Page 11 of The Rise of Saint (The Sins of Saint 1)

“Is that your professional opinion?”

He frowned. “Sarcasm is very unbecoming.”

“So is kidnapping.”

He snorted. “I have a feeling you and I are going to have a lot of fun together.”

“Don’t count on it.”

“Do you want answers?”

“Yes.”

He leaned forward, and I let out a silent breath when his fingers brushed my knee, his touch slightly warmer than before. A shudder traveled down my leg as fingertips brushed against my naked skin, his lips slightly parted, the look in his eye that of a hunter.

He licked his lips, and for a single moment I let my guard down, allowing my gaze to drop to the subtle movement that reminded me of how I thought about his lips as perfection when I saw him for the first time…right before he killed my friend.

Abruptly, his hold on my knee tightened to a point of pain, and I closed my eyes as I gasped.

“Then stop behaving like a fucking brat.” His hard voice complimented his cruel touch.

Tears stung my eyes, and I was only a few breaths away from letting them slip free, exposing the level of fear I felt.

Saint reached out, and I closed my eyes as he towered over me. Through the threatening tears, I could smell the scent of his expensive cologne, a mix of spices—rosemary, black pepper…and dominance. The click of the seatbelt made me stiffen, and I could no longer keep the tears from falling. It was a slow trickle of fear down my cheek, my lips trembling as it lapped past my mouth.

“Now, now, Mila.” He wiped at a tear, and I turned my face away from him without opening my eyes, unwillingly giving him access to lean even closer, his lips brushing against my ear. “I like it when girls cry.”

Without warning, I felt his teeth nip at my earlobe, and I whimpered with trembling lips.

“You’ll be smart to remember that.”

I didn’t need to open my eyes to know he was no longer leaning over me. Just by finally being able to take a stable breath, I knew he was no longer close, and I opened my eyes as the plane engines started. I refused to look at him across from me and stared out the window into the darkness. As quickly as day turned into night, my life changed from a reality I had always known to a nightmare, and I had no clue what it held in store for me.

One would think I’d be a little more excited when the airplane started moving since this was the first time for me. But it managed to make me feel even worse. The acceleration had me clutching the armrests tightly, the pressure pushing me deeper into the seat.

My heart raced, my mouth as dry as it was in the elevator back at the hotel.

“You’ve never been on a plane before.”

I gave a quick look his way but didn’t respond.

“Relax. The takeoff is the worst part.”

I pressed my eyes closed, swallowing hard. There was aclunkwhen the plane lifted off the ground. A sinking sensation came over me as we kept ascending, my chest tight and gut heavy. I didn’t look out the window. It was too dark to see anything, anyway. But I felt it, the incline as the plane climbed. Shutting my eyes, I felt sweat beading at my temples, and instead of feeling the plane lifting into the air, I imagined it plummeting to the ground.

I squirmed in my seat, trying hard to concentrate on my breathing and to not let the impending panic attack crush my chest.

“Mila. Look at me.”

I gripped the armrests tighter.

“Mila!”

The sharp tone of his voice forced me to open my eyes.

“Look at me.”

I shook my head, on the verge of closing my eyes again.

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