Page 35 of Psycho Saints

And then came the flowers and gifts on the daily. Each day, Cristian surprised me with something, whether it was waking up to a bouquet of flowers on the nightstand, or him giving me a new piece of jewelry worth more than I could imagine.

The silver bracelet had been a favorite, and I'd not taken it off since he'd given it to me with the heart on it with a keyhole in it. He'd said it symbolized how I was the only one with a key to his heart now.

I found myself caught in their web, unable to resist the pull of their varying affections. My body craved their touch, even as my mind struggled to make sense of our twisted arrangement.

One morning, I stumbled upon Cristian in the kitchen. He was baking, flour dusting his cheeks and hair. The sight still surprised me much like the first time I found him baking and I couldn't help but laugh.

He looked up, a rare, genuine smile lighting his face. "What's so funny, sweetheart?"

I shook my head, still chuckling. "Just... you. Baking. It's so different to who you are as a person."

Cristian's eyes softened. "There's a lot you don't know about me yet, kitten." He held out a spoon covered in batter. "Want a taste?"

As I stepped forward to accept his offer, I studied him. What else was there that I didn't know about him?

"Tell me," I more commanded than asked after taking the spoon and enjoying the sweet batter.

"What do you want to know?" he asked, unfazed by my more direct order as he got a new spoon and continued making what looked to be a cake now that I could see all the kitchenware.

"What's something you love, something that you're passionate about?" I asked thoughtfully as I moved to sit on the counter. Even now, I watched with a ghost of unease in the back of my mind, but he'd proven he was different in the last week since that proposal night. No one had pushed me on my response, Cristian not asking if I'd decided yet, although they'd been fucking me like I'd said yes.

"You." He set the bowl down, focusing on me with an oddly sincere smile teasing his lips.

"Anything else?" I said, unable to keep the small smile from my face. This devotion of his was an oddly comforting thing, toxicity be damned.

"Family. Keeping them safe," he said with a shrug.

"Do you like gaming or reading? You like baking, that's obvious. Maybe you like fish," I mused.

"Julian's the gamer, Tyrone reads on occasion too. I used to like to ride motorbikes. Stopped doing it though, too easy for our enemies to try to take me out." He poured his batter into a cake pan and slid it into the oven before setting the timer.

"It's not a perfect life," I remarked softly. I'd be looking over my shoulder always, knowing that because I'd chosen them, I now had a target on my back.

Was I truly okay with that?

"No, but it's a good one for us. We get one hell of a life, and we're okay with the price and risks. You gotta live somehow, maybe hard and fast is the way." He shrugged as he leaned on the opposing counter and folded his arms.

He looked so at home in his gray tracksuit pants and matching gray wife beater. It showed off his tattooed arms and the muscles that flexed in them.

What was it about firm arms that had me entranced? It was like whenever they wore long sleeves and then rolled them up. A strange little delight of mine.

"Maybe," I murmured. They certainly lived a lavish life full of luxury, a life many could only dream of.

"So, excited for your nail day? You'll have to head off soon, we've got a good set of guards for you today," Cristian shifted the subject to my plans for the day.

Tyrone had booked me a nail day with Noms, wanting me to relax and feel at home with them. I wasn't about to turn down a day with Noms, so I was bubbling with excitement at seeing her again.

"I'm keen for the high-tea brunch beforehand, hence why I haven't eaten anything yet," I stated, sucking in a breath as he pushed off the counter and closed the gap between us.

His hands rested on either side of the counter, caging me in as he stared at me with that wicked smirk.

"Lillian's is known to have quite the high-tea, it's why we chose it. You're going to have a wonderful day, kitten," he said as he reached up to twirl a strand of my hair. "Tonight, you can show me just how sharp your new claws are."

I swallowed as the heat spread in my core at the thought, and he leaned in to press his lips to mine in a teasing kiss before he yanked away.

"Now, are you going to get changed? Or do you plan to just wear my brother's clothes?" He arched a brow as he gazed over my attire. I'd spent the night in Julian's bed, and had thrown on some of his clothes this morning after he'd left.

Sure, I had my own, but who didn't like wearing the comfy, breezy mens clothing when they could?

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