Sinner's Obsession

Sinner’s Obsession Syndicate of Sinners Book One Bianca Borell Copyright 2023 Bianca Borell All Rights Reserved This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, real people, and real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, organizations or places is entirely coincidental. All rights are reserved. This book is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the express written permission of the author. All songs, song titles, and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders. Disclaimer: The material in this book contains graphic language and sexual content and is intended for mature audiences, ages 18 and older. ISBN: 978-3-9824854-3-0 Editing by Belle Manuel Editorial Services, Rumi Khan, Missy Borucki Proofreading by Raine Pimentel Lam, Michele Ficht Book design by The Cover Fling Cover design by The Cover Fling Cover Image Copyright 2023 First Edition Published 2023 All Rights Reserved This book is a dark romance. It includes some triggers such as graphic violence, explicit sexual scenes, murder, and other mature situations. Sinner’s Obsession is a full-length, interconnected standalone. To those who took a leap of faith. I hope wondrous experiences await you. “Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us. When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused.” – Paulo Coelho Dedication Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Connect with Me Online Acknowledgments Note from the Author About the Author BIANCA BORELL Trepidation skitters down my spine when I see my father’s name on my phone. One ring, two, three rings seep through my skin like rattling snakes. I pick up, holding my breath as I touch the screen to answer. “It is time to return home, Aurora. The jet will arrive in a few days. Be ready.” My father’s rough voice blasts through the phone speaker. He hangs up without another word, as if it’s a chore to talk to me. Which I know it is, considering this is the only time he has called me personally in the seven years since he sent me away. My father pays a fortune to keep me secluded here, even though I finished my studies a year ago. Thankfully, with my grades and Sister Theodora’s help, I’ve been taking online English literature classes at the local university. Tears spill from my eyes, and Chiara, my best friend, hugs me as I cry in her arms. She should be crying, but she’s the stronger one between the two of us. I’m not the one who’s being forced to marry—you’d think arranged marriages were a thing of the past. But here she is, consoling me. Two girls suffering at the whims of their fathers. “Everything will be all right.” “How can you be so sure?” I ask, dreading the unknown. Inside the walls of this all-girls school, I have come to know what is expected of me. But outside, there is a whole world of undisclosed expectations. “Because one day we won’t be at the mercy of our fathers.” “Don’t do anything stupid when you get home.” She flops onto her back. Her black hair spills in unruly waves over the pillow. With a huff, she waves a hand. “I can’t just accept my fate as if I am not even my own person. My entire life has been mapped out for me from birth, Aurora. From the fucking womb. I want a life, a career. I want to do things my way. When or if I want to marry, it should be for love and not to secure my father’s position and power.” “At least you know what is expected of you.” Icicles of fear stab my back. Seven years ago, all I wanted was to return home. But with every year, apprehension rose. My father sent me here to an all-girls Catholic school for a reason: to not be seen, even forgotten, just because I look like my mother. My dead mother who betrayed my father. My gut screams at me at the impending danger. The only reason my father wants me back is because he has another purpose for me. “I’m so fucking tired of being nothing more than my father’s chess piece. I’m not even the queen, just an insignificant pawn ready to be sacrificed for the greater good.” Anger strikes her cheeks red. I place my hand over hers. “There is peace in accepting things we can’t change.” “No. And what did that bring you, huh? I won’t accept being so helpless.” A sigh rolls from my lips. The alarms on our phones go off. Time for dinner. Cold, gray walls surround me. The old wooden floor quakes with every step I take. Through the big lattice-covered window, the sun battles with the heavy clouds gathering. With elbows looped together, we step into the hallway. All around, a damp smell of hopelessness clings to our gray uniforms, our steps, and our words. Still, I’ve found peace in this place cut out of civilization. It’s comfortable for a prison. Our steps echo in the arched hallway. The walls are wide and