Page 10 of Merciless Sinner

“She’s not for sale.” Petr straightens, glowering at him. The smile and humor are gone now. “As you can see, the girl belongs to me.”

“I beg to differ.” Virgo gives him a mirthless smile. One that exhibits power and authority. “This girl doesn’t belong to anyone but herself. If you took a closer look at her, you’d see how much she loathes sitting next to your disgusting, fucked-up body. We can all see she’s already mentally vomiting her insides at the thought of what she might have to do with you tonight.”

His sharp voice pierces into me, forcing every single word into my mind. As each one lands, they feel like explosions, ripping open every secret part of me, unleashing my true thoughts. It’s worse when he looks at me and that thing from earlier that I felt when we first met returns.

This morning, it felt enchanting, but now it makes me feel more exposed.

“I’m sure she wishes she could do something else to fix whatever trouble sent her here.” Virgo keeps his gaze trained on me, as if he can see straight through to the insides of my soul.

I try to breathe past the seal of trepidation clogging my throat. But I can’t, because…he’s looking at me as if he knows me.

As if he knows me beyond our casual encounter this morning.

God… am I right?

Is he my destruction?

The question in my mind short-circuits my nerves. Because… I think I am right, and the only thing I can think of is getting far, far away from here.

Petr snaps his gaze to me now, more suspicious than ever, and I feel like a mouse trapped in the lion’s den.

Air.I need some air. Or cold water on my face. I need to do anything but stay here.

“Excuse me.” My voice sounds weak as I stand on trembling legs. I’m about to move when Petr grabs my hand.

“Where are you going?” He speaks through gritted teeth.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” I try to sound like Virgo’s words didn’t hit my nerves with a mallet, but I know I fail.

“Don’t stay too long.” Petr releases me, but not without giving me a look of cold, hard warning that echoes his displeasure.

“Sure.” I nod and walk away.

Although I can feel Virgo’s eyes searing into me, I don’t look back.

I head to the ladies’ bathrooms, but I keep walking when I spot the open door to the terrace. I walk out there instead, allowing the cool, sea-breeze-scented night air to wash over me.

Goose bumps prickle my skin and an unhinged sensation crawls through my nerves like a snake.

This is too much for me. If I’m right about what’s going on, then I’ve fallen into a trap I never saw coming. If I make the wrong move, I’ll only get twisted tighter in this web of shit I’ve landed myself in.

I head toward the balcony, rest my hands on the metal rails, and gaze ahead at the city below. I’m on the rooftop of a fifteen-story building, so the people all look like ants walking around in the cascade of multi-color lights.

My heart is heavy, and my thoughts are racing so fast I can’t pick them apart.

I close my eyes, but all I can see is Virgo’s eyes staring at me, engraved in my mind’s eye like an emblem. The way he spoke, and the things he said… it did something to me. Something I can’t quite describe.

My aversion to Petr is obvious, but it’s the other things Virgo said that got to me, cementing the idea that he’s part of my danger.

“What kind of trouble are you in?”

My eyes snap wide at the sound of that deep voice. I was just thinking of the man the voice belongs to.

Slowly, slowly, I turn to face him, completely unsure of what to say.

Virgo moves closer, and my nerves scatter.

I step back when he gets even closer, not wanting to be blocked in so I can’t run if I have to.

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