Page 15 of Sinners Keepers
Would I have still said yes to him knowing that doing so would lead to my little crush turning into me falling head over heels for a woman who was one million percent off limits?Yeah, probably.
None of us were exactly the epitome of moral behavior, and Ijah was flat-out stupid if he thought that would change now.
When I was with her in the hospital, seeing her body all frail and broken from her injury, my heart ached in a way I didn't think possible. During the slow healing process, I cared for her; doing everything I could to make her comfortable. Each time she looked at me with gratitude in her eyes, I felt myself falling harder. It was impossible to deny the effect she had on me.
I knew that any inkling I was there on his behalf she would run for the fucking hills—and boy did I stick my fucking foot in my mouth today—but we had our ways of finding her.
We wouldalwaysfind her.
She walked down the stairs and rounded the corner to the kitchen where Law and I were setting up dinner at the kitchen island. We both looked up from our preparations. I groaned internally at her low-slung sweatpants, the flat plane of her exposed stomach, and how amazing her tits looked in the crop top she was wearing. A deep scar peeked from under the neckline and curved around her collarbone.
She was so fucking strong. Brave.Stubborn.
I glanced at Law. The look on his face spoke volumes. “Put your tongue back in your fucking mouth,” I murmured out of the corner of mine. He snapped his jaw closed and grumbled something about getting the fries out of the oven.
She sauntered over and pulled a bar stool out next to where I stood filling our drinks, her hips swaying ever so slightly. I couldn't seem to find it in me to pull my eyes away from the curves of her body accentuated by her outfit choice.
Get it together, Alec. It's not like she's wearing a fucking see-through teddy.
I wouldn’t have minded if she was, though.
Once I finished, I sidled into the seat next to hers. My hand moved to her upper back without a thought, and when she didn't shy away I felt a twinge in my gut. I didn’t know if it was guilt or butterflies or both.
Fuckingbutterflies. What was wrong with me? I was not a fucking 16-year-old boy. Damn.
Law deftly carried two plates of steaming burgers and fries—balancing them in one hand —along with a tray of freshly cut onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles. He set the plates down in front of us next to the ketchup and mustard and presented the topping plate with that unflinching glower of his ever-present on his face.
I smirked. "Thanks, Law." He grunted in response, frowning, before taking a seat across from us and I wanted to reach across the island and smooth out the wrinkles between his furrowed brows.Surly bastard.
I took a long swig of my beer and turned to Hunt, shocked to find tears welling in her eyes.
Her chin quivered as she inhaled sharply, seemingly trying to will the tears away. She held her breath and clamped her eyelids shut, gritting her teeth. It was kind of adorable.
“What is it, Hunny Bee?” I tilted her face toward mine with two fingers hooked under the bottom of her chin.
She immediately collapsed into my arms, trembling against me as she allowed a stifled sob to release. Having her body flush against mine was drugging.
Now wastheemost inopportune moment to get a semi. I shifted in my seat.
I patted her awkwardly, locking eyes with Law over her shoulder. He looked like he was about to have a coronary. Neither of us was very apt when it came to dealing with emotions, but I’d had a lot more practice than he had.
“Tell us what’s wrong, baby.” I cringed at how easily the endearment slipped from between my lips.
“Nothing,” she sniffled. “It’s stupid.” She straightened, easily gathering herself back to normal, and began to put her burger together. She was an expert at shoving her feelings down deep, having had to do so for years. At least in front of people.
Yeah, fuck that. “Bee,” I said seriously. “You’re allowed to feel things. You’ve been througha lotof shit, very very recently. We’re here for you.”
She inhaled a deep breath and timidly glanced at Law before looking back at me. “It’s just…” She carded her hand through her long red locks. “I’ve never had anyone take care of me. Except… for Ijah. And here you are giving me a place to stay, you brought all of my things… you’re cooking me fucking dinner and acting like all of this isso normalwhen I know you could probably just hire someone else to do it but I guess it’s pretty obvious I wouldn’t feel safe with a stranger in the house right now.”
She was tearing up again.
“I like to cook,” Law stated plainly.
I glared at him.
“I guess the worst part is that all of this is so nice and I don’t know why you’re being so nice or why you think I deserve it and instead of just being thankful, it makes me think of Ijah and it makes me fuckingmisshim and I shouldn’t fucking miss him and I’m so fucking stupid,” she spilled out without taking a single breath between any of her words. “I hate it. I hate myself.”
I scrubbed my hands over my face because I really didn’t even know what to say to that. My heart seemed to break alongside hers every single time she found herself feeling like this.
