Page 29 of Buried Beneath Sin

A few minutes later, I find myself in my room. Immediately my eyes land on the nearly charred wall. I washed the soot from the fire off everything as best I could. The burned furniture was replaced with some that had been in one of the spare guestrooms. But there are still marks along the wall I couldn’t remove.

I frown at the sight of them before turning and reaching out to shut the door. My hand freezes halfway toward the knob. Idon't have to close and lock this anymore. No one is coming in here to hurt or kill me. My hand drops back to my side. Conflicting feelings wash over me. Suddenly the silence feels too oppressive. Where's my devil? Has he taken to the wind? I suppose that’s what devils do. They come and go, staining souls as they do. I wish he’d taken mine rather than just sullying it.

Hands land on my hips and a firm wall of muscle presses into my back. All thoughts scatter, leaving my mind full of wordless panic.

“It's adorable watching you trying to find me,” a deep voice murmurs into my ear. “Don't worry, Little Viper, I'm here. I'malwayshere.”

I flinch at the contact and gasp. My heart takes off, beating so fast, for a second I feel lightheaded. I start to look up and over my shoulder, but a hand lifts from my hip to grab my chin in a biting grip to keep me from twisting around.

“Not yet, Little Viper.” He forces my face to the side and lips trail down my neck. My heart hammers in alarm and bumps rise upon my skin and chase after the touch of his lips. “Now that you've found me, what do you plan to do with me?”

My breath is shaky as I stand there. I didn’t think this far ahead, and now that I'm trapped, I'm not sure if this was a good idea. I don't know this man's intentions. If he's here, but still lurking rather than coming forth, there must be a malicious reason he doesn't want me to see his face.

“I could ask you the same thing,” I venture softly.

My devil chuckles as his hand slides from my jaw to hold the front of my neck. “You aren't ready for answers.”

I lick my bottom lip nervously. He might be right. Maybe tonight isn't about answers. But I owe him. Despite the payment he took, he gave me something invaluable. Slowly, so he doesn't think I'm trying to escape, I lift my arms. Reaching up, I take hold of the wrist and forearm that's wrapped around me.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. Then, ever so softly, I whisper, “Thank you for saving me.”

There's a pause. Then the body behind me trembles with mirth.

“Oh, Little Viper, Ididn't save you from anything.” The hand on my hip slides forward to press against my lower stomach. “In fact, you may be in more danger now than you were when the others were around. I’m addicted to your fear. Only now I can be the one to inspire it.”

As if to prove a point, my devil's hand slides lower, and he cups my mound possessively. I suck in a sharp breath, stiffening as I do. Yet even as fear leaves me off-kilter, my pussy spasms.Sheremembers this man fondly, and right now I can feel myself growing inappropriately wet as his grip on me tightens.

“Why were you looking for me, Little Viper?” he asks again.

I open my mouth, but no words come out. I don't have an answer. I don't know why I was stupid enough to reach out for the man whokilledtwo people. My devil laughs again, the sound soft and strangely stilted, as if he hasn't quite figured out how to do it right. The hand around my neck tightens.

“You don't know?” he taunts. “That's alright, Little Viper. I'll let you in on a little secret.Iknow why you're looking for me.”

I blink in confusion. “You do?”

“Yes.” His lips continue to skim up and down my neck. A shiver rushes through me, and it has nothing to do with fear. “You called to me because you're afraid of being alone.”

Immediately, I scoff. “That's not true. I like my solitude.”

“You like to feelsafe,” he corrects sharply, his lips pulling away from my skin. His grip on my neck tightens. Can he feel the way my pulse skips? “Up until now, being alone was safer than being around others, especially under this roof.”

His words are spoken matter-of-factly but they strike a chord. How does he know this?Ididn't even realize it until he gave a voice to why I'm so introverted.

“Am I on the right path?” my devil asks innocently. “I think I am, so why don't I keep going?”

He takes a step back, dragging me with him toward my bed.

“Now that you think you're safe, Little Viper, you crave attention. A certaintypeof attention.” This time when he laughs, it sounds unnerving. My heart races faster as fear starts to chase away rationality. I should be fighting this, so why aren’t I? “You seek company from the man that you think saved you because you think that I won't kill you.”

Suddenly, both of his hands disappear. I don't move, too scared to see if this is some sort of test. There's a rustling of material, then a hood is thrown over my head. The implications of this spur me to react.

The scream of terror that ripples up my throat and spews out into the room is powerful. At the same time, I reach up to try to remove the hood, but arms come around me, preventing me from doing so. With ease, I'm picked up off the ground—just like when he'd snuck up on me last time.

“Go ahead. Scream some more, darling. Let me soak up your terror, it gives me such a high.”

“No, wait, please?—”

I'm thrown down onto my back on top of my mattress. The breath is knocked from me as I bounce once. Hands capture mine, and despite my struggling, zip ties bind my wrists together.

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