Page 98 of Charity's Redemption

“Hmm.”

His chest vibrated with response, awakening those butterflies. It made me wonder if he was the only one tortured by my plan. But only a small part of me wished I didn’t do what I just did. I could’ve had him between my thighs devouring me right now, easing the painful ache that’d built throughout the day. But instead, torture was on the forefront of my mind, and now we were both on the receiving end.

Max dusted kisses over my cheeks, lips, and closed eyes, then rolled off my body. I missed his warmth. Even though he would sleep next to me, I needed his touch.

“If you think you’ll get away with that, you’ve got another thing coming.”

“We’ll see.”

He slipped between the covers as I wiggled in tight with my blanket to my chin. Max pulled me in close to his naked body, spooning me from behind.

“Sleep tight,bella.”

There was no way I was going to sleep well. Not with him at my back with a raging hard-on and my mind drifting to the most high-stakes kill of my life looming over my head.

“Such cruel words.”

The sun barreled intomy closed eyes, creating an angry red glow.

I wasn’t ready to get up. My achy muscles screamed their protest as I moved my palm over to the side Charity slept on. It was cold, but the smell of bacon invaded my nose, making my stomach growl.

My liquid diet wasn’t working out for me anymore.

I woke up hungry and went to bed starving. Not just for food, but for connection and understanding. Charity gave that to me yesterday before Nico turned the conversation into a nightmare.

It wasn’t his fault. He didn’t know we were having such a discussion, but it felt good to talk to her about it, for someone to understand, and she did. Of all people… she did.

My ruthless, apathetic, little killer understood my suffering better than anyone in my family, reminding me why I loved her in the first place.

She could be the emotionless enforcer we needed her to be, but she could flip on a dime and be caring and compassionate, making you question whether or not you were speaking to the same person standing in front of you moments before.

Charity was an enigma wrapped up in a cipher with no key—so complex I bet she didn’t even know what she was fully capable of, which made her dangerous and tantalizing at the same time.

The end of the bed bounced, and then the sound of purring.

I bounded out of bed faster than a hurricane passing through the world’s smallest island.

“Stay away from me, you demon.”

He meowed as he moved towards me, arching his back as though invisible hands were touching him.

The ghosts of his victims.

I tossed on my briefs and then clothes, all the while watching his every move. The last time I tried handling him, he clawed his way down my body like he was falling to his death.

Cat scratches itched with their fine cuts. It caused this irritating itch across the skin that you absolutely can not scratch for risk of infection. I wasn’t about to have a repeat performance.

Vaulting into the kitchen, Charity stood dressed with damp hair hanging down her back, standing next to the stove with a spatula, flipping the bacon.

She glanced up at me as I walked in and smiled. I stepped behind her, placing my hands on her hips and inhaled her floral shampoo and body wash. She was irresistible, and I could not resist her magnetic appeal.

“Morning.” I nuzzled her neck, kissing her intoxicating scented skin down to her shoulder, then wrapped my hand around her throat and moved her head to the side, giving me better access to her earlobe.

I drew it into my mouth and sucked, hearing her exhale with a moan. “Morning to you too.”

“What are you doing up so early?”

“I wasn’t tired anymore, and I needed to shower. I took an extra-long one.”

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