Page 71 of Sinful

Sebastian smiled again. “Of course I have, Rose. You didn’t really think I’d leave you alone, did you?” he asked. He stepped forward and held out his hand. “Give me the spoon.”

I dropped back to my knees and slid my hand under the mattress, stomach sinking even more as I pulled out the spoon and handed it to Sebastian. He wiped it off on his jacket before lifting it closely to inspect it for any remaining traces of dirt. Then he held it out to me.

“You’re giving it back?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“Of course. You need it to eat, and presumably, you’ll also want to keep digging that tunnel of yours.”

I slowly shook my head. “I… I don’t understand. Aren’t you angry at me?”

“For trying to escape?” He tipped his head back and chuckled again. “No. I love it. You’ve always had that spark of defiance in you. That need to break the rules. It’s a real turn-on, baby girl.”

“So you’re just going to let me keep digging?”

“Sure, if that’s what you want,” he said, eyes flickering with amusement. “You’ll get about two inches in and hit a wall of reinforced steel.”

“Why?”

“It’s part of the supporting structure,” he said. “I mean, come on, Rose. Did you really think this underground shelter was nothing but a dirt pit with a few stones on the walls? That would collapse instantly.”

Tears sprang to my eyes, blurring my vision, and all the air left my lungs, taking my last bit of hope with it. For a moment, I felt like I was drowning. I forced myself to inhale before saying, “Why did you let me dig it in the first place if you knew I couldn’t get out?”

He grinned. “So I could see the look on your face when the truth finally dawned on you.”

Salty tears rolled down my cheeks, running into my mouth. I had never hated Sebastian more than I did in this moment. He’d just ripped away the last sliver of hope I had left in my mind, and he’d done it with a cruel smile on his face and words that dripped with glee, like my existence was nothing more than a joke.

“Stop crying and eat your food,” he said, forcing the spoon into my hand. “We don’t have all fucking day.”

I blinked rapidly, trying to stave off another wave of tears, and dug into the food. It tasted good, but I could barely eat more than a few bites. The mixture of hopelessness, fear, and fury was making me feel sick to my stomach.

Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest, eyes boring into me. “You’ve had a lot of time to think over the last few days,” he said. “Have you figured out exactly why I brought you here yet?”

I swallowed my final bite and set the spoon down on the tray. “Yes. It’s quite obvious,” I muttered. “Especially after what you said a few minutes ago about that research of yours.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

I cleared my throat and lifted my chin. “You lied about everything from the second you stepped foot in my village. That includes what you said about your belief that we are innocent in the case of your mother’s murder,” I said. “You obviously want to punish me for what happened to her, because in doing so, you punish my father and everyone else in the Covenant.”

“Close enough,” Sebastian replied. “I want answers about what happened, and here’s the thing—if you’re able to give me those answers without a fight, right now, things will be a lot easier for you down here. Do you understand?”

I nodded sullenly.

“I want to know exactly what happened to my mother the night your father took her. I also want to know where that forbidden cave of yours is located,” he said. “You can tell me now, or I can torture it out of you. Or your father, if it comes down to that.”

My blood ran cold. “Why do you want to know about the cave?” I asked in a low voice.

“Because that’s what my mother was looking into right before she died. I remember her telling me when I was a boy,” he replied, eyes hardening. “I want to knowwhyshe died. Not just how. And I have a feeling the answer lies in that cave.”

I nodded slowly. “So if I answer your questions, you’ll free me?”

“Free you?” Sebastian stared at me like I’d sprouted three extra heads. “No. Of course not.”

“Why?”

“I can think of at least three reasons off the top of my head,” he said, eyes flashing. “Firstly, once you tell me everything, I’ll still need to find some tangible evidence up in the village, or in the cave. A knife your father kept as a trophy, perhaps, or my mother’s laptop computer. Your word would count forsomething, but it wouldn’t be enough for the authorities. That’s why I need to grill your father for information as well as you.”

“You won’t find anything in the village,” I murmured.

He ignored me. “Secondly, if I ever release you, you’ll run straight back there and tell them everything. Even if your father and the other men responsible for my mother’s murder are brought to justice and can’t retaliate against me, I’d still have every other Covenant member coming after me for the rest of my life. That’s no way to live, is it? Really takes the fun out of things.”

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