—” Mr. Smelly Breath and Touchy Hands didn’t get to finish what he was saying before her savior did something.

  She wished she could see what was happening.

  “When a lady says no, she means no.”

  The man was gone, and she heard him being taken from her booth.

  She wasn’t alone though. She sensed her savior’s presence.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  He sat in the booth opposite her, and she looked in that direction, wondering what to do or to say.

  “You’re here to have a good time. I don’t see why you should be forced to endure the company of someone you don’t want.”

  She smiled. “Thank you so much for stopping him.” She rubbed at her arm, the one he’d grabbed. Belle jumped as this man touched her arm.

  “Sorry, I was just going to see,” he said.

  “It’s fine. Erm, I … it’s fine.”

  “I know this booth is reserved for you, Belle,” he said.

  “You do?”

  “I’m the owner of the club. I have all your details, including the fact you’re blind.”

  “Oh,” she said. “I didn’t mean to jump or anything.”

  “I should have told you.”

  She smiled. Some people were offended by the way she reacted. It wasn’t intentional. She was so used to being in her own space that the few occasional touches often made her react in ways that she wasn’t used to. Only when she was with her father did she relax. She was used to him holding her, touching her, but even still, she often tensed. He never took it personally though.

  Growing up, her father had taken a day to walk in her shoes. He’d stayed at home, wearing a blindfold. This was when her mother was alive, and it had taught him a lot about what she faced on a daily basis. It had strengthened their relationship, and she loved her father.

  “My friend should be here soon. I think she’s dancing with someone.” Again, she wasn’t sure. Melanie had been vague.

  “Your friend has left,” he said.

  “What?”

  “I saw who you were escorted in with, and I watched her leave as well.”

  “No, that can’t be. She’s supposed to make sure I get home safely.” Now Belle was feeling really fucking pissed off. Her friend had just left her to fend for herself. Most often she could do this. In a nightclub where she had no idea where it was, and alone, now this was unfair, and not what a friend would do. Nibbling her lip, she wondered what she could do now. Her father would be angry and demand to speak to Melanie. She didn’t want to call him. He’d be upset that she allowed herself to be put in this vulnerable position. “I don’t suppose you could help me?”

  “You don’t even know my name.”

  “Oh, sorry, what’s your name?”

  He chuckled, and she liked the sound. “Diego Leoni.”

  “Nice to meet you.” She held her hand out, and after a pause he still hadn’t shaken her hand. Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, he finally took hers, shaking it. His hands were nice, smooth, firm.

  She pulled away before he did, and she liked that. It had taken her years of practice to shake hands. She spent a great deal of time with her father, and he’d talked her through the quick shake, the awkward lingering one. It had been a lot of fun.

  “Have you ever heard my name before?” he asked.

  “No. Sorry. Are you a celebrity of some kind?”

  He laughed, and she loved the sound. “No, I’m no celebrity. Just a guy trying to make an honest living.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “You do.”

  “Yeah, I work at a restaurant, Angelo’s Place. I play the piano and sing. It’s how I make an honest living.”

  “It is?” he asked.

  “Yes. Everyone is always so nice there.”

  “I bet they are.”

  There was something in his tone, but she didn’t understand it.

  “Would you like to get out of here?” he asked. “I can call whomever you want or book you a cab?”

  “Please, a cab if it’s not too much trouble.”

  She slid to the end of the booth and stood up, waiting for him.

  “How do I help you?” he asked.

  “If I can just hold onto your arm, that would be easy.”

  He took her hand again, making her tense, but as soon as she touched his arm, which was an impressive arm, she was able to relax.

  “Is this why your friend stays with you at all times?” he asked.

  “No, she doesn’t need to stay with me. This is a new place, so I’ve not learned the general layout. When I know a place, I’m quite capable of getting around myself. It’s easy, but this is all new.” She was rambling, and she really needed to stop.

  Diego walked her out of the club, and she was amazed no one bumped into her or stopped them.

  The moment they were outside, the immediate silence was a relief. She closed her eyes and looked up to the sky.

  Paused, on the street, she finally acclimated herself to the new sounds. The sounds of the street, passing cars, and the sounds of conversation of people walking by.

  “Is there a car?” she asked.

  He chuckled. “No car.”

  “Oh.”

  “In fact, there are no cabs. Would it be okay for me to drive you? I’ve got security footage that shows you leaving with me. You’re perfectly safe.”

  She smiled. “If you don’t mind. I’d hate to cause you too much trouble.”

  “It’s no trouble at all.”

  “Okay.”

  He started to move, and she followed him. Her heels clicked along the pavement and he made a point to stop at a crossing and allow her to step off before proceeding to the next path.

  “Have you done this before?” she asked.

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “You’re very good. My dad when I first became blind completely forgot about the steps, and I tripped so many times. He always felt bad, especially if I fell.”

  “He doesn’t sound like a good man,” Diego said.

  “Oh, he is, believe me, he is. It was all a little adjustment for us.”

  “You haven’t been blind your entire life?” he asked.

  “No.” She then told him about her accident and how her eyesight was gradually lost. They came to a stop at the car, and she heard him talking to someone in a low voice. She stayed silent while he conducted his business, not wanting to get in the way.

  A car door opened, and Diego helped her inside. She reached for the seatbelt, but he moved her hand out of the way and strapped her inside.

  “You don’t need to do that.”

  “I insist.”

  She liked that he insisted.

  Sitting back, she was aware of the back of his knuckl
es as they brushed across her breasts. The door closed, and she waited, counting the seconds before he climbed in beside her.

  Giving him her address, she felt the car move.

  She gripped the door handle, hating cars. She’d always hated cars since the accident. There was a time her parents couldn’t get her in one. Her fear had lessened over the years but never disappeared.

  Diego didn’t say anything until they got to her apartment building. Without another word, he climbed out of the car, went to her side, and helped her into her place. When she was at the door about to thank him, his words stopped her.

  “I wouldn’t go around telling complete strangers where you live. You have no idea who you’ll meet along the way.”

  She didn’t see him, but listened to his retreating footsteps.

  Chapter Two

  Diego wiped the blood from his hands, being careful not to leave any behind. His pristine white shirt was still impeccably clean, so he didn’t even need to worry about burning his clothes. The body of the barman was currently being dealt with, and the warehouse where he liked to do all of his killings was being cleaned.

  There would be no evidence linking him to the body or to anything else. Not that he’d ever go to prison for killing a man. He had way too many connections and knew how to dispose of a body himself.

  With his job done, he grabbed his jacket and left the warehouse. The barman was a bad seed that needed to be dealt with. If he’d brought too much attention to the club, it would have caused problems. He didn’t like to have the law sniffing around him, unless he was the one in complete control.

  Taking a deep breath, Diego turned toward the building, knowing it had seen a lot of death. He’d burn it to the ground soon so no one could see it.

  “It never even occurred to you to let him live?”

  Diego had his gun out and pointed toward Richard within the next second. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  “Just out to see what took you so long.”

  “You do know we’re not friends.”

  “As you can see, I don’t give a fuck.”

  He was pissed off. Advancing on his so-called friend, he began to pat him down, checking him for wires. Richard put his fingers behind his head, allowing him to check.

  “You don’t trust easy, do you?”

  “In my experience, a man with your persistence has a reason. I haven’t given you one.”

  “Let’s say I’m bored and you seem like fun.”

  Diego didn’t find any wire, but he wasn’t ready to back down. Keeping his weapon drawn, he stared at Richard. “What the fuck is your deal?”

  “Simple, I’ve got nothing left to lose, and you seem like a fun kind of guy.”

  “I don’t do anything in this world that’s fun.”

  “You ever wonder why you’ve always been lucky, Diego?” Richard asked.

  This made him frown as he looked at the other man.

  “Are you more than a security specialist?” He didn’t for a second believe this was all a coincidence. In his life believing the good of people got you killed.

  “I didn’t say I was just a security specialist. Let’s say you and I have a common enemy, and that person is closing in.” Richard pulled out a card. “I want us to talk business but not here.” Diego didn’t take the card, and Richard laughed. “That’s okay. It’s always good to be on guard.” He placed the card on the floor. “I’m here as a friend.”

  “Why are you telling me this shit now?”

  “Because when an enemy starts to gain power, it’s a dangerous thing. I’m not willing to take any more risks. I won’t tell you more now. Call me, and we’ll talk.” Richard left without a second glance.

  Diego didn’t drop his gun. He kept his gaze trained all around him before finally picking up the card. It was the same card Richard gave out for security details. He didn’t have a fucking clue what was going on, and he didn’t like it.

  Seeing Richard though reminded him of his interaction a few hours ago. Where Richard knew who he was and who he was dealing with, Belle did not. The blind woman didn’t react to his name. She didn’t flinch or look terrified.

  To Belle, he was a no one, just a guy with a club.

  She couldn’t see him. She’d never heard of his name.

  Being with her had an addictive quality. He meant nothing to her, and he liked that.

  Driving her home had been an interesting experience. It had been a long time since he drove himself. Even though he could take care of himself, his guards were there at all times to take care of him.

  Pocketing the card, he couldn’t think which enemy Richard could have.

  Being a capo, Diego had many enemies all around the city who would like to see him fall. Turning back to the warehouse, he saw the last of his cleanup crew leave, and he made his way toward his car. His driver was already waiting to take him to where he needed to go.

  “Home,” he said.

  Staring out the window, he watched the passing scenery, and his thoughts once again escaped to Belle. She was something else.

  There was no way he could pursue her. She’d be dead within a matter of weeks. His life didn’t allow him to chase after a woman. He had plenty lined up to take his cock.

  With each excuse he thought of to not be with her, he couldn’t help but want to break his own rules. Just for a taste. It was crazy, insane, and the stupidest thing he’d ever considered in his life. There’s no way it could end well. Besides, she worked at Angelo’s. He didn’t know how it was possible to work in his restaurant, but she did.

  He needed to take a trip there, but first, he’d demanded the employment records, and sure enough, Belle had been working for him since she was nineteen, for a year.

  She was way too young.

  Rubbing at his temples, he felt the beginnings of a headache. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out Richard’s card. This man had been bugging him for some time, and it irritated him to know he seemed to always know where he was.

  How long had Richard been following him?

  There were way too many questions tonight and not enough answers. Climbing out of the car as it pulled up to his home, he didn’t say anything as he entered his home. It was late, and there was only enough time for a couple of hours’ sleep.

  Just has he got to the bottom of the stairs about to make his way up to his room, he heard the sound of a throat being cleared.

  Even as he wanted to take his gun out and shoot his father, he didn’t. For all of his faults, his father had stepped down at the right time for him to take his place. Not many capos do that, at least not in his experience.

  “What is it, Father?” he asked.

  “We need to talk, son. Follow me.”

  He could ignore his father and just go to bed. Instead, he followed his father. After years of obedience, Diego thought he’d be over this shit by now, but it seemed no matter where he turned, he was always following his father in some way. He couldn’t really question the old man’s decisions. It was because of him that he’d lived a particularly long and healthy life.

  “So, what is it you want?” Diego asked, going straight for the hard liquor in the office.

  Diego was the only son to Antonio and Francesca, and after he was born what followed was years of miscarriages and stillborn babies until, eventually, they stopped trying for more. His father had found comfort in other women, and Diego knew for a fact some of those women had given birth. He had bastard brothers and sisters running around the world, but he hadn’t gone to seek them out. They had a whole other life away from here, away from him and the chaos it meant to be in this world.

  On another day, he wouldn’t give a fuck, but tonight he was tempted by the outside world. Where their lives were not controlled by a Boss and he could make his own decisions, which he knew were limited right now.

  His father still hadn’t spoken, so Diego looked at him just before downing his hard drink in one gulp.

  “Come on, what has you not only in my house, but also commanding me to do your bidding?”

  “It’s nearly time,” Antonio said.

  “What is?”

  “For another wife to be found for you. You know this day would come. This city needs a wife, and you need an heir.”

  Diego laughed. “Remember what happened the last time you meddled and got me a wife? She was nothing more than a treacherous bitch.”

  “That was a mistake.”

  “It was a mistake that could have cost me my life, and this fucking city.” He slammed the glass down. Rarely did he raise his voice to his father, but this was one thing he wouldn’t be pushed around over. Not at forty years old.