Page 21 of A Sinner's Virtue
“You sure?”
“I’m more than okay.” Zoe smiles. “But are you? I came here to see if you were okay, not to… well, you know.” Her eyes run up my body, and it’s a bloody good thing she can’t see the bruising under my shirt.
“I could be on my deathbed and I’d still find the energy to fuck you, babe. Nothing is going to stop me from the kind of heaven you’re offering,” I tell her.
I watch as Zoe’s cheeks flame red. “Okay, well. Now that I know you’re good… I’ll, uh, I should go,” she says, clearly flustered.
“I’ll walk you. Where did you park?” I pick up my bag and then hers from the floor, where they were both discarded near the door.
“Lucy dropped me off. I’ll just get an Uber back to the office.”
“I’ll drive you.” Taking Zoe’s hand in mine, I open the door and walk out. The hallway is practically empty, but Zoe still stares at the ground, avoiding all possible eye contact.
We’re not even ten steps away from the building when my name’s being called out. I turn around and find Dom charging towards us, Lucy trailing close behind him.
“Zoe? Seriously?” he grunts, stopping just in front of us. “Does Izzy know about this little union of yours?”
“No.” Zoe shakes her head.
I look between them. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell Dom to fuck off, but he’s her friend. Fuck, he’s my friend too. Although that could change quickly if he keeps staring at Zoe like she’s done something wrong. I learnt early that there really is no such thing as friends when you run in the circles I do. Everyone is always waiting for the opportunity to stab you in the back.
“You know this isn’t going to end well for him.” Dom dips his head towards me. Zoe glances in my direction, and a look of guilt crosses her face.
“Whatever you’re thinking, stop,” I tell her before directing my attention to Dom. “I’m more than capable of handling myself.”
“I’m aware, but you don’t know who her family is. I do. And you know, it’s a little fucking strange to me but I don’t want to see your ass in the ground just yet,” Dom admits.
“Aw, mate, I knew there was something still beating in that cold, dead heart of yours.” I smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” I tell him. “I’d love to stick around and chat and all, but I got better shit to do.” I don’t let go of Zoe’s hand as I pivot back around and start walking away.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, fucker,” Dom calls out after me.
Raising my free hand, I hold up my middle finger without missing a step.
I have no idea what’s going on in Zoe’s head right now. I shouldn’t care. I really need to get my shit together. I’m not supposed to get attached to a woman. I can already feel myself not wanting to let go of Zoe, and that’s a huge fucking problem.
Zoe doesn’t say a single word the whole ride to her office. She doesn’t ask how I knew where she worked when I pull up out front either. Instead, she turns to me with a sadness in her eyes I want to wipe away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have started this. With you. I never thought you’d get hurt because of me. And I won’t be the reason anything else happens to you.”
I lean forward and press my lips against hers, holding the back of her head to keep her close to me. “I didn’t get hurt because of you. And nothing is going to happen. Trust me.”
“You don’t know that. My family, they’re… protective. Mikhail isn’t going to approve of this.”
“You know, I’m the one who’s meant to be warning you away from me because of who my family is. Because of our curse. And I can’t find it within myself to end this, or try to scare you off.”
“What do you mean curse?” Zoe raises her brows at me.
“My family is cursed. Love never ends well for us, for the women who end up falling for a De Bellis anyway.”
“Wait… You actually believe that? That you’re cursed?” Zoe’s lips tip up into a smile.
“Can’t deny cold hard facts, babe.” I lift one shoulder.
“Okay, well, I don’t believe in curses. But that’s beside the point of this conversation.”
“Then what is the point?”
“That we shouldn’t be doing this. Whatever this is,” she says.
“We shouldn’t. But we’re going to do it anyway.” I lean in and press my mouth to hers again. My tongue slides through the seam of her slightly parted lips. She opens wider for me, granting me the access to the part of her I desperately want to taste.
