Page 232 of Sin With Me

I think I gasp, but the sound is covered up by my best friend. Oli screams, dropping her hands as she darts forward, tossing her body over the carrier.

“Cover your eyes, Cheddar! There’s a python in the room!” She turns her furious gaze toward her brother. “What the hell is this, Chase? A brothel? Don’t you know how triggering this could be for him after what he’s been through?”

The giant man comes to a stop, his dark eyes taking in the scene, completely uncaring that they’re both practically naked. He runs a big paw through his long beard, his brows furrowing. His dark hair is pulled back in a knot. There are grey strands gathering around his temple and streaking his beard.

“I—I can explain,” Chase starts, his eyes widening. He glances up at the man, then back to Oli. He looks so panicked, so unlike himself, I almost laugh. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“Oh, yeah?” she snaps back. “So it’s not you getting dicked-down by a giant Russian with a firehose for a cock?”

Her brother sucks in a shocked breath, bringing a palm to his chest. “Olive Madeline Tanner! Who taught you to speak like that?”

She chuckles, rolling her eyes. “You, silly.”

He drops his hand and smirks with a shrug. “Yeah, probably.”

The big man says nothing, and it’s then that I realize he’s intently focused on me. I swallow thickly as I contemplate making an escape for the front door.

“Come out, Eve,” he commands before I can move, his voice laced with something I can’t place. My throat bobs.

How does he know who I am?

Chase’s head snaps up from where he was having a hushed argument with Oli about the contents of her carrier. “What? Eve’s here?”

Fuck.

Rolling my shoulders back, I let the goat lead me into the light. It takes everything I have to keep my head held high when all I want to do is run and hide.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Chase shouts, stumbling back a step. He points an accusing finger at Potato, then to the animals surrounding him, saving me for last. “What the hell is this?”

Oli shrugs and drops to her knees, petting the duck like a puppy. “It’s giving surprise, don’t you think?” She flashes him a wry grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief only Oli is capable of.

I bite my cheek to stifle an unexpected laugh. I don’t think she knows how to use the saying properly.

Chase shoots her a glare and stomps his foot, his arms flying above his head, making his boxers shift. I look away. “No, Olive. It’s giving Noah’s Arc!” He shakes his head. “Nu-uh. I’m not doing this two-by-two shit. Get them out. This isn’t a farm.”

As if to disagree, Robert dashes forward and winds himself around the big man's meaty legs, circling his ankles. The guy rumbles deep in his chest and lifts his leg, shaking the creature off.

“Your cat is ugly,” he grunts, shooting Oli a pissed-off look. “Why’s it wearing a sweater?”

“Because he’s cold, obviously.” She huffs, rolling her eyes. “And that’s not a cat. That’s my marsupial.”

“I don’t care what it is. Get it away from me.”

She sighs and crawls across the floor, bundling Robert into her arms before dropping onto her haunches to slide him into his harness. When she’s done, her eyes fly up and land right on…

“Stop staring at Kon’s dick!” Chase cries, shoving the man, Kon, back a step.

Meanwhile, I’m letting myself shrink further and further into the darkness clawing at my soul.

Kon? Like Roman’s boss, Kon?

Tugging on the hoodie, I gnaw on my lip. This isn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want to be surrounded by Roman. His people, his home, his scent. I didn’t want chaos or three sets of eyes locked on me with varying expressions. I don’t want questions or to talk.

I just want to sleep without thoughts of everything that happened earlier today. Without thoughts of Roman and, and…

“Anyway,” Oli drawls as she climbs to her feet. “We’re staying here for a while so you both might want to, you know,” she breaks off, giving a pointed look at their bodies before gagging, “consider pants and maybe earplugs.”

Chase grimaces and snatches a throw pillow from an armchair. His eyes flit to mine for a split second before he covers himself, his cheeks red. “Why do we need to wear earplugs?” he grumbles, his gaze floating around the room, never staying on me longer than a second.

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