Page 38 of The Sinner's Sanctuary

“Something triggered you at St. Peter’s,” I say.

“Yeah. Brought up a lot of bad memories.”

“You’re hurting,” I surmise.

“Yes.” He has another drink from the bottle.

“I’m here if you need anything.”

For that, I get a glance. Brief though it may be, it makes me feel slightly better for watching what he likely wanted to keep to himself.

“Thank you,” he mumbles. “I think what I actually need is a shower and a nap.”

I open my mouth to offer to help and shut it immediately without a clue wherethatcame from. I don’t think he needs aftercare, but my urge to offer it is messing with me.

Some subtlety is required.

“I’ll have lunch sent up. We’ll eat, and you can rest.”

“You don’t have to come with me.”

“I only came down because I was told you were here,” I admit. “I won’t bother you. I’m only checking in.”

“Interesting way you have about that.”

“Hm. Well. No comment.”

Christian smirks, grabs the bottle, and slides out of the booth. I leave from the other side and follow him up the stairs.

It’s another breathless slog up the flights, and by the time we’re in my private stairwell, we’re both leaning on the walls to reach the door. “Fuck. My quads,” he says.

His quads. Yeah. Hard not to think about those.

Once the door is open, he walks in, leaves the wine in the kitchen, and disappears into his bedroom.

I scrub at my face with both hands, blood pumping hard through my chest. I’m aroused again. To distract myself from the idea of Christian in the shower, I order food and call Marianne, who’s just waking up.

Her voice sounds deeper, sexier. I pinch my eyes shut. “Good morning.”

“It’s seven a.m.”

“I need to know what you plan to do about the senator.” I must be at the end of my rope if I’maskingto discuss her plans for Lawther.

“Oh, well, in that case. Let me go to another room.”

I sigh heavily at the realization that she’s with someone too precious to wake. Walking into my own bedroom, I sit heavily on the bed, hunching over with my elbows balanced on my thighs.

“First, I want money for Avery. She deserves it for what she’s having to go through. Second—I haven’t quite decided yet. But I think you and I both know how useful a sitting U.S. senator could be.”

“How?”

“I don’t have to tell you politics is a long game, love. You’ve been around long enough to know that. But I do think it’s delicious that he’s in the wrong party, and the right party can use all the help it can get.”

“Are you talking about votes in the actual government?”

“Why not?”

“He’s one person.”

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