Page 44 of Never Die for a Sinner
I knock again, and when no answer comes, I try the handle, pushing the door open to the dark bedroom beyond.
His room smells like him.
Like whiskey and tobacco, mixed with that little bit of the forest beyond these four walls. My mouth waters, and I inhale instinctively as I step into the room and carefully shut the door behind me.
Then, I stop.
“Well, shit.”
Now what?
With no time to waste, I shake myself, hurrying over to his dresser. I pull open the top drawer, blushing when I see the boxers lined up neatly in a row.
Levi Cross needs some color in his life. All his boxers are black.
Steeling myself, I root around the bottom of the drawer, and when I find nothing, I shut it tight, blowing out a breath.
Why is it so hot in here?
I move on to the next, searching through every T-shirt, sock, or pair of jeans I can find, but every drawer is empty.
I search the closet, the dressers. Under the bed, and I even go so far as to look in the bathroom. It’s nowhere to be found, and the more time that ticks by, the more desperate I become.
Where thehellwould he hide it? More importantly,whatis he hiding on it?
Why is this little piece of plastic the balance between life and death?
I suck in a deep breath, my hands shaking, as panic slips over me.
I scrub a hand over my face, turning back toward the bed.
Throughout the time I’ve worked here, I’ve learned things about that bed. I’ve heard the moans of the women he brings home. I can’t stop the bitter stab of something dark and envious swirling in my gut when I step over to the edge of the Alaskan King bed, looking down at the carefully made sheets from when I made it this morning.
I hate him. I hate him because deep down, I know I don’t. I hate him because he’s the reason I’m here and because he made me care, even though he’s given me no reason to.
I grab the mattress and lift it as best I can, inspecting underneath it.
Nothing.
“Goddamnit,” I growl. “Where thefuckis it?”
I fall to the bed, running my hands through my hair.
I’m fucked. I’m fucked. I’m fucked.
And then, movement to my left catches my attention, and I nearly collapse when my heart falls to my toes.
Oh, I amsooofucked.
Levi smirks at me from the door, leaning against the frame with a sinister grin on his face like he just found out his favorite toy is broken.
. . . And now he gets to destroy it.
“Hello, little ghost.”
LEVI
It’s cute . . . the fear in her eyes.
