Page 126 of Sinner

Murder.

I shuddered as I headed into the kitchen, pouring the remainder of my cold coffee down the drain. There was no rationalizing what he’d done, but I felt empathy. Our connection was so strong, but could I ever live with the understanding in the back of my mind that he might go off again? Mulling over the answer had cost me yet another night’s sleep.

My mind drifted to two nights before. He’d stayed until early in the morning, but I’d known the moment he’d left, standing by the window and watching the taillight of his motorcycle as he drove away.

And I’d swooned.

Who did that when the man in question was so… merciless?

I wasn’t certain of the correct adjective to use to describe him. All I knew was that I was starting to like the man hiding behind the mask almost as much as the masked man himself. That was the craziest aspect of all.

After placing the mug into the empty dishwasher, I grabbed my purse and keys, checking the time before heading to the door.

Monday loomed, only a couple of days away. I’d yet to process I’d be walking into the hallowed halls of the Blackwell Group. Hopefully, I’d get an email from someone at the company over the weekend, but if not, I’d arrive bright and early at their corporate headquarters. HR was handled there. I knew I’d be working at the production facility and that was fine. Separation of work and pleasure was the right thing to do for any relationship.

Although did I actually have a relationship?

I noticed the mail person arriving at my mailbox just as I walked outside. I waited until she drove away before heading to the box, taking the slim stack of items and shoving them into my purse. It was a beautiful sunny day, barely a cloud in the sky. It was funny that a part of me couldn’t wait until nightfall.

Why?

Because I never knew what to expect from the man who’d awakened my senses. I almost felt like his captive just like he wanted me to feel. He certainly controlled my thoughts and desires, igniting or crushing them as he saw fit.

I scanned the streets and smiled. There was a black vehicle parked on the other side of the street. While I couldn’t see the driver’s face, I was pretty certain the person behind the wheel was my… lover. At least that was a label I could place on what we were sharing.

The man was more passionate than any I’d ever experienced. I tingled all over just thinking about it.

After strapping in with the seatbelt, I turned over the engine, giving myself a quick look in the rearview mirror. I’d been a bad girl, asking for one more favor from Stephanie. I would owe her bigtime. I was indeed cunning, but more than finding any dirt on the Blackwell brothers, I simply wanted to know what had happened to keep them separated for their entire childhood.

Yes, the system was fairly fucked up, but wouldn’t social services attempt to keep the brothers together?

As I drove down the street, a little thrill tore through me. He was following me. Xander has insisted he needed to protect me. I’d sensed he believed danger lurked in the shadows we both enjoyed. I wasn’t certain what to think, but I did enjoy having my own private security.

A laugh bubbled to the surface as I turned on some music, humming the entire time I drove to the lovely café only a couple of miles from my house. Even though I lived in a big city like Chicago, there were still small boroughs that allowed you to feel as if you were in a small town.

That’s the reason I’d purchased my little house. The entire area was quaint.

The dark car was still following me, keeping enough of a distance I couldn’t see the driver given the sun’s rays reflecting off the windshield. But I knew. There was such a sizzle of electricity coursing through me and only one man brought me that kind of thrill.

After pulling into the parking lot and one of the last open spaces, I waited, keeping my eyes peeled on the road. The car slowly drove by. I couldn’t tell the make or model, but it was older, completely black with tinted windows. I could only imagine the adventures if Xander used his car.

As I climbed out, I laughed softly to myself. I was one twisted woman if that’s the way I was thinking. Life was an adventure. Xander had just kicked it up a notch.

Ashley and Stephanie were already inside, both laughing at something while I approached.

“There she is,” Ashley told me and squeezed my hand. “Steph told me you got the job with Blackwell.”

“I did,” I said, grinning as I sat down. “You ordered wine. You two are incorrigible.”

“Well, it’s a celebration. You do have a hot new job. And without all the trouble you expected too,” Stephanie said. There was a strange look on her face. She’d found out something. I was certain of it.

“You know what? I was looking forward to the last contest. I know it sounds crazy, but to be able to test my skills in real-life scenarios is rare.”

“And terrifying,” Stephanie added.

“Not if you know what you’re doing.” I glanced over my shoulder, noticing the same dark vehicle. Was he planning on staying across the street the entire time?

“What are you looking at?” Ashley pushed.

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