King of Greed (Kings of Sin, #3)

by Ana Huang

“I don’t have the money to buy you all the flowers you deserve yet,” he said, sounding so solemn and formal I couldn’t help but smile at the contrast between his tone and the jar of colorful paper flowers in his hands. “So I made them instead.” My breath caught in my throat. “Dom…” There must’ve been hundreds of flowers in there. I didn’t want to think about how long it took him to make them. “Happy birthday, amor.” His mouth lingered on mine in a long, sweet kiss. “One day, I’ll buy you a thousand real roses. I promise.”

If only it didn’t take me leaving to unbury a piece of the person I’d fallen in love with.

“Você e eu. Para sempre.” You and me. Forever.

Without her, there was no me.

“How romantic.” “I’m past romantic, Alessandra. I’m desperate.”

A smile ghosted his mouth when I sighed, and I caught the tiniest glimpse of the man he used to be—the one who carried me uphill in the pouring rain because my heel broke, who kissed me good night every night no matter how late he came home, and who attempted to bake one of the elaborate cakes I’d saved on Pinterest for my birthday. His cake had come out decidedly un-Pinterest-like, but I’d loved it anyway. It was the thought that counted. A stab of sentimentality drained the fight out of me. I sighed again, already exhausted from keeping myself together in his presence. “Sign the papers, Dom.”

The unlovable turned husband. But perseverance crumbled in the face of truth,

“You’re the only person I’ve ever loved.” I didn’t recognize my voice. It was too raw, too laced with emotions I’d sworn I would never feel. “Even if I didn’t show it. It’s always been you.” A fresh tear slid down her cheek. “I know.” But it’s not enough.

after one last, agonizing heartbeat, I signed our divorce papers.

“You can go on as many dates as you want, amor,” Dominic said softly. “But no one will love you like I do. Você e eu. Não tem comparação.”

“Josh, don’t you dare! I’m going to kill you!” she screamed a second before he tossed her into the water. She grabbed him at the last minute and he fell in with her, their laughs and curses echoing across the empty beach.

Marcelo had invited him over for dinner. Forget sibling vacations. Tomorrow, I’d be an only child because I was going to murder my brother. My soon-to-be-dead brother cleared his throat.

“Work will always be there,” he said. “Other things won’t.”

“I actually have something for you.” She reached into her pocket and retrieved a small silver object. She pressed it into my free hand, her eyes so tender it wrenched at my heart. “A reminder. No matter how dark it gets, you can always find a light.” The sun had set, cloaking the town in shadows. Alessandra and Marcelo’s house was dark and quiet; they’d gone out for dinner after all. The click of my lighter was the only sound interrupting the stillness. I stared at the flame as it danced against the night and illuminated the words engraved in silver. To Dom Love always, Ále

A smile curved along Dominic’s mouth, as dark and cold as midnight ice. “Have we met?”

I’ll always think of you on this day.

“Well,” Kai said, his posh British accent sounding a tad too dignified for the situation. “This is awkward.”