Page 48 of Claimed
When I stare blankly at him, he squeezes my arms and steps back. “I forgave those that wronged you because you could not find it in your heart to forgive them yet.” My heart trips. “With time, you will. But any sin you feelyouhave committed is between you and God. Only you can ask for forgiveness for those.” He scours my expression, and his scoff is light. He claps me on the shoulder and starts back to the door but pauses with his hand on the knob. “But just so you know, sex itself is not evil. It’s a divine coupling when it is not forced. It can be as pure or as sinful as you make it.”
He glances at me. “And that too is something only you can decide for yourself.”
Chapter 17
Onyx
Caine comes back out of his room only after the pizza arrives. He glances across the space to Horan and nods. The blonde male inclines his head in response. So much seems to flow through that silent communication, but I can’t bring myself to ask what.
Tanner re-enters the room, several large pizza boxes in hand. I catch a whiff of tomato sauce, mushrooms, and fresh baked dough and my mouth waters.
He sets the boxes on the coffee table and plops down on the floor before them as Gage walks over with plates. He offers me one. I take it, surprised at the ready inclusion.
Ruin and Horan perch on the sofa and Gage finds a seat in the other armchair. Leaving Caine as the only one standing, a plate in his hand too.
He takes in the space around the table. But all of his team are very large. Though he, Tanner, and Gage are the same height, Ruin and Horan tower over them. Which also means their long legs eat up the distance between table and sofa.
The only clear area is in front of me.
Caine glances down, his vibrant eyes meeting mine.
“Sit, Caine.” I mean it to be forceful and sure. But it comes out soft and feminine instead.
Tanner scoops up a wide slice of some carnivore special, his silver eyes glittery. “Yeah, Caine. Sit.”
Caine lowers himself in front of me, but even that motion is laced with a unique boneless ease. My heart pounds and I can’t stop watching him.
“Pizza, Onyx?”
My head whips up, cheeks burning. Tanner offers me an open box while Ruin studiously reaches for another, his lips curving.
Right.
Shifter and vampire. They can hear my heartbeat.
Damn it.
I take a slice and set my plate in my lap. Picking at it, I try to just focus on it. On eating. Nourishment.
But Caine’s warm frame is less than a foot away. His lean, muscular back stretches his tee to the very max. Even the way his black hair brushes the back of his neck is sexy. The tendrils look so soft, so …
His head raises and his nostrils flare as he looks up at me.
I swallow.
“Sun will be up soon,” Ruin observes and I jump. “I need to meet with Sanchez’s second and let him know what we are working with.” He climbs to his feet and walks toward the bar. “Gage, you and T are with me.”
Tanner grabs another piece of pizza and rises. Gage is already standing behind him.
Ruin glances at Horan. “You riding or staying?”
Horan mulls that over. “I’ll stay here. Someone kept me up all night with an orgy. I may turn in early.”
Ruin raises a fist and they bump knuckles. His black eyes drop to Caine who is very, very still near me. “I want you to get some sleep. We roll on Helios’ this afternoon and I need you at peak, track?”
Caine watches him. “Track.”
They start for the door. “We’ll be back as soon as we can be.”
