Page 4 of Tempted By Sin

Liam’s voice is slightly muffled, but somehow, I swear I hear him say, “All I need is a few days, and I’ll be everyone’s hero.”

What he’s referring to, I have no idea.

His footsteps echoing down the hallway have my back straightening and my eyes turning downward to focus on the plate of uneaten food in front of me.

He exhales heavily when he enters the room and slides back onto the chair across from me. When I look up, he runs a hand through his hair, frustration consuming his features.

I clear my throat. “Is everything okay?”

He doesn’t meet my eyes as he nods. “I’m down in the polls and need to boost my campaign to drive in voters. But it’s nothing for you to worry about, Pae.”

* * *

Staringat the dark ceiling has grown boring. The longer I stare, unable to fall into the realm of sleep, the more restless I become. Liam fell asleep hours ago after we had sex, but I haven’t been able to follow suit, instead lying awake, eyes wide and mind racing.

With a sigh, I fling the duvet back and slide out of bed. The hardwood floorboards are cold against my feet as I walk to the closed bedroom door. Liam is snoring softly as I open the door and pad quietly down the hallway. I’m not sure a glass of water will help me sleep, but I need to do something to distract the racing thoughts circling my mind.

The kitchen is pitch black save for the moonlight shining in through the window above the sink. I grab a glass from the cabinet above the stove before walking over to the sink. The silence in the room is almost eerie and does nothing to soothe the anxiety coursing through me at this moment.

“Get a grip, Pae,” I mumble to myself as water fills the glass. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”

When the glass is full, I turn the tap off and lift it to my lips, ready to chug the entire thing. But something catches my eye through the window, halting my movements. My heart begins to race as I scan the backyard. The same shiver I felt in the parking lot races down my spine again. The glass in my hand trembles, but I make no move to put it down.

He’shere.

Moments later, I find him. He’s standing under the large tree in the backyard with his hands shoved deep into the back of the black pants hanging from his hips. The moonlight shining across the yard allows me a better view of him. I’m unable to see his face as it’s still covered by a mask and is hidden in the shadows, but I notice his torso and the hard muscles protruding from the black T-shirt clinging to his chest. His right arm is littered with tattoos, but I’m unable to make out the designs, and inky strands of dark hair frame his face, wavy in texture, adding to the intensity of his presence.

Blood rushes in my ears, and my heart pounds harshly against my rib cage. The glass of water slips from my hands, smashing to pieces at the bottom of the sink. The impact sends a shattering noise throughout the kitchen, likely traveling far enough to reach Liam in the bedroom. But I don’t move. Ican’tmove. His eyes are holding me hostage, pinning me to where I stand. I may not be able to see them, but I canfeelthem.

I grip the edge of the sink for support, my knees wobbling beneath me. The urge to run to Liam and have him protect me screams at me, but my feet are unable to move. My spine is rigid as I stare ahead, unable to tear my eyes away from him. I convince myself to commit as many details about him to memory as possible so that I can relay them to Liam if something were to happen.

For some odd reason, I find myself unable to look away from him because I’m curious. Why is he here? What does he want with me? It’s clear he has an agenda in mind. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited for me after work or tracked me down at my home.

If he wants to hurt me, then what is he waiting for? He could easily enter through the back door and execute whatever plan he has in mind, but instead, he’s waiting for me intently. But why? What is he doing?

Rushing footsteps down the staircase tear my eyes away from the man.

“Pae? Are you okay?” Liam calls out, his voice thick with sleep.

“I’m fine,” I murmur, my mind whirling.

When I turn back to look at the man, he’s gone. And for some odd reason, my heart sinks a little.

Who is he, and what does he want with me?

CHAPTERTHREE

Paetyn

The voiceof the client sitting across from me is slightly muffled by the rampant thoughts of the masked man racing through my mind. It has been two days since I saw him standing in my backyard, his eyes piercing me through the mask covering his features, and I haven’t stopped thinking about him.

Liam told me not to worry about him, but how can I possibly not? It’s one thing to watch me from across the parking lot, but it’s another to stand in the darkness of my backyard and watch me like a hawk, making his presence known. He’s keeping his features concealed for a reason, so I’m unable to identify him, but if he’s going out of his way to let me know he’s there, watching me, then why hasn’t he made a move yet? What is he waiting for?

The thought of him doing something to hurt me sends a shiver across my body, goosebumps pebbling my skin from beneath the cardigan wrapped tightly around my torso. I haven’t been able to sleep much the past two days for fear that I would see him in my dreams. He hasn’t shown himself since the night in the parking lot, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t around, watching me from the shadows. When walking to my car now, I call my mom as a distraction from the anxiety squeezing my heart. She has been more than happy to talk with me, so that has eased the tension in my shoulders a little.

But it doesn’t erase the fear that the masked man is going to appear out of nowhere at any time.

“Miss Jones, are you okay?”

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