Page 139 of Sinful Lord

“You’ve been harassing me,” I snip, even if, deep down, I know that’s not entirely true. Tytus saved me. And for all the bad he’s brought with him, he’s also given me some of the best moments of my life.

I know there’s so much more we could do together, too.

There’s so much more I want to do together.

But how can I trust this man?

“I freed you,” Tytus reminds me.

I look over my shoulder towards the bedroom door.

“I don’t feel very free.”

“You are, angel. My offer still stands. Tell me you want to go home and I will take you there myself. And then I will go right back to finding out who’s threatening you.”

The thought of being returned to my gilded cage is so jarring that I physically wince. Why can’t things go back to how they were after I returned from the hospital? For a small window, I was free. I was living my dream. Then that nightmare showed up again, and Tytus had to drag me out into the middle of nowhere. He had to lock me up. He had to make me question his intentions.

A knot twists in my gut as I remember how nice that small period of time was. It’s not so far in the past, yet I’m already nostalgic for it. All I want to do is return that moment, freeze it, breathe it in, savor it.

My mind wanders, and I can picture a life in that brief window. One where I paint and shop and explore, as free as I always dreamed. On my face is a smile. At my side is the man standing before me.

We do it all together.

My clenched heart aches. Conflict rages through me.

Why does this have to be so hard?

“I don’t know if I want to go back,” I admit.

“What do you want, angel?”

“I… I don’t know.”

I need time to think. I need space to figure shit out. But how can I do that with Tytus standing so close? When he’s around, I can’t think straight.

Before we can exchange another word, a ping comes from Tytus’ phone.

He ignores it. But I can’t.

“My uncle?” I ask, looking up into those heart-stopping silver eyes.

“Most likely.”

“What if it’s important?”

“Nothing is more important than this. Than you.”

I swallow my sadness and try to gather myself.

“What if it’s about the shadow?”

“I’m sure it is.”

“Don’t you want to catch him?”

“Only so you’re safe,” Tytus grunts. “Only so you can be happy again.”

His words fall over me like a warm blanket. I don’t need to ask to know what he’s referring to when he says happy again.