Page 39 of Scarred Sins

“Shut up,’’ he grunts, then gets into the position.

For the next two hours, I showed him everything I learned. He instructed me on how to properly stand, how to calm myself down if I were to get attacked from behind, how to free myself from someone bigger than me, and how to throw a proper punch.

He had to touch me quite a few times.

It’s a miracle.

A man’s touch didn’t make me want to vomit my guts out; it didn’t make me feel dirty – it didn’t make me feelless.

If I learned anything from this, it’s that Arlo is here to stay. He’s made it quite obvious, time and time again, that no matter what I do, he’s not leaving me alone. It should terrify me; it should make me return to my little, pathetic shell.

It doesn’t.

If anything, it makes me want to see him stay.

He’d be the first person to do that.

Arlo cooks for me again.

I offered to help, but he brushed me off and told me to take a shower to relax while he prepared everything. Instead of arguing, I listened and allowed myself to unwind under the steaming shower, my muscles soothing and my entire body resting.

Once I reach the bottom of the stairs, with a towel wrapped around my head. My stomach growls loudly, and my mouth waters as a delicious scent fills my nose. I’m quick to reach the kitchen, noticing the little traitor, Arson, sitting patiently by Arlo’s feet.

“Are those hamburgers?” I ask. “Homemade, at that?”

Arlo’s smile is bright enough to light up even the darkest rooms. “You said you craved them, so I made some.’’

He doesn’t even finish the sentence entirely before I run toward the nearest chair, nearly tripping over my feet in the process, and grabbing one. I devour it in record time, the entire concept of table manners flying out of the window.

It’s gone in a blink of an eye.

So much that Arlo looks at me in utter disbelief.

“Would you like another one?”

“Yes, please.’’

He laughs softly, pushing another plate with the burger in front of me. My eyes close as I eat, savoring the taste. It’s so good. I don’t remember the last time I had such a good hamburger; it’s definitely something I’ll force him to make more for me.

“Aren’t you going to eat?’’

He shakes his head in amusement. “Not hungry.’’

I shrug. “More for me.’’

He waits until I’m done with my food. I drink the ice-cold water, leaning back into the chair. I sigh in contentment, my stomach stuffed and happy.

“What exactly were you curious about my family?”

I look at him, and he’s leaning on the counter across from me.

“I’ve never heard of anyone related to an assassin, and the fact that it’s been in your family for so long made me very curious.’’

“It’s a long story and not fun. Are you sure you want to be bored to death?”

I snort. “Yeah, go ahead.’’

Arlo goes on to explain that the family rivalry between the De Santis and Campbell families has been going on for generations and that they were always killing members of the other families. He’s not sure how it exactly began because he didn’t pay attention to the story when it was being told, but he knows that there was a trigger.