Page 44 of Merciless Sinner

“Are you sure?” His voice deepens.

“Yes.” I draw in a little breath.

“Should I take that to mean you’ve decided to be loyal again and you’ll beherenext week?” His tone takes on that sarcastic, menacing edge from last night.

“Yes.” I speak firmly, trying to shake off my worries about my actions and the consequences to follow.

“Then it looks like we’re back in business.” He straightens. “Get showered and changed, and have some breakfast. You have a visitor coming to see you in two hours.”

“Is it my brother?”

“No, I’m still trying to reach him. It’s Amelia.”

My spirits lift a little on hearing that. That’s a good sign. Maybe a best friend is what I need right now.

“She’s coming to see me?”

“Yes. She’s very eager to see you. You two have been friends since birth.” He lifts his chin higher. “I’ll be away after lunch. We’ll talk about last night when I get back later.”

Sin lurks in his eyes, and I realize he was only just getting started with me last night.

“I know I shouldn’t have tried to escape.”

“At least you know that now.”

“You chained me up in this room like an animal. Can’t you just let it go? Iamsorry. I wasn’t intentionally trying to break our contract.”

He leans forward, and I steel my spine.

“The road to Hell is paved with people who never intended to do what they did, but they’re there. So, in my books, you owe me more than you did before, and I’ll be collecting as I see fitlater.” The corners of his lips lift into a half-smile that makes me think of how he owned my body the other day with just his fingers.

What will he collect from me later?

“Go. Get ready.” Although he changes the subject, the seriousness in his eyes prevails, telling me he still believes I’m only sorry about last night because I got caught.

He’s not wrong. I know I can’t bullshit him. Or myself.

But I also can’t help how I feel.

ChapterTwelve

Olivia

As I approach the door to the sunroom, I see her.

Amelia.

I recognize her from a picture Seamus showed me. She’s sitting on the large wicker sofa facing the windows, so she can’t see me just yet.

Her attention is on the finches flying around the red roses in the garden. I can see why she’s fascinated with them. It’s their color. The birds are almost as red as the roses. The only thing to set them apart is the smidge of black feathers lining their wings.

The sun shimmers on Amelia’s black hair, casting a glow over her, and I wonder what this meeting is going to be like.

When I reach the door, she turns toward me, and her large green eyes widen.

They’re the same emerald as the skater dress she’s wearing.

With her lips parted in shock, she rises to her feet, standing slightly taller than me.

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