Page 100 of Fearless Sinner

I reach the studio in less than ten minutes and race up the stairs.

I’m so fucking glad when I see Chloe in the big hall I nearly cry.

She’s dressed in her black leotard and doing stretches at the ballet barre in the far corner.

She has piano music playing from her phone on the floor. I’m guessing I couldn’t get through to her because she might have the settings switched to do not disturb or airplane mode.

I rush inside the studio and she sees me. She straightens and meets me halfway.

“Cillian.”

“Baby.” I scoop her up into my arms and check her to make sure she’s not hurt.

“What happened?” Her beautiful eyes search mine, panicked.

“Are you okay?” I’m still checking her.

“I’m fine.”

“I thought you were going to be at home.”

“I needed to… dance.” I can hear in her tone that she’s still off with me because of last night. “What’s going on?”

“Harlan is dead.”

She gasps. “What?”

“I need to take you home.”

“But I have a lot of work I?—”

I crush my lips to hers, wanting to feel her because I miss her like I haven’t seen her in centuries, and when I thought she could be in danger, it killed me. That one single thought literally destroyed me.

I never got to kiss her last night because she was asleep by the time I came out of the shower, and I didn't kiss her this morning because she was asleep when I left. On both occasions I didn’t want to wake her. Not because I wanted her to sleep but because I was still caught up in the trap I set for myself.

I kiss her now as if it’s the first time and the last. I don’t stop until I feel I can, then I hold her close to me. “Please come home with me. I need to make sure you’re safe.”

She nods slowly. “Okay. But please can you tell me what’s going on?”

“I will.”

I take her hand, grab her phone and her bags, and lead her away.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chloe

My nerves feel like they’re on fire and will explode any moment now.

Cillian and I are back at home. We’re sitting next to each other on the sofa in the living room.

The tension filling the room is so strong my body feels tight and heavy with it.

Cillian told me what happened to Harlan and the message he received. He also assured me that he’d doubled the guards at the hospital and restaurant, so my family should be safe.

He wanted to wait until we reached home to talk to me about everything else.

The threat was bad enough and has left me feeling like I’m walking on threads, but I know what he’s going to tell me is so much worse.

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