Page 90 of The Secrets of a Sin

I was on a beach alone.

All there was to be heard were the sounds of the waves crashing onto the shore and the slight breeze that filled the air. It seemed familiar as if I’ve been here before or have seen it somewhere. Peering down at my bare feet, I wiggle my toes and let the warmth of the sand soothe me. My head instantly tilts back, and I let the sun's rays heat the rest of my body. Christ, this was so relaxing. I needed to get my feet into the water until I felt someone come up from behind me. Slowly spinning around, I see Arsen.

What was he doing here?

He looked different. Only in a blue pair of swim shorts, his chest and scars were on full display while his hair was slicked back, almost like he wanted to blend in with the normal population. Regardless, he was still the most beautiful man I have ever seen in my life.

“You need to wake up.” He closes the distance between us and rests his palm against my cheek. His soft eyes take me in lovingly, and I immediately press into him. “Wake up, Charlotte, please.”

What the hell is he talking about?

Suddenly, the waves started to pick up, and their once smooth collision was quickly turning violent. I peer all around me, noticing the change in my surroundings. The sky is now cloudy and dark while the wind elevates and threatens to knock me off my feet.

“Charlotte.” Arsen rubs at my face, trying desperately to get my attention with his urgent words. My gaze immediately locks on his, and I’m struck by the change in his appearance. His face is bloodied and bruised, and I can’t help but reach my hand out to touch his wounds.

“It’s time to wake up, angel.” He mumbles softly, and suddenly everything vanishes. The beach. Arsen. Everything. Now, all I see is darkness around me.

“Charlotte!” A voice shouts, but this time, it sounds pained and frantic. Groaning, I try to open my eyes, but I feel so fucking tired. My bones and muscles ache, making it extremely difficult to come to my senses. But once again, the familiar voice shouts.

“Fuck! Charlotte!”

Arsen.

My eyes crack open a smidge, and I realize wherever I am, it’s not my bedroom. It’s cold and dark, but flickering lights envelop me as my eyes continue to adjust. I try to move my body, but I soon realize my hands are tied behind my back, as are my feet.

“Charlotte, thank fuck.” Arsen’s voice breaths in relief in front of me. “Look at me.” He pleads, and I frantically try to focus, and when I do, I come to realize where we are.

The Devil’s Barons.

In their sacred spot.

What the fuck are we doing here?

My breathing hitches, and my stare lands on Arsen, who is shirtless and tied to a wooden chair in front of me. His dark hair is strewn over his forehead messily while his eyes seem full of regret and fury.

“What’s going on?” I try to wiggle my way out of the binds, but I’m bound too tightly to the chair to break free. Glancing around what seems like empty ruins, I notice small candles placed around us, and they’re all lit. Every single one of them flickers into the eerily dark sky, and that’s when my heart plummets, and my nerves rise as I realize we’re not alone.

They’re here somewhere. I just don’t know where they are hiding.

“They drugged us, Charlotte.” He goes on. “They spiked our drinks at the club.”

The club.

I am slowly remembering bits of pieces when an image of Annalise and Priscilla between my legs hits me.

They fucking assaulted me.

Tears burn my vision, and Arsen immediately notices. “I’ll get us out of here. But you need to stay strong for me, Charlotte. I need you, too.” He begs as if it pains him to see me crying.

“You kissed her.” I confess, feeling foolish for bringing it up at a time like this, but I need to know the truth.

He shakes his head profusely, and with heated eyes, he adjoins our stares. “The redhead? She kissed me when I was fucking out of it.”

But why would they drug us both? Was it their plan all along to be at the club with us?

Questions swirled inside my head, but nothing was making sense as to why we were both bound in the middle of the forest. There had to be more going on besides what I already uncovered, and whatever it was, has to be far more disturbing.

Suddenly, a sound of a tree branch breaking from beside us causes our heads to turn in that direction, and all I see is a flash of white.

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