The Sinner

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

SIN

I WALK INTO the house of Lords and enter the kitchen. I left Elli passed out in my bed back at my parents’ house because I had a meeting an hour ago. Thought I’d run by here to grab a few things from my room on my way back to her.

“Sin, where the fuck have you been, man?” Gunner asks, slapping my back.

“Busy.” I avoid his question.

A few guys sit around the large kitchen table. One of them is Matt. He’s got his head down while he texts away on his cell, but you can’t miss the bruises and swollen eye that he has. They look new.

“Matt, you look like shit.” Chase notices him and laughs. “Get in a fight?”

“Shut the fuck up,” he growls, getting to his feet and walking out.

Jimmy plops down beside Prickett and smiles. “Heard Ryat fucked him up while they were on their assignment.”

Prickett ignores him. I’m not sure what’s going on between all the guys in the house. I haven’t been here much ever since they had their vow ceremony. But I’ve seen it every year for the past three. Once the guys get their chosens, there’s chaos between the Lords. Men fighting over pussy they want and can’t get.

Every Lord that is attending Barrington has a room here until they graduate, but it’s not like we are required to check in every night. We’re allowed to come and go as we please. Especially the seniors. Once the Lords take chosens, they’re hardly ever here. Too busy out fucking anything they can.

“I don’t know why you guys fight over chosens.” Chance shakes his head. “They’re nothing special.”

“They’re like anything else. Some are better than others,” Gunner agrees, taking a bite of his sandwich. “Mine’s worth it.” He gives a sly smile with his mouthful.

I’d kill a man if it meant I could take Elli as my chosen. No questions asked.

“Yeah, well…” Chance leans back in his chair. “Mine sucks.”

“In a good way, right?” Chase wiggles his eyebrows.

“No. She fucking sucks. All she does is cry. All the fucking time. I mean, I like using women, but I want one that actually enjoys the sex.”

Prickett gets up from his seat. “You shouldn’t have picked a virgin, dude.”

Chance snorts. “It wasn’t my choice. Her family owes mine. She’s payment.” He rolls his eyes. “I’ve got to chase down whores just to get off.”

“Wait.” Chase lifts his hands. “You’ve got a chosen that cries, and that’s keeping you from getting off?” He snorts. “Just gag her so you don’t have to hear her cry if it bothers you that much.”

Chance has his face in his hands. He drops them and looks up at Chase who comes to stand next to me. “I’ve tried that. Nothing works. She sobs. Like, just looking at me upsets her. She’s terrified.” He shakes his head. “Some men might be into that, but I sure as fuck am not. And I’m afraid every time I gag her that she’s going to make herself vomit. I don’t want to kill the poor thing.”

Chase slaps my back, walking over to me but looking at Chance. “Take some notes from Sin here. He found his own whore and won’t even touch his chosen.”

Chance sits back in his seat, his eyes on mine. He wants Elli. I don’t blame him, but how things went down last night at the reception proves my suspicion. I almost feel sorry for the bastard, that he’ll never know what it’s like to be with my little demon.

Turning, I walk out of the kitchen and to my room. I’ve just slammed the door shut when someone knocks on it. I yank it open. “What?” I bark. My eyes hardening when I see who stands before me. “What the fuck do you want?” I look out into the hall to see we’re alone.

He steps into my room, pushing me out of the way in the process. Grabbing my door, he closes it shut behind him. “I think we can help one another out.”

I snort. “I don’t need help.” What the fuck is he talking about?

He pulls his cell out of his pocket and I stand silently, wondering what the fuck he’s doing while he scrolls through messages. When he finds what he wants, he holds his phone up into my face. My wide eyes go to his.

Nodding, he adds, “Like I said, I think we can help each other out.” Locking his screen, he drops his phone to his side and steps into me. “Unless you want to lose everything.” He shrugs carelessly. “Up to you.” He turns and grabs the doorknob, ready to leave my room, but I reach out and slam my hand on it, keeping it shut.

He turns and walks farther into my room, and I turn to face him. I’ve got two options. One—let him live. Two—kill him right here, right now. “You’ve got five minutes,” I say. Depending on what he has to say will depend on which option I choose.

ELLINGTON

I WAKE AND roll over onto my stomach, moaning as I bury my face into the soft pillow. A warm hand runs up and down my back softly before grabbing my shoulder and pulling me to face a wide-awake Sin. I also don’t miss the fact that he’s already dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. I’m still naked.

“What time is it?” I mumble. God, it feels like I’ve been sucking on sandpaper all night and my head is throbbing. I should know better than to drink while rolling.

“Almost noon,” he answers.

I cover my face with my hands. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“Well, I figured after the night you had, you needed as much rest as you could get.”

Sitting up, I push the rat’s nest I call hair from my face.

He gets out of bed, and I watch him walk into his adjoining bathroom, remembering last night. My mother admitting that she knew I slept with James. But obviously not the truth about it. She wanted to ship me off. He talked her into letting me stay in my own home? What had James said to her?

Exiting the bathroom, Sin hands me two Advil and a glass of water. “Take these.”

I toss them in my mouth and swallow.

“Get dressed.”

I fall onto the bed, stretching my arms above my head. He watches me, his head tilted to the side. I wonder what he’s thinking. Is he visualizing tying me to his bed? To use me for the day? I’d gladly let him. Or fight him. Either way, I’d enjoy it. I just want him to take my ability to think away. “Why?” I finally ask when he just stares at me.

“I’ve got somewhere I want to take you,” he answers vaguely and turns to go enter his closet. A second later, he returns, and my heart picks up at seeing the black silk blindfold hanging from his hand.

“Right now?” I pout.

“Right now.” He grabs the duvet and yanks it back to expose my naked body to him. He slides a hand down my inner thigh, and I spread them for him. Cupping my pussy, he lowers his lips to mine and whispers, “Trust me, you want to see it.” Then he pulls away and tosses the blindfold on my chest.

I take in a deep breath and pray that the medicine kicks in soon.

_______________

I’M DRESSED AND in his car in less than thirty minutes. He orders me to put the blindfold on before he’ll go anywhere, so I slide it on, blanketing me in darkness. I like it.

But nervousness takes over and I start bouncing my knees. What the hell are we doing? Is he not taking me home? Although, that is the last place I want to go. I’m sure my mother has packed all of my shit and kicked me out. If I were younger, she’d probably ship me off to boarding school like she tried to do back then. Or Lincoln would.

Either way, I can’t live there anymore. Not after what Linc said to me when I was supposed to have dinner with them. I was too young to know any different with James. He trapped me. I won’t allow Linc to do the same.

A hand touches my thigh and I jump.

“You’re okay,” comes Sin’s calming voice, and I take in a deep breath.

I haven’t mentioned what he said last night to me when I asked him to lie. I remember every word he spoke. Even though I almost passed out. He told me he loved me. It had been real, so he says. But was it?

I don’t know what love is. I’ve never experienced it. I think there’s different types of love out there for all types of people. Do I love Sin?

Absolutely. In the I’ll kill for you kind of way. He could make a saint unholy with only his voice. He could make an angel fall from heaven with just a single look.

And me? Well, I’m no saint or angel. I’m a slave for him. I couldn’t deny him anything if I tried.

The fact that he’d rip someone else apart for just thinking they could love me turns me on. It’s the fucked-up toxic side of me that wants to test it.

He softly rubs his warm hand up and down my thigh and I feel my body relaxing into the seat, hoping I don’t fall asleep. I’m still exhausted. My body sore and tired.

The radio plays, drowning out my heavy breathing and quieting any conversation we could potentially have. I don’t mind it. I’d rather not discuss what I did last night.

My body jerks and I realize I had fallen asleep. It’s still dark and I can feel the blindfold over my eyes and his hand still on my thigh. If he notices, he doesn’t mention it.

The car rolls to a stop and his hand disappears for a second before I hear car doors opening and closing. He grabs my hand, pulling me out, and places his hands on my shoulders to get me to stand where he wants me.

Then the blindfold is removed from my face, and I blink a few times to adjust to the bright sunlight.

A house sits before me. Three stories tall, nothing but glass and black brick. “What … what is this?” I turn to ask him.

He doesn’t say anything. Instead, he takes my hand and pulls me up the seven stairs and pushes open the two large stained-glass doors. We enter the house and I look around at the white marble flooring and black accent inlays. The walls are a dark gray and there’s a grand staircase to the right.

“Did you rent this out?” I ask him.

“Have a look around,” he says, gesturing for me to step farther into the house.

I take a right and see it’s a formal dining room. A large table that can seat a party of twenty is facing several floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the woods. Black curtains are open to show the perfectly manicured lawn. I take a left, entering the kitchen. It’s like the rest, black-and-white floor with black countertops but the backsplash is red to give it a pop of color.

There’s a piece of paper on the island. I pick it up and my heart races as I read the words.

Welcome home, little demon.

I look up to see him leaning up against the island. Arms crossed over his chest, eyes on mine. “Sin,” I whisper, my throat closing up. My eyes quickly scan the room, waiting for the punch line. This has to be a joke, right?

Walking over to me, he cups my face. His free hand wraps around my waist and pulls me into his hard body.

“I don’t understand.” I bite my bottom lip nervously.

“I bought us this house, Elli.”

“But why?”

Letting go of my face, he reaches down and grips my thighs, lifting my ass to sit on the island. He steps between my parted legs. “Because I wanted you to have a place to come home to. Our home.” A soft smile tugs at his lips while the blood rushes in my ears. “A place for you to feel safe.”

I just stare at him, trying to slow my racing heart.

“Say yes, Elli. Tell me you’ll move in with me.”

Where else would I go? This man I’d do anything for is giving me the best gift I’ve ever received. He wants to live with me. Here in our house. Just the two of us. I’m not one of those girls that need to be married. I actually never want to get married. But to live with him? To be his every second of every day? That sounds like heaven to me. “Yes.” I nod, sniffing. “Of course.”

He picks me up off the island and I giggle. Actually giggle like a lovestruck teenager. He carries me back to the formal dining room table and sets me on my feet. Then he’s ripping off my shirt, shorts, and underwear.

“What are you doing?” I ask, still laughing. I’ve never felt happiness like this before. It’s like bubbling inside me wanting to escape.

“I’m going to have my first meal in our home.” He lifts me up, placing my ass on the table. Pushing on my chest, he forces me to lie down. I put my heels on the table and spread my legs for him like the good girl he wants me to be. I’m so fucking needy for him. “Touch yourself for me,” he urges me.

Sitting back in the chair at the head of the table, he watches me play with myself, my fingers dipping in and out of my pussy. I hear him shift in the seat and then hear him removing his belt from his jeans.

“Come on, little demon,” he coaxes, encouraging me. “Make yourself come all over this table.”

My fingers pick up speed, going deeper, and my hips lift off the surface. My heavy breathing and moaning fill the room. I’m close. My body rocks back and forth, my heels dig into the table, and I whimper.

“Sin—” I’m so close. I can feel it. Almost there…

He rips my hands away from my pussy, and I cry out.

“Sin?” I sit up, panting. “What—”

He wraps his hand around my throat, cutting off my words. He leans in, his lips tenderly kissing mine. “Lie back down, Elli.”

I do as I’m told, and he grabs my hands. Wrapping his belt around my wrists, sliding the end through the silver buckle, he then presses my arms to my upper chest. He takes the remainder of the belt around my neck before tying it off, securing my wrists to my neck.

He pulls my ass to the end of the table and kneels, throwing my shaking legs over his shoulders. He licks my cunt and I arch my back. “You’re going to come all over my face, Elli. The first meal I have, will be your pussy.”