Secret Sins & White Lies

GIANCARLO VERRAZZANO lives a life forged out of the sins of his past. There was no going back. Or so he thought...
Young Elise of the Von Schiller family was sent to Gian to mentor without divulging her identity. A professed cynic to love, she manages to draw him in with her innocent charm and cheeky wit, while her beauty awakens his inner demons. These are secrets she must not ever know.
Then an old enemy comes back to the city, and he exposes her to keep her safe. But it forces him to confess his connection to a secret club that caters to the darkest secrets of tortured souls...

ELISE SOLER dreads the day she has to face the world as a Von Schiller heiress.
At the same time, she fights being spoiled by her over-protective guardian and mentor. Gian is so committed to his duties and she can never believe the nasty rumors she hears about him. In his safeguarding, she has never felt more safe - especially with the spate of young women missing in the city.
But when he himself confesses those rumors are true, she has to step back and see with unbiased eyes the real man lurking behind the almost perfect mask...

Excerpt:

"Sobrang lasing ko ba kagabi? Wala ako masyadong maalala."
"Yes, lasing na lasing ka."
"Of course, you witnessed every stupid thing that I did and said."
"I prevented most of them," nagmamalaki niyang sabi.
Ninenerbyos akong natawa saka nagbaba ng tingin para iwasan ang panunudyo sa mga mata niya. Nag-focus ako sa aking kape.
"You did remember what you've said and done, right?"
Shit. Iyong init sa mga pisngi ko, nagliliyab na nga po. "Nope."
"Liar..."
Shit. Shit talaga. Gayang gaya sa pagkakasabi ko niyon kagabi. "Hindi ko talaga maalala."
"You were trying to kiss me."
Napaangat ang mukha ko sa kanya. "I did?" I did? Bakit hindi ko maalala?
"Oh, yes." Tumatango-tango pa siya, nangingiti ang mga labi. "Ilang beses. I, of course, won't let you."
Nagbaba akong muli ng tingin. "Of course..." sabi ko sa maliit na tinig.
"You were very drunk. You didn't know what you were doing. How can I take you seriously?"
It took a second, or two, before I really heard the words. Pipi akong napatingin muli sa kanya.
I didn't remember asking him to kiss me last night. But I remembered telling him I like him. Hindi lang bilang guardian o kaibigan. The context was very clear.
"Kasi... you're the only man I really ever liked... more than Brandon. He's got nothing compared to you."
Nakatitig siya sa akin, hinihintay ang sasabihin ko.
No. Any minute now, tatawa siya nang malakas.
But he didn't. Nanatili siyang nakatitig. At nakikita ko ang isa pa niyang sinasabi sa mukha niya.
I knew what you meant last night. Now, I want to know more about it.