Page 37 of Sinful Scars

She sets down her coffee and leans back in herchair, folding her arms over her chest as she watches me with narrowed eyes. “How are you doing?”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes, keeping my attention on my food. “I’m good, all things considered.”

“You look tired.”

“I work in a hospital, I’m always tired,” I half joke as I break off some of my sandwich for Vivi to eat.

“I’ve never seen you lookthistired.”

“I was offered some extra shifts, and I figured it was a good way to keep my mind busy.” I don’t tell her how bad the nightmares are because I know she’ll worry.

Lucia nods, chewing on her lower lip. “Have you had any contact with the man who saved you?”

My fingers automatically reach for my necklace, and I fiddle with the pendant as I debate on telling Lucia the truth.

We’ve always been incredibly close, more like sisters than cousins. We tell each other everything no matter what.

But this situation is different… Lucia won’t understand. Hell, how could she when I don’t even understand it myself?

“Elle?”

I sigh. “He was in my apartment while I was asleep.”

“What?” Lucia’s eyes look like they’re about to bug out of their sockets.

“Shh!” I glance over my shoulder, offering the elderly couple sitting behind us an apologetic smile. “Keep your voice down.”

“If you want me to keep my voice down, perhaps don’t tell me that some psycho stalker is breaking into your apartment!”

“It’s not like that…” I already regret telling her the truth. “He didn’t break in.”

Lucia scoffs. “Did you get him his own set of keys? How hospitable of you, Elle.”

“He came in through the window.”

“Of course, he fucking did. Don’t confuse this for some angsty teen film, Elle. This is serious shit.”

“I know…”

“How do you know he was in there? Did he…did hedosomething?” Her face pales, and I know where her thoughts are heading.

“No, nothing like that.” I fiddle with my necklace. “I lost my necklace the night of the kidnapping and this morning, it was laid out on my kitchen counter beside my phone.”

“He came into your apartment to give you back your necklace?”

“Yes.”

“This doesn’t make sense.”

I shrug, focusing my attention on Vivi as I let Lucia process everything I’ve told her.

“I think you should move in with me and Mikhail for a while. I can have Mikhail get some guys over to your apartment and change the locks and stuff, so you’ll feel safer.”

“I do feel safe. He’s not going to hurt me.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“Because he’s had many chances over the years,” I mutter before taking a bite of my panini before Vivi can steal it.

---