Page 23 of Blind Sin

I nod. “I do know that, but she’s not your plaything any more that she’s my puppet. She’s a woman in her own right and if I think for a second you or Alexander or Josh has pressured her into doing something she doesn’t want, you will answer to me.

He stops and stares at me. “You don’t want her doing something she doesn’t want. Fair enough.”

I hate how he’s said it, like I’ve been played. I can already see him twisting my words in his head.

“And, I don’t care what she does or doesn’t want on this one.” I lean in and whisper. “Never call her Sinful in my presence again. That name, or a version of it, was mine long before it was hers and it brings back painful memories that I don’t want to relive.”

“You need to sort out your shit with Nix before this whole thing implodes. He helped save you whether you like it or not, so whatever your beef with him, settle it.”

He picks up two mugs of hot chocolate and heads into the living area, leaving me with my thoughts. This conversation had started off with me trying to make peace with Nolan, whilst warning him and somehow he flipped it on to my problems. I’m going to need to keep on my toes around these men and despite what I said to both Lauren and Nolan, I’ll be keeping my eyes on her the whole time I’m here. If Nolan or Alexander even thinks about touching my twin, I’ll make good on my promise and take her off the island, leaving the three of them without a boat.

14

LAUREN

Now that I’m sitting on the edge of the pool, I’m beginning to regret my little act of rebellion against my past and let Nolan teach me to swim. A gentle breeze means it’s cooler than yesterday and I’ve got so much sun screen on that I’m sure I could survive on the surface of the sun by this point. Lucy means well, but all the cream is making my skin slippery and I’m terrified I’ll slide into the pool right through Nolan’s fingers and right to the bottom where I’ll drown.

I can almost sense Nolan’s frustration with me. “I can’t teach you to swim if you don’t get in the pool.”

Despite not being able to see them, I feel Lucy and Alexander's gaze on me. Both of them elected to get out of bed before dawn to watch me. I know if I don’t get in soon, Lucy will proclaim that she was right and I don’t need to learn to swim. I want to get into the pool, but the unrelenting fear of the unknown is stopping me.

“This is the shallow end,” Nolan prompts. “I won’t take you any further than you feel comfortable.”

I don’t feel comfortable getting in at all, but I can hardly say that.

“Maybe we should do this another time,” Lucy shouts out. It’s all I need to spur myself on. I grip Nolan’s hand and step into the pool. I’m surprised when my foot touches the bottom relatively quickly. The water is only mid shin. I let out a breath and smile. It’s not so bad.

“The pool slopes. We are going to walk in until we’re up to our waists.”

I shake my head, but Nolan grips my hand and pulls me. I know if I cry out, Lucy will stop this before it’s even started and I need this, even if I’m not sure I want it. Everyone on this island can swim except me and I’m sick to death of being helpless.

Fear prickles at my skin and the chemical smell of chlorine is overwhelming, but with Nolan’s help, I get in up to my waist without having a panic attack.

“Put your hands on the pool edge.”

Reluctantly, I let go of Nolan’s hands and reach out in front of me. I grip the edge and wait for instruction.

My heart skips when he wraps a hand around my waist and pulls me off my feet.

“I won’t let go,” he whispers into my ear. I can barely breathe as he keeps one hand under my stomach, supporting me and then runs his other hand down, over my crotch. I gasp as he lingers there for a second, then moves down to cradling my thighs so I’m almost level with the surface of the water. “Keeping your legs straight, kick them up and down. Small kicks.”

I try to do what he says, but my mind has fixated on the part of me he just touched, running his fingers slowly over the thin fabric of my swimsuit, right in front of my twin. I try to concentrate on the way my legs are moving as I grip onto the pool edge, but I can’t seem to get past the feeling of Nolan’s fingers splayed out on my stomach and the way he’s absentmindedly stroking my thigh as he holds my legs up. I don’t know if he realizes he’s doing it, or if he knows full well what he’s doing to me.

“You’re doing a good job,” He says out loud, no doubt more for Lucy’s benefit than mine. “Now try letting go of the edge.” The prospect has my heart hammering in my chest. “I’ll keep holding onto you. I won’t let you go.” Then he growls under his breath. “I’ll never fucking let you go.” He raises his voice slightly, “but if you don’t feel safe, you can put your feet down at any time. We’re still only waist deep.”

He runs the hand that was on my waist up my torso, coming to rest between my breasts.

“I can’t!” I cry out.

His fingers skate under the top of my swimsuit and run across my nipple.

I let out a moan as he tweaks the sensitive nub and then have to let go of the edge and flap my arms about to cover the fact.

“That was unfair,” I hiss under my breath.

“It got you to let go didn’t it? Now cut through the water with your hands forward then push it back as though you want to push it away from your body.”

“ I want to push you from my body,” I lie.

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