Page 46 of Betrayed By Sin

I keep walking. Don’t look. Don’t engage.

“Magnolia?”

I freeze.

Zeik.

Perfect.

He rolls down the window as I return to the sidewalk, walking to nowhere. His voice calm and maddeningly collected. “You’re out here. Alone. In tears. Yeah, now’s the time.”

“I’m not in the mood, Zeik,” I call over my shoulder.

“You think I care about your mood?” he replies, not unkindly, just blunt. “You’re soaked, shaking, and clearly running from something.”

“Go away.”

“Don’t make me stop this car and come after you.”

“I swear to God.”

The car slows to a stop.

The engine dies.

A car door opens.

Footsteps echo behind me. I spin, fists clenched, drenched hair sticking to my face.

“I said I’m fine!” But the words crack halfway through. And he sees it. All of it.

Zeik doesn’t smirk. Doesn’t mock. There’s no smugness in his eyes, just something soft. Quiet.

He steps toward me.

“Come here.”

“I don’t want…”

But he wraps his arms around me anyway, and something inside me shatters. I collapse into him, fists pressing weakly to his chest before giving up entirely. I bury my face in the curve of his shoulder, and the sob rips out of me, raw and ugly, full of everything I’ve been holding in since I saw the blueprint.

He doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t tell me to calm down. Just holds me, steady and warm, while the rain falls and the streetlight buzzes overhead like the world’s holding its breath.

I hate how easy it is to let go in his arms. How natural it feels. I should be stronger than this. I should be running fromhim, too. But tonight, I don’t have the strength.

I trusted Sin.

I gave him pieces of myself I’ve never given anyone. And he gave me what, lies?

“I believed in him,” I whisper hoarsely when the tears finally slow. “I believedeverything.I always do.”

Zeik says nothing, just pulls me a little closer like I might disappear.

When I can stand on my own again, he guides me to his car. The seat is warm, the leather soft. The heat hits my wet skin and makes me shiver.

“I didn’t know where I was going,” I say as he pulls away from the curb. “I just… ran.”

He glances over. “But you found me.”