Page 52 of Taken By Sin

“Would you like your meal on the balcony?” he asks.

The thought is nice, but I want to eat in bed. “By the bed is fine. Have a wonderful night.” Before he leaves, I pull some cash from my wallet and give it to the man. My own money from the tips that Victoria split with me on my first day. I’m going to have to go to work tomorrow, but at least I have a job.

Now that I’m alone, I sit on the bed. The tray holds a platter ofvarious dishes covered with metal domes to keep them warm or cold. Garnishments of fruits surround them.

This is about to be so good. I grab a tablet labeled ‘ambiance’ from the nightstand, clicking on the button that saysVibes.As I press it, the white lighting above dims to a golden hue. Soft music plays throughout the room.

Lifting the lids off I decide what I want to try first. The caviar can wait, but the warm dishes are calling my name.

I eat my first lobster, drowning it in salty butter as tears roll down my cheeks.

A bite of caviar on a cracker with a white sauce is divine. I’ve never had anything like this, and the fact that I never will again doesn’t bother me. My future is what I make it. If I want to aspire to afford things like this, I will, but a quite quaint life would suit me just fine.

With my belly full, I slip onto the balcony, looking at the twinkling lights of the city. It’s electric. I don’t want to go to sleep just yet, I’m too sad, and I need to cheer up.

Grabbing the magical little tablet, I steer clear of the romance button and decide on party mode. I can at least pretend to be happy.

Enticing music plays through the room, the golden lights drip into a scarlet red as the TV clicks on, the screen pulsating with different colors.

I stand up on the California king bed, dancing and jumping to let out all of my pent-up rage. If I was on a low floor, the people outside would see me looking insane, but I’m all alone up here.

I land in a spin, dizzy with the freedom of it all, the weightof the world nowhere to be found. It’s a moment just for me, unfiltered, unplanned. I dance, I jump, I let go. No one’s watching. No rules. Just pure, unrestrained joy.

Suddenly, the music shuts off, the room illuminated only by the moon and stars.

I turn to see a shadowed figure in the corner of the room, coming towards me. A shiver rakes over my skin, covering me in chills.

“Why are you here?”

It’s Sin. I sink down onto the bed, attempting to gain back the breath he stole.

I grab the tablet, flicking a random button that turns the dim lights back on, thankful I didn’t accidentally hit romance. “I could ask you the same question,” I reply with a cool tone.

“Mags.” He reaches his hand out to me, sorrow etched along the crease in his brows. “I’m sorry.”

I turn my face away from him. “Why aren’t you with her?”

His finger crooks underneath my chin, forcing my gaze to his ghost eyes. “That is my work life, that is business, she means nothing to me.”

“Didn’t look like it.”

He laughs with no humor. “I’m risking everything being here, Magnolia.”

“Am I not worth the risk?”

With a sigh, he runs his hand over his face, sitting down beside me. I scoot a few inches away from him. “You don’t understand what you’ve done. The treaty is broken. If they saw me, which I’m certain someone has, then there is no barrier.”

“A treaty?” I scoff. “I don’t care about some treaty. I don’t evenknow what you’re talking about! Sin, you hurt me. I trusted you.”

He realized this conversation needs to happen before anything else. “I was revolted when she sat on my lap. Even more so when you walked up to us, and I had to pretend like you meant nothing.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I have to keep you safe, and the only way I can is if no one knows I care for you.” He holds my face in his inked hands; I try my hardest not to lean into him. “Magnolia, the people I care for get taken from me.” His eyes are desperate, full of sorrow.

“How did you find me?”

He leans forward, his lips so close. “I will tear apart any world to find you, Magnolia.”

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