Page 18 of Psycho Sinners

I was setting about making a few espressos from the machine, and he happily took the first one I made. I cast him a harsh look, but he just waggled his brows before taking a hefty gulp, unfussed by the heat of it.

“Clearly,” Julian scoffed as he strode up behind him, inspecting his back.

“Bit my lip too. Haven’t had that happen for a while,” he stated, turning to rummage through the pantry.

I caught the nail marks scattered on his back, several looking like they’d even bled.

Well, she certainly did have claws.

“Offered her food?” I set aside a mug for her, while Julian took the other that I wasn’t holding.

“Not yet, Julian wanted to test her out,” Cristian stated before taking a bite from the apple he’d found.

“She’s hungover,” I stated, but Julian shrugged.

“Just a quick trial, see if she’s worth the hassle.”

I planted one hand on the counter, watching as Julian set his mug down and headed for the bathroom.

This certainly would be interesting.

I sipped my coffee with Cristian beside me, his own mug poised at his lips.

Julian knocked on the door, but there was no answer.

“Hopefully she hasn’t offed herself in there.” Cristian’s heavy sigh made me tap a finger uneasily on the counter.

“The woman she was with last night is still here. Security says they were on the phone and looked distressed earlier,” I shared. He’d said the bartender had been involved as well. I didn’t like people being involved in our affairs. We didn’t need this to get messy.

“Yeah, she was on the phone, I jammed the signal though.” Cristian shrugged, his tattooed body a stark contrast to the navy suit I wore today. There was a meeting I was due to attend in a few hours, but I’d wanted to see what the drama here was about first.

“We’ll have to deal with them. Don’t want them causing us trouble with this one.” I glanced at my phone, annoyed that he’d jammed the signal in here. I’d better not miss an important call. “Julian, we need her phone,” I called out, not liking the thought of being off-line for too long.

“Got it.” Julian pulled out the universal key for all the rooms in the apartment. Something we’d implemented after the first episode of one of Cristian’s pets locking themselves in the bathroom.

I sipped my coffee, wondering just how this was going to play out.

“Come out, little kitty. I hear you’re quite some fun.” Julian was grinning as he pushed open the bathroom door and barged in.

I sure as shit didn’t expect him to get thwacked.

6

SCARLET

Sickness swam in my gut, but I forced myself to ignore the churning.

I gripped the hair dryer like it was my last lifeline, hating the fear that rippled over me as the door was flung open.

Of course they had a damn key, but I was ready.

Whoever came through that door had made the mistake of underestimating me, stepping into the bathroom with that smug look plastered on his too-pretty face.

I swung with more force than finesse as those dark brown eyes caught mine for just a split moment, confusion searing across his features only a fraction of a second before the hair dryer collided with his skull. The cord and plug skittered across the floor as he stumbled to the side, and I readied myself to strike him again.

“What the fuck!”

I didn't relent, smashing the dryer into his face once more, not faltering when I saw red trickle down from his temple. Blood—a sight that had stopped bothering me far too long ago. But then his arm shot out, faster than I could react, and suddenly my back was pressed against the cool wall, the air knocked out of me and my weapon torn from my grip. He didn’t release me as he pressed me against the wall with his body, tossing the hair dryer to the floor. The sound of clattering on the dark tiles made me flinch, and this only seemed to excite him more as he arched a brow, a twisted smile splitting his face. He reminded me far too much of Cristian, although his face was more angular, and I tried to ignore the oddly intoxicating cologne I could smell on him.

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