The Sinner

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

SIN

“I’M SORRY ABOUT that, ladies and gentlemen.” Linc stands from his chair. “Elli’s … not well.” He goes on, walking away from the table. “Just give us a few minutes.” He rushes out of the room.

I push my chair back and jump up from my seat. “Easton,” I hear my mother call out, but I ignore her as I follow them.

Shoving open the door to the adjoining room I saw Laura drag Elli into, I see we’re back in the west wing where she stood and stared at the banister that her father hung himself from.

Elli now stands in front of her mother who has her finger in her face.

“You’re not needed here. This is a family matter,” Lincoln states, stepping in front of me. I punch him in his face.

He doubles over, covering it with his hands. “Je-sus,” he mumbles.

“What the fuck?” Laura snaps, looking over at me. Then her eyes go back to her daughter. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she demands. “You’re fucking on something, aren’t you? Drugged up, as usual.”

Elli starts laughing. “Don’t act like you care now, Mom. You’ve never cared before.”

“Elli—”

“You’ve never cared about me at all.” Her voice rises.

“Stop being so damn dramatic.” Her mother rolls her eyes.

I hear the door open behind me and I look over my shoulder to see Chance has followed us to get a view of the show. Giving him my back, I dismiss him.

Laura notices and then looks back to her daughter as well. “I don’t want to see you again until you’re sober.” Her heels clap on the marble as she walks over to her husband. She grabs his arm and starts to drag him back to the party when Elli speaks.

“Why him?” she demands, hands fisted down by her sides. “Why out of all the Lords did you pick him?” Her eyes fill with tears. “He’s nothing like Dad was.”

Laura turns and walks back over to Elli. Hands on her hips. “Your father was a self-absorbed son of a bitch. Just like you,” Laura growls.

Elli’s eyes narrow on her mother. “Father was too good for you,” she states.

I step closer, expecting her mother to slap her, put her hands on Elli in some way. If she does, I’ll break her nose too. I’m not above hitting a woman. Her face will match her husband’s.

Instead, Laura has the audacity to look wounded by Elli’s words. “You’re just like your father. And that’s exactly why you’ll die like him.” A tear runs down Elli’s cheek, her chest heaving as her breathing picks up. “Do us all a favor and get it over with. Take a few extra drugs next time. Just don’t die in this house.” Laura snorts. She storms off but only to turn back after a few steps, deciding she’s not done. “I have given you everything. And this is how you treat me, you ungrateful little bitch?”

Elli throws her head back laughing, the motion making her stumble in her heels, throwing her off balance. I step forward to catch her, but she rights herself. “Seriously? You think I asked to be raped?”

“Raped?” Her mother’s mouth drops. “You think I didn’t know that you sat outside my office listening to my sessions? You think I didn’t know that you tricked James into fucking you?”

Elli’s watery eyes go wide, and she gasps. “Tricked him? I did no such thing—”

“You really think that I wasn’t aware that you were a whore who spread her legs for my husband?” She’s yelling in Elli’s face.

Ellington doesn’t say anything, instead she stares at her mother with tears in her eyes. The only parent she had just admitted that she knew what was happening but chose not to protect her. Not to stop it.

“I saw everything. And you should thank your lucky stars for James. Because when I wanted to ship you off, he was the one who talked me into letting you stay under my roof.” With that, Laura spins around, and her narrowed eyes meet mine before they go to her husband. “Get her the fuck out of my house,” she orders him and then she storms off into the other room, not giving a shit about her daughter.

I watch Elli silently cry, her pretty eyes dropping to the floor, her small body shaking.

“Chance, you heard my wife,” Lincoln growls, wiping blood off his face. “Take her home.” Then he too exits, following after Laura.

Chance moves toward Elli and I step in front of him, blocking his way. “Touch her, and I’ll break your fucking arm,” I warn.

He halts, his eyes going to my girl then back to me. Raising his hands, he nods to me once and starts backing up until he turns and walks back into the ballroom.

_______________

I PLACE HER in my bed and go to step away but she reaches out, gently tugging on my arm. “I’m just getting undressed,” I assure her, and she lets go. I remove my button-up and slacks. Then I shove my boxer briefs and socks off until I’m naked and crawling into bed next to her. On my side, I prop myself up on my right arm and run my free hand over her tear-streaked face.

She hasn’t spoken since her mother turned her back on her and left her standing broken all over again. I walked over, took her hand, and escorted her out of the house. The night was over.

Her heavy dilated eyes open to meet mine. “Lie to me again.”

I frown. “I’ve never lied to you.”

“When …” She licks her lips. “When we were on the boat, and you told me you loved me.” Her eyes seem to soften. “I want to hear that again.”

She thinks I lied? Why would I lie? To get between her legs? I’ve been there for years. Elli has never been the kind of girl who needs to be told what she wants to hear to get in her pants.

My hand slides down her stomach to her pussy. Arching her back, her eyes fall closed as I play with her piercing. Gently pulling and rubbing before I slide a finger into her. She’s wet enough. The fact that I came in her just two hours ago helps.

Plus, she’s still on the drugs. Her body is going to react to the simplest touch, lightest kiss.

I lie flat on my back, grabbing her arm and pulling her on top of me.

Her eyes spring open and I look up at her now straddling me. “Fuck me,” I order. “Sit that tight cunt down over my cock and fuck it. Get yourself off, Elli. I want to watch you come.”

She’s abandoned her previous request for my own, just like I knew she would, and adjusts herself to slide onto my hard dick.

My neck arches and I hiss in a breath. I’ve never had a woman on top before. Her hips start to move back and forth, her hands on my chest. She’s gentle. Slow and steady, but it feels amazing.

I open my eyes and lift my hands to wrap around her neck and squeeze. Her delicate hands grip my forearms, but her hips don’t stop. She fucks me as if her life depends on it.

It does.

“That’s it, Elli. I feel your pussy getting wetter. Come on, little demon. Be my good whore and come for me.”

She swallows against my hands and her cunt clamps down on my dick while her fingers loosen their grip on my forearms, arms falling to her sides. She comes as her head falls back.

I roll to my left, pushing her onto her back and letting go of her neck.

Her body convulses and she coughs while breathing heavily. Her face wet with tears and my cock covered in her cum.

I lean down, my tongue licking at her parted lips to taste the lingering champagne and tears. It’s a delicious combination.

“That’s what it feels like to love you, Ellington Jade Asher. It’s goddamn fucking consuming. Suffocating.” I slide my hand underneath her head to grab her hair and yank it back, giving me access to her neck.

I run my tongue over her racing pulse to her jaw. And over to her ear. “I’ll never lie to you, little demon. I will beat that ass black and blue. I’ll fuck that pretty mouth and I’ll take this cunt whenever I want. But always remember, Elli, that I love you. And no man on this earth will ever come close to feeling what I feel for you. And if he thinks he does, I’ll rip his fucking heart out.” Just the thought of another man loving her makes me see red. No one can be who she needs like I can. “Do you understand me, little demon?”

“Y-yes,” she answers breathlessly.

“That’s my good girl.”