Page 15 of Sinful Storms

What the fuck was actually happening?

Her hand pushed lightly, and I took a step back.

“Take what you want,” she murmured, moving closer, pushing gently again. I took another step back. She slipped her hand under my T-shirt, and then she was touching my bare skin for the first time ever.

I sucked in a breath, noting her shaky exhale. Fuck, yeah, Iknewshe wanted me. Her fingers traced over my abs, pushing again, and I stepped back over the threshold.

That was when everything changed.

She ripped her hand out from under my T-shirt, gave me another push, and when I staggered backwards, she slammed the heavy wooden door in my face.

8

ARIA

Barring the door as best as I could with the old, broken wood, I swore under my breath. I knew the door wouldn’t stop Tristan for long, but hopefully, he’d decide it wasn’t worth the effort. I’d seen him eyeing that box, and I wasn’t stupid enough to be fooled by his distraction techniques.

He’d been fooled by mine, though.

I tried to forget about the way his ridiculously ripped body had felt beneath my palm. Warm skin and solid muscle, his blue eyes dark as he tracked my movements with his intense gaze, his erection tenting his joggers…

Fuck off out of my head, Tristan. Thankfully, I wasn’t one of those girls who went cockdumb every time they were faced with a hot guy, no matter how much of a wanker they actually were. Hence, my godbrother being on the other side of a heavy wooden door.

I stood, listening, but there was silence. Why wasn’t he trying to break the door down? It probably wouldn’t take much.

Another gust of wind whipped through the tower, and I dragged the thick blanket from the floor, wrapping it around myshoulders. Tristan’s hoodie had been so warm I almost regretted refusing to wear it. Almost.

I killed some time playing games on my phone until I was sure Tristan had given up and left, and then I returned my attention to the contents of the box.

The tarnished gold ring was heavy in my hand. I examined the crest, using my phone torch to make out the details. The design appeared to be a pair of scales, with something written in letters too small to make out.

Putting the ring aside for now, I pulled out the next item. It was either a blunt dagger or a letter opener, probably, silvery in colour, with an ornate handle.

What was this doing here?

There was a fountain pen and ink pot, the ink long dried out, ink stains still visible inside the box. Beneath the pen lay several sheets of blank paper, thick and crinkly with age. As I carefully removed the paper and pen, the final item in the box became visible.

A book. Bound in leather, with a ribbon tying it closed, and the symbol from the ring burned into the leather.Etched beneath the symbol were words I didn’t understand.

In nomine iustitiae, omnia iustificata.

Untying the ribbon, I opened the book, and my world turned upside down.

“What’s wrong?” Quinn eyed me with concern in her gaze. We were seated at the outdoor tables on the large patio area outside the school, where students often gathered for lunch on warm days.

“Nothing. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” Things I couldn’t make sense of. Things I didn’t have the answer to.

She hummed, clearly disbelieving, but decided to drop it. “Did you hear that Tristan’s no longer the head boy? Will took his place, and Katy’s the new head girl.”

“What?” My eyes widened.

“Did I hear my name?”

I groaned, burying my head in my arms as Tristan sauntered over to us, accompanied by Roman, with Knox and Elena right behind them. Quinn laughed, patting my head, and I lifted it to glare at her.

She bit down on her lip, still smiling. “Sorry. You two are just—” Cutting herself off, she shook her head. “Never mind.”

Roman slid onto the bench next to her and went to pull her into him, but she shook her head, glancing over at me. I sighed.

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