THE SIN BROTHER’S DAMNATION

04

EVA

They turned to each other with matching frowns.

"Are you expecting anyone?" they asked in unison.

For a second, they stared at each other before one groaned. "Oh shit."

The dark-haired one met my gaze with a smirk.

"Don't get too ambitious."

"That's right," the blonde said roughly as he reached for me.

He lowered his head, his breath hot against my face. His lips brushed my jaw, slow and deliberate, aiming to capture my lips.

The sound of the doorbell came again. Then again. Then a frantic, insistent series of rings.

"Che assurdità è questa?" The blonde man snarled, pulling back.

He stalked off the bed, naked and furious. Yanked on a pair of jeans, but left them unbuttoned.

I lay there, my legs spread, my chest heaving, my body screaming for release that never came. Humiliation hit me like a tidal wave. I was soaked, aching, and exposed.

"Stay with her, brother. I'll see which bastard it is." The dark-haired man said as he wrapped the discarded towel around his waist. But the towel hung carelessly around his waist, as though even the fabric knew better than to slip.

"She's ours for the night," the blonde replied and glanced at me with a flat smile. "We have the rest of the night to savour her, no rush. Especially since she's role playing the shy innocent virgin."

I opened my mouth to say something, but swallowed it right away. I'm doomed already.

"I'm going to f**k that bastard up." He murmured with pure anger as he joined his brother and headed for the door.

The door was unlocked and they stepped out. Just as I was about to relax, and release the breath I didn't know I was holding, a chill crawled all over my skin.

I looked up.

The dark-haired man's cold stare was fixed on me.

"Don't even think about it, little one. You'd be sorry."

I opened my mouth again, "I don't want—"

Bam!

He slammed the door shut and left the room.

For one heartbeat, everything went still.

I stared at the closed door, my pulse thundering in my ears.

This was my chance.

Ignoring the trembling in my legs, I scrambled off the bed. My discarded clothes lay scattered across the floor.

I snatched up my jacket and shrugged it on, pulling it tightly around myself, not even bothering with my panties, before hurrying after them.

They thought they could lock me in like a toy?

Fuck that.

I slowly eased the door open, extra careful to not make a sound.

I padded quietly downstairs, into an expansive living area. I stopped just short of the doorway, keeping myself hidden behind the wall. My heart was in my throat.

A young woman stood near the entrance. She looked about my age. Tall and elegant in a fitted black mini dress, with crimson lips and a small handbag clutched nervously at her side.

"...I'm terribly sorry for being late," she was saying. "There was an issue with the elevator. I came as quickly as I could."

The blonde folded his arms.

"...Who are you?"

The woman blinked.

"I'm Sophia from Bellavista Agency."

Silence followed.

"The agency booked me for this evening."

The brothers exchanged a glance.

"The escort?" the dark-haired one asked flatly.

"Yes."

Another silence followed.

This one lasted longer.

"I..." the woman frowned. "Is there a problem?"

Neither of them answered.

They simply looked at one another.

Then, almost simultaneously—

"Oh."

Without hesitation, I stepped out from behind the wall.

"I told you!"

Three heads immediately turned toward me.

"I tried to explain," I continued, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. "More than once."

Neither brother spoke.

"I said I was here about the apartment."

Still nothing.

"I said I wasn't the woman you were expecting."

The escort's eyes darted between us, confusion written plainly across her face.

"I'm... sorry," she said cautiously. "Have I misunderstood something?"

The blonde looked back at her.

"No."

His voice was calm again.

"We're no longer requiring your services."

She frowned.

"I'm sorry?"

"You may return to your agency."

She hesitated. "I was booked for the evening."

"You'll be compensated."

"But—"

"You're dismissed."

The room fell quiet.

The woman looked from one brother to the other before giving a slow nod.

"...Very well."

She offered me one puzzled glance, then a small bitter smile.

"Lucky girl." She muttered, then turned on her heel without another word.

The front door clicked shut behind her.

Silence settled over the room once more.

I folded my arms tightly across my chest, lifting my chin despite the heat burning in my cheeks.

"There."

Neither man looked particularly embarrassed.

The dark-haired one merely exhaled, as he dragged a hand through his dark hair, then looked at his brother. "Well... this is inconvenient."

He looked at me.

"It appears," he said evenly, "that you were telling the truth."

I stared at him, baffled by his complete lack of remorse. "That's all you have to say?"

The blonde shrugged.

"Mistakes do happen."

I laughed, not at all amused.

"You abducted the wrong woman. You never even let me explain myself, and now you're not going to apologize?"

"Well, you entered the wrong suite."

"I was looking for an apartment!"

Neither of them spoke.

The blonde stood by the window, one hand in his pocket, the other rubbing thoughtfully along his jaw.

The dark-haired man studied me with an unreadable expression, as though seeing me properly for the first time.

Not the hungry look from upstairs.

Not the trembling girl they'd mistaken for an escort.

Just... a woman standing in an oversized jacket, barefoot, furious, and refusing to lower her chin despite everything.

"You said..." he began, "...you were here about an apartment."

"Yes."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"You weren't lying."

"No."

Another beat of silence.

"So why Palazzo Vittoria?" the blonde asked without turning around.

I frowned.

"What?"

"People don't usually wander into Palazzo Vittoria looking for affordable housing. And they aren't exactly advertised to university students."

"I never said I was a university student."

"No," he agreed. "You didn't."

His gaze shifted back to me.

"But you don't look like someone shopping for a penthouse."

The words stung.

"I wasn't shopping for a penthouse."

"What, then?"

I hesitated. I hated that answering felt like handing them another piece of myself.

But they already knew enough.

"My lease ends next week."

Neither interrupted.

"I'm looking for somewhere affordable." I folded my arms tighter around myself. "My friend gave me an address."

The brothers exchanged another glance.

"I thought it'd be better to come tonight, since it was affordable."

I laughed bitterly.

"Turns out I was standing outside the wrong door."

The corner of the dark-haired man's mouth twitched. It wasn't quite a smile.

"That explains your persistence."

"I wasn't being persistent."

I looked directly at him.

"I was trying to stop two lunatics from making the biggest mistake of their lives."

The blonde let out a quiet breath that almost sounded like amusement.

"An unfortunate misunderstanding."

"Oh, is that what we're calling it now?"

"What would you call it?"

I stared at him in disbelief.

"You kidnapped me."

"We detained you."

"You threatened me."

"You were uncooperative."

"I was confused!"

"You were in the wrong suite."

"You never let me explain!"

The room fell silent again.

For the first time, neither man had an immediate reply.

The dark-haired man studied me with new interest. And finally spoke. “You need a place to live. And you haven't found one."

"No."

He nodded once, as though arriving at a decision.

"I believe we can solve that problem."

I stared at both of them.

"You no longer need to look for an apartment." The blonde added casually.

I frowned.

He walked toward one of the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.

"You came here because you needed a place to live. That is no longer a problem."

I blinked. "What? What do you mean?"

"We own several properties."

The dark-haired brother leaned casually against the bar.

"You'll be given one."

I stared at them.

"You can't be serious."

"We are."

"There has to be a catch."

"Naturally. You're a smart one, I'll give you that."

The blonde finally turned back to face me.

"You'll sign an agreement."

"What agreement?"

"You'll stay exclusively with us for the duration of the contract."

"It's a companionship agreement." The dark-haired man cut in.

I narrowed my eyes, "Meaning?"

He answered without blinking. "You belong to us."

"Say what you actually mean." I said, certain I'm misunderstanding them.

"You'll be our private slut." The blonde said bluntly, his voice low. “Whenever we want. However we want. You live here, free, and we take care of you.”

The words hit me like a slap. My face burned with humiliation even as my traitorous body clenched at the memory of their tongues and hands.

"Okay."

"f**k you both!" I spat. “I’d rather sleep under a bridge than be your whore.”

"Ok" he nodded.

"You think..." I shook my head in disbelief. "You think you can make this disappear by offering me an apartment?"

"No."

The dark-haired man smiled faintly.

"We're offering you a solution."

"A solution?"

"You need somewhere to live."

"I need freedom."

"You'll have both."

"No."

He tilted his head.

"No?"

"Like I said, I'd rather sleep under a bridge."

For the first time that night, the blonde actually smiled.

It wasn't warm. It was intrigued.

"You say that now."

"I mean it. And for the record, I don't belong to anyone. Especially not you. What the hell do you take me for?"

I pulled my jacket tighter around myself.

"You know what? Take your apartment..." I met each of their eyes in turn. "...shove it where the sun doesn't shine and go to f*****g hell."

Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked toward the door.

"Walk away, little one." The blonde said quietly behind me.

"We'll see how long your pride pays your rent."