Page 25 of Sinful Scars

Mikhail and Lucia are both quiet as I tell them everything that happened over the past few days, from losing my phone at the bar to being rescued and taken to a cabin in the woods.

Lucia’s face slowly drains of color as I talk, but Mikhail remains eerily still, his face a mask of stone as he takes it all in.

My cousin holds my hand. “What the fuck, Elle! Why am I only hearing about this now?”

“Well, I lost my phone…” I mumble.

“Are you okay? I mean, this is… Fuck, I don’t even know what to say.” Lucia’s eyes glisten with tears as she squeezes my hand.

“I’m absolutely fine. Honestly.”

“I swear, if you ever get kidnapped again, I want you to call me the second you escape.”

I can’t help but laugh. “I promise.”

Lucia lets go of my hand before wrapping her arms around me.

My eyes sting as I hug her back.

Lucia has always felt like more of a sister to me than acousin, and look like sisters too. She’s always been such a huge part of my life, but even more so after I moved here.

Without Lucia, I honestly don’t know where I’d be today.

Eventually, we pull apart, and Lucia discreetly wipes her eyes on the sleeve of her top.

My eyes flick to Mikhail, whose silence I find unnerving.

“Mikhail?”

“The men in the motel…” He runs his hands over his jaw as he stares straight ahead.

“They were taken care of.”

He’s quiet again, and I know he’s running through every tiny detail in his mind to assess the threat. “And they specifically mentioned Lucia by name?”

I look at my cousin’s tear-stained face and nod, my chest tightening as my thoughts drift to Vivi, who sleeps soundly upstairs.

If something were to happen to Lucia…

I don’t ever want Vivi to experience the pain of growing up without a mother, so I will do whatever I can to help keep Lucia safe.

“I never learned what they were after.”

Lucia frowns. “What I want to know is who the hell this mystery guy is. I wonder why he wouldn’t reveal his identity.”

“I asked him multiple times, but he just kept refusing.”

“It’s suspicious, for sure,” Mikhail mutters. “He admitted to following you?”

“Yeah.”

“You need to be careful, Elle. He might have only rescued you to gain your trust, and we can’t be sure of his motives.”

Lucia looks at Mikhail. “Do you think he’ll come back?”

“It’s a possibility.”

My pulse spikes at the thought. Not that I would ever admit it to Lucia because she would think I was crazy, but Iwanthim to come back.

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