Page 39 of Sinful

And if Church knew about Bryce and his feelings. . .

Or mine.

I was a mess. An absolute disaster.

“Whatever. Not my business,” he muttered. Before he could elaborate further, the door slid open, and a snow-swept Asylum came in. Quickly, he shut the door and strode toward us. I got to my feet, my heart in my throat as he approached, his blue eyes focused on me.

“Firefly,” he murmured when he reached me. “Are you well?”

I twisted my fingers in front of me, my heart banging hard. I needed to get back to campus. This was wrong. It was dangerous. Church would lose it. Or Asylum would. Neither was something I wanted to be around for.

“You’re freezing,” he continued, reaching out and taking my hands in his. His touch was gentle and sweet, not anything like his personality.

He led me back to the couch and sat with me on it.

“Sinclair, get our guest a blanket,” Asylum said without looking away from me.

Sin retrieved a blanket from the chair and handed it to Asylum before going to the chair and sitting, his gray eyes on Asylum as he unfolded the blanket and draped it around my shoulders.

“This isn’t the most civilized place to be, but it’s the best we have,” Asylum said. “I can work on making it more accommodating for you.”

I wasn’t quite sure how he could accomplish that without adding real heat and electricity, but I wasn’t about to comment on it.

He let out a soft chuckle. “Trust me, my forever girl, I can make it better.”

I cast a look to Sin, who looked away from me quickly and focused on the heater.

“It is rather chilly in here. We do have another heater. Sinclair, get that going. She’s cold.”

I thought Sin might object to being told what to do, but he wordlessly rose to his feet and set to work starting another heater.

Asylum ran his hand up and down my back in an attempt to warm me a bit more.

“You’ve created quite the stir, firefly. Word of your wrongdoing spread like wildfire. I told Church and the guys I was going to find you. I need to message them and let them know you’re safe.”

He removed his hand from my back and pulled his phone out. He sent a message to Church before a laugh left him, his phone buzzing with a call, Church’s name on the screen.

“She is safe. I have her,” he answered. He listened for a moment, nodding his head. I could hear Church’s voice but couldn’t make out what he was saying. Relief flooded through me. Knowing Church and the guys were aware of who had me put me at ease. While I knew Asylum had done many good things for me, and he made me feel. . . things, I was still apprehensive around him sometimes. I chalked it up to our past. The fear that one day he may snap again terrified me.

His gaze swiveled to me, and he crinkled his dark brows.

“Never,” he said, his voice a deep rumble. “Firefly.”

I blinked at him, and he disconnected the call. He reached for my face and cradled my cheeks, his blue eyes locked on mine.

“Fucking never. Do you understand me?Never, Sirena.”

The way he said my name made goosebumps rush along my skin.

“I swear it to you. I do not make promises I’m unable to keep. You are my entire fucking universe. Losing you would cause my stars to weep. Understand?”

His words made my heart pump harder.

In a flash, he hauled me onto his lap to straddle him, his hands firmly on my hips before they slowly moved up. He tangled his fingers in my hair and brought me nearer to him, his lips at my ear.

“You belong to me, my forever girl. I would die for you. What’s worse is I would live for you, even while hating everything about the life I’m in. You are that bright spot I focus on. And now. . .” He moved a hand slowly back to my waist and gripped hard. “You are the darkness I want to fucking get lost in. I’m going to prove to you how worthyweare. Do you want it?” He tightened his fingers in my hair, making it hurt.

I let out a soft gasp.