Page 94 of Heartless Sinner

I’m a man who likes to be in control and right now I have none. I’m walking on cracked ice trying to keep a smile on my face because if I look worried, Scarlett will be worried, too.

I don’t want her to be scared of Anton. I don’t want her to even think his name. But I don’t have that power. Not yet.

I will get it, though. Nothing can describe the rage I felt when she told me what Anton did to her. I’d known about her mother and knew it was a given that Scarlett would still be affected by her departure. But Anton…

He was a whole other realm of fucked up. Her records gave a lot of details that made me think he had something to do with her rehab stay because he’s into drugs of every kind. But there’s only so much paperwork can tell you. The truth hits harder coming from a person’s lips.

Most of the drugs Scarlett was given were prescribed, so it looked like it was her fault. Anton knew what he was doing and made her look like a junkie. He left nothing to tie him in, which worked to his benefit during the investigation.

I stare at Scarlett and take in her vibrant beauty and the infectious happiness radiating from her. She may as well be glowing like the star she is.

I like her like this.

She deserves to be like this. Not the way that saw her fretful and fearful.

I think back to the night we met and how she stood out in the bar amongst everyone, a beacon of light cutting through the smoke-hazed darkness. Then she stood out in my world, becoming the axis everything else revolved around.

Now, she's my wife.

My chest tightens with possessive pride every time I think those words.

I married her and I'm being selfish again. She thinks she's only going to be with me for a year, but I have no plans to let her go. The thought of her leaving makes my blood run cold, my fingers instinctively curling into fists beneath the table.

I'm not Anton. I won't keep her captive and loathing me. I want her to love me as much as I love her. The depth of my feelings terrifies me sometimes, like drowning in an endless ocean.

That means I can't fail her and protecting her is imperative. We always have guards with us, butIneed to protect her. Every shadow makes my muscles tense, every unexpected sound has me scanning for threats.

Terrible things have happened in the family before, and all sorts of threats have come our way where we've lost loved ones, but for me, this is different.

It's about her. Only her.

She giggles and reaches across the table to rest her hand on mine. The sound breaks through my dark thoughts like sunshine through storm clouds. Her skin is soft against my callused palm, her touch spreading warmth through my entire body.

"I've talked your ear off, haven't I?" She touches her cheeks and smiles.

I feel bad that I've only heard bits and pieces of what she's had to tell me. "No, I want to hear everything." I cover her hand with mine, savoring the delicate bones beneath my fingers.

"We may be here until tomorrow if I talk abouteverything." The light from the crystal chandelier above catches in her hair, creating a halo effect that makes my breath catch.

"I'm not complaining." I smirk and give her a wink, drinking in the slight blush that colors her cheeks. "It sounds like you had a great day."

"It was fantastic, Micah. And I was in my element. I was so glad Adrian allowed Lucy to be there because it was my best audition ever, and I wanted her to see it." She laughs, the sound dancing through the air between us like music. "Lucy said I had pop."

I smile back at her and raise my brows, memorizing the way excitement makes her whole face glow. "Pop?"

"Yeah, pop." She laughs some more. "There's no solid definition. It's just that thing people have when they got it." She snaps her fingers, the sharp sound punctuating her words. "Like that."

I nod, understanding, watching how her enthusiasm makes her lean forward, closer to me. "Yeah, I get it. When do you hear back from him?"

"He said he wouldn't keep me waiting. So, hopefully soon. But, of course, I'm going to keep checking my phone every half second to make sure I haven't missed a message or call from him." She laughs again.

"I don't think you need to worry." The certainty in my voice reflects the faith I have in her talent.

"I just want this part so badly. It will be the biggest role I've ever had. The last movie Adrian produced made several million in the first week of release and stayed in the box office charts for two months. He said he's looking for the same sort of success again with a fresh face. I pray I could be that fresh face." She clasps her hands and gazes up heavenward as if she's really praying, the gesture so purely her that my heart constricts. Then she laughs, the sound echoing off the restaurant's exposed brick walls.

I smile, too, and cup her face, my thumb brushing across her cheekbone, feeling the silk of her skin. "Hey, you said he loved your audition, so I think everything will be fine."

"Thank you. And thanks for everything, Micah. I can't believe I'm here in this moment with so many changes." A wistful look enters her eyes, making them shimmer. The vulnerability in her expression makes my protective instincts surge, even as my heart swells with love for her.

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