Page 71 of Sweet Sinners
Her confession cuts deep, a familiar ache tightening in my chest.
"They eased up when I went away to school, when I started seeing someone again. They got less intense, manageable even," she whispers, eyes downcast. "Until now."
I brush my thumb gently over her cheek, catching a stray tear. "You're not alone this time," I promise her quietly. "You never have to deal with this alone again."
She looks up at me then, eyes wide, searching my face like she's desperate to believe every word.
And fuck, I need her to believe me too.
I reach out and close the laptop, pulling the papers from the desk and placing them gently on her lap. Cali stares down at them, fingers trembling as she taps softly on the green-highlighted sections.
"This person," she murmurs shakily. "I think they're what all this is about. The yellow highlights must belong to whoever made…all this."
I watch her closely, my chest tightening painfully. She doesn't need to carry this alone anymore. She shouldn't have to.
"Okay," I whisper, hoping to calm her, ease her panic. "We don't have to keep looking at this, Angel. None of it matters right now."
She jerks her head up, confusion brightening her tear-glazed eyes. "Angel?"
Fuck. I didn't mean to say that out loud.
I swallow hard, holding her gaze. "It's a flower," I say softly. "In the greenhouse—I’ve been taking care of it."
Her expression remains puzzled, and heat rises in my chest as I admit, "I'll show you later."
She nods slowly, almost absently, her finger hovering over the highlighted section again. Suddenly recognition flashes across her face. "Oh…that's me," she breathes, her voice barely audible, almost lost.
The message is simple, innocent—a daughter checking on her father. Cali’s lip trembles slightly as she reads it, eyes haunted. She clears her throat, visibly pulling herself together, shoulders squaring in that practiced way she does to appear strong. It breaks my fucking heart.
"I tried to Google the numbers," she explains quietly, her voice forcibly calm. "But nothing substantial came up. I don't trust those sketchy lookup sites." She pauses, breathing shakily. "But these texts prove it. Whoever did this was from inside the office—and they're still there, Connor. They’re after my dad’s legacy."
The fierce determination in her tone guts me. I gently lift her chin, making her meet my eyes again. "And we’re going to fix that, aren’t we?"
Her lower lip trembles, eyes wide with something close to desperation. "I just want it all to end," she whispers, voice cracking.
My chest aches, my throat tight as I see the raw fear reflected in her eyes. I would do fucking anything to take that pain from her.
"We're going to take this to the police," I tell her firmly, holding her gaze. "After I talk to my friend. He can trace these numbers, point them exactly where they need to look. You’re going to call the police today and set it up so they come here tomorrow, okay?"
She nods slowly, reluctantly, eyes flickering with uncertainty even as she agrees. "Okay," she whispers, her shoulders drooping as if the weight of it all is pressing down on her.
I grip her chin a little tighter, capturing her focus. "But today, you let me handle this."
Cali’s eyes flash, mouth opening to protest, a spark of her stubbornness returning. "Connor, you can't just—"
"You have enough to handle at work," I cut her off gently, thumb stroking her jawline even as I speak, needing her to understand. "My name needs to be cleared, and I’m going to make sure it happens. And you," I growl, frustration bleeding into my voice as my pulse races, "you need to stop tempting me."
Because fuck, she’s everywhere. All warmth and softness and whispered breaths against my neck, making me imagine a thousand ways to claim her mouth, her body—to drag her deeper into the darkness with me. She's unraveling every defense I’ve carefully constructed, and I'm dangerously close to letting her.
But I won’t destroy her. Not even if it kills me to stay away.
She blinks at me, confusion flashing in her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about," she murmurs defensively.
"No more touching yourself upstairs while saying my name," I growl, holding her tighter against me. "No more looking at me like you want me to kiss you. No more climbing into my lap, clinging to me like I'm your last fucking lifeline." My voice drops lower, harsher. "If you keep tempting me with something I can't have without ruining you, then we're going to have a much bigger problem—and whoever this is will have even more ammunition."
Cali lifts her chin, defiance blazing in her blue eyes. "This person—whoever the hell they are—doesn't get to dictate my life. They've already stolen enough from me. My father, my stepmother…you. What's next? My job? Losing you again?" She exhales, shaking her head fiercely. "I've fought for everything I have. My place in the company, my reputation—I’ve earned all of it, despite what anyone says. And if I feel something…" She pauses, gaze dropping briefly to my lips before returning, voice steadier. "Then I've earned the right to feel that, too."
Fuck, her defiance is intoxicating. But it's dangerous. Dangerous for her, dangerous for me, dangerous for everything we're trying toprotect. I shake my head, forcing my voice calm. "That's exactly what we need to avoid."
