Page 41 of We Are All Sinners

Ifinish cleaning up the mess from last night and breakfast this morning, then head back next-door with Jinx fast on my heels. He stayed with me today instead of going with Evie, which I find hilarious. Maybe he just feels the need to keep an eye on me for some reason.

I go in through the front door and hear laughter coming from the kitchen.

I turn the corner and see my best friends sitting at the kitchen nook with Emily and Lily. I figured Emily would still be here since she never came back home before I left, but the redheaded author… Well, I didn’t expect that.

“Good morning.” I pipe in as I make my way to the coffee pot, dragging a little as I pour myself a cup.

“Our girls seem to really like your books. Evie was telling me last night that you are working on a new stalker-slash-murder romance.” I try to make small talk, knowing how much of a hard on Noah has for her.

She is pretty. Her strawberry blonde hair is up in a messy bun. She is wearing grey joggers and a crewneck that says, I still like fairytales; they are just dirtier now, which makes me laugh internally.

She doesn’t have a drop of makeup on and looks like she is blushing under her freckles as she pushes her black frames up on her nose.

“Thank you! You have an interesting name. Sorry, I’m a bit hung over and need food, or I could talk for days about my books. I swear, Noah had me dancing, drinking, and talking until three a.m. I think it’s great that you and Evie are together. That girl never shows interest in men. Congratulations!” She smirks as Emily swats her arm telling her to shut up under her breath.

“Thanks.” I smirk, understanding more and more that my little witch has literally gone without having any kind romantic relationships in my absence, as I take another sip of coffee.

“Y’all’s story is still insane to me. Emily has been explaining everything that Noah refuses to. I write love, dark love, but honestly, don’t really believe in it. Maybe watching you two play out will change my mind.” Lily says matter of fact.

“Honestly, until recently, I didn’t either. It can sneak up on you when you least expect it. If you are willing to accept it.” I wink at her and give Noah a shoulder nudge.

I sit in awe at the table with everyone, drinking my coffee, watching my friends look very much into the girls that sit with them. It’s definitely different.

“From what Noah tells me, you own a sex club? That interests me very much.” Lily says with a wink as she takes a bite of her breakfast casserole, surprising the hell out of me.

It’s the cute, sweet looking, quiet girls that seem to always be the freakiest when it comes to sex.

Noah went all out if he made his signature breakfast casserole. He must really like her. I know he has been obsessed and may have been stalking her a bit since we followed Emily to her place.

When he saw her for the first time, it was over. He is making the same goo-goo eyes at her now.

“Oh yeah? Why?” I ask her, hoping she doesn’t crush my friend.

“In the murdery book I’m writing, one of the love interests owns a sex club. It helps with research.” She says matter of fact with a smile.

I chuckle slightly, “Oh, then Noah should take you for a tour. It’s under renovation right now, but when I talked to Nadia yesterday, she said they are getting close, just putting on thefinishing touches. We will have to go sign off on everything in the next few days if you can take time off.”

“Oh, that would be fucking amazing! Really, you wouldn’t mind Noah?” She looks at him expectantly, grinning from ear to ear.

“Mind? I would love to take you to the sex club and let you experience it without other guests.” He smirks at her.

I watch the blush creep up to her cheeks as she leans into him, giggling, and gives him a small peck on his cheek.

“So, if you don’t believe in love, then how do you have relationships? Or do you just prefer situationships?” Liam speaks up, asking the question like he read my mind. We both know the power this chick is going to have over our friend.

“Guys, we just met a couple of days ago. Calm down, we aren’t getting married any time soon.” Noah puts his hands up, smiling, but with a fuck off look in his eyes, already letting us know not to fuck with her.

“Yeah, I don’t believe in marriage either. I honestly think it’s an old way of thinking. Why can’t two people who love each other’s company spend as much time together as they can, without the labels, and just see what they are over time, without a piece of paper binding them to one another for life? I mean, it’s a nice notion, but I’m twenty-four, and have never been in love with anyone. Lust, easy, but love to me is when you stay with someone even when you know they are the worst thing for you at the time, yet you want to be near them so much that youwould sacrifice your own soul to not be without them. If I ever want anyone around long enough to feel that way, then I would consider marrying them.” She says the words the way only a hopeless romantic would spin it, if they were on the darker side and obviously had their heart crushed at some point.

She definitely has a way with words.

I look over at Noah, who looks even more mesmerized by the mystery that is Lily James. When we looked into her, there wasn’t anything before the age of eighteen. Noah got intrigued and figured out that she had changed her name at eighteen to Lillian A. James. The court records are sealed as to what her name was before. Noah figured out the reason they are sealed is because there is no real record of her.

So far, he knows she just grew up in the Catholic orphanage, and started writing at the age of eighteen under her pen name Lily James. She worked at a little tavern in town until she became successful with her books over time.

She is a hermit, just like Emily and Genevieve, closing themselves off to the world around them. The other two have their secrets that we know about. With Lily, we have no idea who she really is.

“It’s only a matter of time before you ultimately love me.” Noah jokes, kind of.

---