Page 97 of Taint My Soul

“They know not to report to anyone else except me.” He hums. “We are safe, little devil.”

He waits for the sting of my protest, but I don’t utter a word. I think maybe I’m starting to like it when he calls me that.

We walk over the gravel leading to the shore of the sea. He sets me on my feet, and we settle on the ground next to each other. He puts his hand around my shoulder, and he tugs me closer as the waves from the sea crash against our feet. I snake my hand around him and lean against his chest. I hate how this night started, but I don’t want it to end.

Eventually, all of this will fall apart, and I’d regret ever giving it a chance, but I don’t want it to end.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

SAINT

When he rests his head on my chest, my heart melts into something I fully understand, but can’t acknowledge. My mind screams to run from this, to pull away from this stillness because the silence will become aggravating.

I have never been good with silence. Only motion. Motion when I hurt. Motion when I bleed. When I’m furious. When I’m humiliated. I keep going.

My hand strokes into his hair, and his body sags against mine in ease. I had seen the horror in his eyes when he walked into my apartment. Hours before, he had wanted everything between us to remain professional.

And I should have sent him away, but I couldn’t bear the thought of throwing him out into the night. Not when I still recall the warmth of holding him inside the darkness of that prison. Not when everything changed the moment I crawled across the jagged floor to get to him. Even as my heart hammers against my chest, I won’t let him go. I won’t run. I’ll stay with him because he needs me.

I’m feeding my sickness, letting it control my thoughts and actions. But I don’t care. It’s for Mason. As long as I’m drowning in him, then no fucking problem. My fingers trace against my skin. His chest expands and contracts quietly, a soft hum escaping his slightly parted lips.

Will he stay when I tell him who I really am? When he see the man and the monster.

Hell, I won’t forget the darkest shadow that has loomed over my life since the day I was born. He’d never approve of us. Not when he sees being like this a weakness. Not when he let my mother die because he thought loving a woman made him weak.

“I need to tell you about my family.” I clear my throat.

His eyes snap up to me, and he nods with a smile. “What is it?”

“I’m taking a risk being here with you, Mason, but I’d risk it, anyway.” He looks into the dark, distant sea. “I’m part of the Black Viper Mafia, and I’m next in line for kingship.”

“That must be a lot of pressure.”

“It is. My father is planning an arranged marriage for me. This is the second time.”

“And do you want it?” His meek eyes meet mine, voice soft with hurt.

“Fuck no,” my hand gently caresses across his back. “Not when you’re here.”

“But your father? Going against a man so powerful.”

“And homophobic.” I sigh, a heavy feeling clouding my head. “I don’t want you to end up like Cyrus’s son.”

“I won’t.” He says firmly, but not enough to quench the flames of fear burning my skin.

“My father’s ruthless. If he finds out about you, I don’t want to imagine what he’ll make me do.”

“Look, the red vault won’t happen again.” He sits up and grips my face. “We are not doomed.” How can he say that to me? When I live and breathe for the will of my father. “Soon, you’ll take over and lead your company how you see fit. You are a good man, Saint.”

Good? I was far away from a smudge of good.

“No, I’m not. I’m not a good man.” I pull away from him. “Everything about me is darkness. I have done so many terrible things. To those who deserve it and those who don’t. I’m not good.”

He gazes up at me, shoulders fallen, an exasperated breath spilling from his lungs. “Either way, you still deserve a bit of light. Even if it’s just a ray of sunshine.” He extends his hand to me. “Come on, I’m feeling so much better now. We can go back to the apartment.”

“What about your apartment? I can’t let you return there. Not when he has a chance of hurting you.”

“I can figure something out.” He shakes his head.