Page 73 of Sin Like the Devil

“No, jackass.”

“Well, don’t just stand there. It creeps me out.”

“I’m done. I need some air.”

Raine pulls the violin from beneath his chin. “Wait up.”

“You’re busy,” I protest.

He shrugs, searching for his violin case. “Sure. My schedule is crammed. How will I ever spare a moment?”

Fighting a smile, I step into the room to help him. He’d never surrender his baby to me; that violin is practically his left arm. But I quickly locate the velvet-lined case then touch his wrist, guiding him to it.

“Why exactly are you still following me around?”

Raine lovingly packs his violin away. “This place is boring and lonely as fuck. I’m the only one taking music classes, so the teacher doesn’t even turn up, meaning it’s always deserted.”

“You just want company? Is that it?” I laugh.

“I’ve had worse company than you.”

“Oh, thanks. You do compliment me.”

Clicking the case shut, he unfolds his guide stick next. “You told me off for flirting last week. This is me keeping myself in check.”

If I’d known that fooling around with Raine would lead to him stalking me like a lovesick puppy, I wouldn’t have given in to temptation. Well, maybe. Hell, who am I kidding? I was done for the moment I saw those warm, butterscotch eyes.

We haven’t kissed since, though. Part of me is terrified the attraction I felt was just the mania talking. I needed an outlet. A quick fix. Raine was there to provide that.

But a bigger part of me is scared that the feelings I have for him are real and can’t be excused as some semi-psychotic fluke. That would be bad. Deadly, in fact.

“You hungry?” he asks.

“Nope.”

“Cool. I’d rather avoid the cafeteria.”

Come to think of it, I haven’t seen his two bodyguards lurking around like usual. Lennox has made himself scarce since our tangle in the mud, and Xander is still being invisible. But I know his eyes are always on me.

“Trouble in paradise?”

“Something like that,” he mumbles.

“I’m shocked. You’re friends with such good men.”

“Don’t start, Rip.” His voice is oddly defensive. “Shit is complicated.”

I blow out a frustrated breath. “Don’t I know it.”

Clasping his violin case, he stretches out his guide stick to begin tapping a path to the exit. I automatically take his elbow, helping steer the way. He’s a little unsteady, but for a drug addict, I’d say he’s high-functioning.

I’m not sure when we fell into such a familiar routine. Somehow, trying to keep my distance has had the opposite effect. Raine refuses to let me go.

Out in the corridor, classes are breaking for lunch. It’s chaos. Patients make a beeline for food or therapy, wrapped up in their own little worlds. I have to manoeuvre Raine through the crowd so he doesn’t get clattered.

“It’s like they’re pretending they can’t even see the stick,” I complain. “I’m gonna fucking deck one of these idiots in a minute.”

“Chill out, guava girl.”

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