Page 34 of Merciless Sinner

Unfortunately, knowing it and living it were two very different things. Every time I closed my eyes or took a breath for that matter, I was reminded of Alex. The impossible dream. Zia had been on my case to answer his calls but I’d adamantly refused.

Even seeing him one more time would make things worse. Once my decision was made I had to treat the situation like a band-aid. Just rip it off or in this case, simply not communicate. Eventually he’d get the message and move on to someone more to his tastes and someday I’d get over him too.

Right?

Tears leaked from my eyes. God I hoped so but today it felt impossible. How in the hell did this happen? One week and I’d fallen into what? Lust? Love?

With it plaguing my every waking moment and even the dreams when I slept, it felt more like an addiction. I wasn’t a lovesick schoolgirl. I’d learned my lesson the last time.

I picked up a knife and started chopping apples for a new tart. I stabbed at the poor fruit like a woman too close to the edge.

If it wasn’tfor the work, I’d have probably stayed in bed long enough for the pain to ease. As it was, I’d gone to work mere hours after Alex’s departure with a deliciously sore ass and some incredible memories and been here since.

“Harper, there’s someone here to see you.” Jesse’s voice shook me from my thoughts.

I stared up at the girl that ran the front counter as if looking at something I couldn’t comprehend.

“What? Who?” Suspicion and fear consumed me. If Alex had come to see me I doubted I could deny him in person. Everything was still too fresh. The memories, the pleasure, the pain…Need gripped my stomach and made it twist into a painful knot.

As ridiculous as this was, I couldn’t see him now. It would kill me.

Jessie shrugged. “I don’t know. Some cop. You in some kind of trouble?”

My head jerked up. “A cop? For me?” A new kind of fear stabbed through me. Had they finally found me? Oh God, why now?

I wiped my hands on my apron, stalling as I dug for anything, any excuse or idea that would get me the hell out of this situation. I could not go back there. It had taken too long and too many hours of therapy to get past all of that.

I stared at the backdoor and contemplated my odds of escape. I was in no shape for a mad dash down the busy streets of New York in the middle of rush hour, nor was I prepared to face police wrath if I tried to run and got caught.

Whatever the outcome, they couldn’t take me to jail, right?

First they didn’t believe me. Then they blamed me. Then they said I had to testify or they’d charge me as an accessory.

Fuck. This was a goddamned mess. I needed to call Zia and confess. Tell her I’d need a good lawyer. No court appointed knuckle head could get me out of this.

“Harper? Are you coming?” The suspicious look on Jessie’s face made my choice clear. I had to face this head on. They could do whatever they wanted to me as long as they didn’t try to send me back to North Carolina. I was never going back.

“Yeah,” I mumbled as I stared one last time at the only weapon at my disposal. As if that would help. Not like Iwantedto stab anyone anyways. But desperate times and all that.

I headed for the front, pushing through the swinging door behind Jessie and sure enough, one of NYC’s finest stood in the middle of the dessert bar with his hands on his hips, gun at his side and a cocksure smile on his face.

Wait. What?

What was happening?

I stopped in the middle of the dining room and stared, trying to figure out why this extremely good looking officer of the law was smiling at me like—

He did look a little familiar, but it was hard to tell for sure with his hand resting awfully close to his gun pulling at my attention. Maybe he was a regular here and he’d seen me on one of the rare occasions I stepped out of the kitchen? Is that when he discovered me? My head spun with the options, getting absolutely nowhere.

I forced myself to meet his gaze and found crisp, clear blue eyes staring down at me from probably at least six foot three if I had to guess. Thick, dark hair surrounded his perfectly chiseled face, which would have thrown me off in any situation. But that damned slight smile turning up the corners of his mouth confused me.

Okay enough. Time to face this head on.

“I’m Harper. Can I help you?” I held out my hand in what I hoped was a friendly gesture. And hoped he wouldn’t notice the shaking. Whatever his intentions, I was no way ready for them. Whatever blow he was about to deliver, there was no amount of bracing to protect myself.

“Hi, Harper.” He drew out my name in a cadence I recognized immediately and it went straight to my core. “I’m Jeremy.”

My eyes widened and my heart beat out of control all while the heat of a frantic blush crept along my neck and face.

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