By Virtue I Fall (Sins of the Fathers #3)(13)

“Not a thing, unless you mean her occasional alcohol consumption. I doubt that’s enough.”

“She’s got you.”

Yep, Anna had me. Since she caught me with Mrs. Alfera a month ago, she’d never stopped reminding me of her new advantage, and only a few days ago she’d finally used it to blackmail me into getting her and her bestie Sofia into Danilo’s birthday party. I knew those two had something else planned than shaking their booties to the beat but I was in Anna’s hands, and she knew it.





As expected, the party turned out to be a major shitshow that ended with Sofia crying her eyes out over something her fiancé Danilo had done and Anna panicked because of her friend’s state. I was majorly pissed because it was only a matter of time before someone would let something slip to Dante. Dad was already suspicious too. My career was about to go down the drain, all thanks to little Miss Perfect.

After the party, I dragged Anna up to her room in the Cavallaro lodge where we were staying. “Stay in this room and don’t do anything stupid tonight. I’m sick of dealing with this.”

Anna crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe you should stay here with me to make sure I behave.”

“No thanks. I don’t need any more drama in my life than I already have. I’m sure Danilo would agree with me.”

Her eyes flashed and she sauntered closer to me, which looked strange in her Chucky the murder doll costume she’d picked for the costume party.

“Maybe it would be the kind of drama you enjoy.”

I cocked an eyebrow. If Anna thought she could seduce me dressed like a killer puppet, she had to be more drunk than I thought, though I hadn’t seen her drink any alcohol. “I don’t think you have anything to offer that I’d enjoy.”

Now she was furious, which fit her killer doll costume so much better than the seductress expression. “We both know that’s not true.”

I didn’t want to consider what Anna might have to offer. Not tonight, not ever. “Go to sleep, Anna.”

I turned but Anna grabbed my arm. I gritted my teeth. She was testing my patience.

“You don’t mind bending the rules, so why don’t you with me?”

I glared down at her. “I’m not interested in you, Anna. I won’t have your dad skin my balls for the sloppy, inexperienced fumbling of a virgin.”

“Who says I’m a virgin?”

I laughed. This girl had written virgin all over her forehead whenever she pranced around me. “Because I have been guarding you for years and you were never alone with a guy unsupervised.”

“That’s not true. I was alone with Clifford when our families met.” She let her fingertips wander up my chest until I pushed her hand down. “I think he’d tell you I’m worth the drama.”

I had half a mind to give her a dose of her own medicine and throw her on the bed. Maybe she was playing around but she’d become the little prude virgin the second she was in bed with me. There was no way in hell that Clifford had dared going near her with Dante nearby. Anna was a good liar but that story was too ridiculous.

I took a deep breath through my nose, resisting the urge. I was a fucking adult and wouldn’t let a teenage girl’s provocation drive me to inappropriate actions. I released her as if she’d burned me. “This is my last warning, if you don’t stop this bullshit, I’ll resign.”

Her lips parted. “You wouldn’t.”

I leaned down. “Try me. I’ve been waiting for this chance for years.”

“If you resign, I’ll tell everyone you banged Mrs. Alfera.”

I lost it. I got in her face. “Do you want your daddy to kill me, Anna? Is that it? I’m sure if you ask him nicely, he’ll do his little girl the favor even without dragging Mrs. Alfera into the dirt with me.”

“I don’t want you dead, Santino,” she said quietly, for once earnest, which made her Chucky doll outfit even less fitting. “I want you to stop treating me like an annoying burden.”

“Then stop being one,” I muttered and closed the door in her face.

I took another deep breath. Anna would eventually give up.





Ever since the Christmas party, unwanted images of Santino banging Mrs. Alfera had popped into my mind.

Instead of putting me off, they’d made me want to experience Santino’s animalistic side myself. I could tell he was passionate and lacked control. I could only imagine what that would mean in the bedroom. Clifford’s words about me doing something about my virginity had only enforced my desire to experience pleasure before marriage. If Clifford gave me the green light, what stopped me?

Of course, I had to be discreet, not just because of Clifford. Mom and Dad would certainly not be happy if word about me getting naughty made the rounds.

Two major problems stopped me from pursuing my desire:

Constant surveillance through my family or Santino that prevented me from being alone with a guy.

Plus my unreasonable wish to experience sex with Santino.

I couldn’t get him out of my mind.

And he was a reasonable choice. After all, he lacked morals as his adventure with Mrs. Alfera proved and he was the only not-related man I was alone with all the time. He and I could get naughty without anyone ever finding out.