Page 75 of Sin

As I rounded the corner and headed into the hallway that housed our rooms, I paused outside Sin’s door, listening for signs he’d returned. Nothing hinted at his presence. If he was home, there’d be some music blasting, or he’d be playing one of his many instruments to pass the time. Merri’s room was next, and I tried to ignore my body’s need to peek inside and check on her. She hadn’t looked well when I saw her last. Grim’s no-camming rule hit her harder than I think any of us were prepared for.

I didn’t hear anything coming from her room either, so I assumed she’d gone to bed early. Imagine my surprise then when I heard the soft murmur of her voice coming from Malice’s room.

A low, rumbling growl built in my throat. Jealousy burned through me, unwelcome and unbidden. I had absolutely no excuse for it. Not one I was willing to admit to, anyway.

“What happened to that adamant insistence you weren’t going to get involved?” I grumbled under my breath. “Such a fucking hypocrite. You’ve got the self-control of a sailor in port, Malice.”

Her laughter floated through the wood, and I reacted without thinking, opening the door and bracing myself to find the two of them making the beast with two backs. I couldn’t be held responsible for what I did to Malice, but I was pretty sure it would end in me turning his face into nothing but meat once my rage took hold.

I never had been good at sharing my toys. Or my weapons, for that matter.

Fists clenched, I stood in the doorway, fully prepared to make Malice feel my wrath. Instead I found myself equally charmed and intrigued. Merri stood beside Mal’s bed, fully clothed, hands in the pocket of her hoodie, eyes wide, and looking guilty as hell.

“Start talking, Red.”

“It’s not what it looks like,” she said.

“It never is.”

“I was bored.”

“So you decided to go snooping?”

She winced and took her plump bottom lip between her teeth. “Kind of?”

“Find anything good in here? Mal’s not known for having much of an attachment to material belongings.”

“So I’ve learned,” she said with a heavy sigh as she walked around the bed and came closer.

Narrowing my eyes at her, I asked, “What have you done with Malice? There’s no scenario in existence where he’d leave you to your own devices in his domain.”

“He’s having a nap.”

I glanced at the obviously empty bed. “I find that hard to believe. Malice doesn’t nap.”

“Don’t know what to tell ya, big guy. He does now.”

“Where?” I demanded, knowing I’d have seen him if he’d been sprawled out on one of the big couches in the front room.

“Erm, my bed?”

“Are you asking me?”

“No?”

I couldn’t help but laugh, even if the thought of him in her bed made zero sense. “Why is he in your bed and not his own, Red?”

She shrugged, trying to brush past me, but I caught her by the arm.

“Don’t ignore my question.”

“That’s where he fell asleep. I wasn’t going to kick him out.”

“But why was he there in the first place?”

I appreciated nothing about the jealousy twisting in my gut. There was only one reason Malice would be in her room, and I hated it. I hated it because even though I hadn’t made any moves myself, he wasn’t supposed to be the one to seduce her.

“Well... I’m a little fuzzy on the specifics.”

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