Page 31 of Taken By Sin

Upon entering the kitchen, I’m welcomed by the inviting scent of freshly brewed coffee. Sin hands me a cup. “Brown butter latte?” I ask once the sweet taste slides onto my tongue.

Sin nods. “I think it’s atrocious, but Maxwell said you enjoyed it.”

I hold up the mug. “Did you go there to get this?”

“No,” he laughs, “I called and told them to give me the recipe.”

“And they did? Just like that?” My mouth falls open.

Sin snaps his fingers. “Just like that.” He leans forward, planting a kiss on my cheek that makes my body melt. “You’ll soon discover that anything I want, I get.” I would make a witty remark about how he can't just have anything in the world that he wants, but the moment that he kissed me, I was putty in his hands.

I tilt my head, catching sight of the time on the stove. “Is there a good reason we’re up at five in the morning?” I giggle, trying to ignore the heat rising to my cheeks.

He laces his hands through my freshly dried hair. “We get to spend more of the day together, and I wanted to show you a city sunrise.”

I peer around the kitchen, noticing the lack of detail. No workers. Just Sin and I. The tables are lined with plates of golden fluffy pancakes lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Some blueberry, others a gooey chocolate chip. There arevarious fruits on a beautiful serving tray and a heaping pile of crispy bacon in the middle.

My stomach involuntarily groans at the sight.

“Are you going to kiss the chef?” he muses.

I attempt to hide the surprise in my voice. “You did this?” I smile, rising onto my toes to kiss his soft lips. I'm grateful I brushed my teeth twice and used minty mouthwash after my shower.

Look at me, a girl who had never been left alone in the room with a man aside from at church, to a girl kissing a very handsome, very dangerous man that has just made me breakfast.

“I’m pretty good in the kitchen.” He smirks.

We sit down together and enjoy the delicious meal. Axle even has his own plate, fresh blueberries, and a scrambled egg. He scarfs it down before I can even finish one pancake. “We’re taking him to Central Park.”

“Oh, that will be perfect!”And romantic, I want to say.

The sun is just beginning to make its appearance on the tops of the towering buildings as we step under the metal gates of Central Park, hand in hand. Axle is being a good boy as usual, but I laugh at the way his feet bounce as we walk; he’s itching to run around.

The park is quiet, a few people relaxing here and there on benches. The trees drown out the sounds of the city the further we descend into the park.

“I love the mornings here.” Sin holds my hand tightly. "It's the best part of the day."

Everything feels like a wonderful dream. The way my hand fits in his and how were casually having a morning stroll through the park. It all seems almost too perfect, and while I hate to be cynical, I can't shake off the feeling that I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“I would have assumed you preferred the night,” I say, instead of my fears.

He chuckles, “Why is that?”

I shrug, lifting both of our hands. “I don’t know.”Maybe because you are the embodiment of darkness itself?

My inner monologue is starting to take on a mind of its own.

"Do you want me to hold your phone?" he asks, nodding his strong chin toward my other hand.

I look down, wishing I would have worn something else. "No, it's okay." I grin.

His hand pats the sides of my romper, causing my breath to hitch in my throat. How could such a simple act result in my body heating a thousand degrees? Sin hands me Axle's leash and takes the phone from my hand, slipping it into his pocket.

"What's a color you think goes with everything?" he asks as we continue our walk.

I don’t have to fight to keep up with his long strides. Today, he’s casually keeping pace with me. "I don't know." I look around, to the blue sky, then over to the summer's last flowers. "Pink," I decide. "But a light one, not neon or anything. A blush pink, like that dress I had on the other day."

He nods but says nothing more as we find a cozy spot beneath a sprawling oak tree. Sin fans out the blanket he brought and sits down. I scoot in beside him, wrapping myself in his embrace.

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