By Virtue I Fall (Sins of the Fathers #3)(41)

“Your expression is very strained. What’s going on? Not happy with your croissant?” Anna hit me with a teasing smile.

I wasn’t sure why but since our evening yesterday, I found her more tolerable than in the past. It was probably a sensation that would pass soon. If I could count on one thing then it was Anna’s talent to drive me up the wall.

“Just trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I’ll be living in France for a while.”

“There are far worse places to live than Paris.”

I had to admit I was pleasantly surprised by Paris so far, but I still would have preferred to return to Chicago.

“How about we do something you want today?” Anna suggested, surprising me.

Unfortunately, my mind went straight to a scene from my dream last night, which was definitely not something that would happen today.

Or any day.

I hadn’t done much research on Paris. It wasn’t a leisure trip after all, but there was one thing that had caught my eye when I’d read about the city before our trip. “The Catacombs.”





Doing the Catacombs on a cold winter day and walking home in the snowy rain probably wasn’t the best choice. Anna was shivering when we finally got home.

“Admit it, you were trying to let me freeze to death so you could return to Chicago.”

“If you freeze to death under my watch, I better not return to Chicago. Your father would make my last days on earth very unpleasant.”

“Dad’s a fair Capo.”

I smiled sardonically. Maybe she forgot that I had been his enforcer for years. Yes, Dante was fair, but that didn’t make him any less brutal and ruthless than any other Capo. He judged you by his standards of moral and fairness. “I don’t think that would be the case if you were concerned.”

“Then you better make sure I warm up quickly,” Anna said, peeling off her soaked blazer. The blouse beneath it was see-through and clung to her body. Her lace bra teased me through the sheer fabric.

“Take a hot shower,” I said. I didn’t easily feel cold but even I was looking forward to a warm shower later.

Anna leaned in the doorway to the bathroom, snowflakes melting on her hair. “We could take a shower together.” She bit her lip. “Or you could start by warming my lips with yours.”

Had she forgotten that kissing her had brought me here in the first place? And the worst thing was that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. “Why would I kiss you again? So you can blackmail me again?”

I kicked off my wet shoes.

She sighed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I’m sorry about that. I shouldn’t have used our kiss against you, and I swear I won’t ever do it again. Paris just meant so much to me.”

“More than my safety and feelings anyway.”

“I didn’t know you had feelings. You’re so good at hiding them.”

I only stared at her, not in the slightest amused. And I sure as fuck wouldn’t start sharing my feelings with Anna, especially when they had been all over the place in the last few weeks.

“It’s not true. I would have never told Dad anything, even if you hadn’t done what I wanted.”

“I’m supposed to take your words for that?”

Anna looked honestly hurt but I didn’t want to let her off easily. No one had ever blackmailed me before. “I’ve never ratted someone out when it really mattered. Not even Leonas after he pissed me off.”

“I guess we’ll never know. I’m here in Paris now, so you got your wish.”

She looked away. “Then don’t believe me.” She disappeared in the bathroom and for some reason, I felt a hint of guilt when it was really Anna would feel that way. That woman was messing with my mind again!

I went into my room and got out of my wet clothes and put on warm sweatpants.

A screech rang out. I raced out of my room, grabbing my gun on the way and storming into the bathroom, not even thinking about it. Anna stood in front of the shower stall, dripping wet and stark naked.

I froze, my mind drawing a blank for a moment. I lowered my gun. “What’s going on?” My voice was strangely hoarse. Anna’s eyes took in my naked chest, and she didn’t bother covering herself. I should have looked away, but I simply couldn’t. She was absolutely breathtaking. My imagination, even my wildest dreams hadn’t done her justice. Goose bumps covered her entire body. Her nipples were hard and dusty pink, her breasts perfectly round. Droplets of water traveled down her belly, catching in her lovely belly button, except for a few wayward drops that slid lower to the trimmed triangle of dark hair.

I forced my gaze back up, only to meet Anna’s coy smile. “Like what you see?”

Like? I was fucking mesmerized. “Why did you scream?”

“The water suddenly turned ice cold.”

I narrowed my eyes as I walked closer to her. I grabbed a towel and held it out to her. She needed to cover herself if I wanted to focus on anything but her body. “Here.” She took the towel with a cocked eyebrow, but simply held it in her hand instead of wrapping it around herself.

Gritting my teeth, I reached inside the shower stall only to feel warm water. “The water’s warm.”

Anna held her fingers beneath the stream. I really tried to ignore how close her naked body was to mine, how good she smelled, how much I wanted to reach out and pull her against me. Her lips formed an “O” when she felt the water. She gave me a sheepish smile. “It was cold, I swear.”