Sinfully Yours, Sir (Doms of Decadence 4)

Miller narrowed her gaze. “I know that. But I couldn’t just take my father’s word for it. I needed to know for sure.”

“And you thought Iker would just tell you?”

“No, I figured if I could get close to him I might be able to find out something. People talk when they’re drunk or high. I guessed I hoped I could catch someone who might know at the right time. I pretended to be a junkie, but they didn’t believe me.”

“So you told them what your father told you.”

“I thought they’d trust me after that. But I just became someone to use. They got to Javier and he told them Tilly had the money. I tried to escape, but they beat and drugged me. I never imagined Tilly would try to save me.” Miller looked ill. “That was so dangerous.”

“Luckily, she had help.”

“You helped her,” Miller said. “Thank God. If Iker had gotten hold of her, I would never have forgiven myself. He’s an evil man.”

“You don’t have to worry about him anymore,” he told her. He hadn’t meant to say anything, but he didn’t like how afraid she was. She was his responsibility now.

“You killed him,” she said.

“You don’t have to worry about him anymore,” he repeated.

Relief had her sagging. “Thank God.”

She’d been stupid and naïve and she’d placed Tilly in danger. But she was a victim as well.

“How did I end up here?” she asked, gesturing to the room.

Rogan filled her in on everything that had happened.

By the time he finished, she was looking even paler than before. She placed a hand over her stomach. “Oh God, I feel ill. Tilly should just stay away from me.”

“As soon as she can visit you, she will.”

Miller just shook her head.

“Miller, listen to me. Listen,” he ordered.

She raised her stricken gaze to meet his. “Do not waste this second chance you’ve been given. Yeah, you were stupid. You could have gotten yourself killed. But your father would have talked eventually and placed Tilly in danger. At least you tried to warn her, even if things didn’t work out quite as you expected. What you need to do now is get well, pick yourself up and find a way to get on with your life.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

He wasn’t so sure himself. But he knew that getting her to believe she was strong enough was half the battle.

“You can. You’re a fighter, you wouldn’t have survived your time with the Vipers if you weren’t.”

“I don’t feel like a fighter,” she whispered.

“Did they hurt you?” he asked.

“They hit me, but nothing else. As far as I know. I would know, wouldn’t I?”

“You’d know,” he told her firmly, even though he wasn’t sure himself.

She relaxed slightly.

“What happens next?” she asked, sounding small and lost.

Rogan stood and pulled up the covers. “Now, you lie back down and close your eyes. You’re going to go to sleep.”

“I don’t think I can.”