Page 82 of Sins and Virtue

“You said, I act worse than your child, and I’m asking, what child?”

She blinked rapidly, and I could see the engines in her brain turning as she took her time to answer. “Oh, um, I meant justlike a random child. That’s all. You know children are little buggers.”

There was something so disingenuous about the answer. Like a secret, she was ashamed and tried so hard to hide. Why?

“So, what do you want?” She tsked, running her hand through her hair, finding a small grain of rice as she stared down at me.

A soft haze was entangled in the air between us. The running away in the midst of night held a stimulating thrill we secretly lived for.

Reaching my hand out, I told her. “Come.”

“Where?”

“Do you trust me?” There was a sincere, vulnerable inclination in my words. Wondering if all the time we spent together meant something? Because it did to me. Every word. Every interaction. Every moment. Since the moment we met.

She side-eyed me. “Do you really want me to answer that question?”

An unknown nerve ticked in the side of my temple, and I forced her hand, pulling her hard towards me. She stumbled a few steps, her shoulder brushing the center of my chest. “Get your ass over here.”

“Ay, so grouchy!” she dramatically exclaimed.

“Keep walking before you won’t be anymore.” I slapped her ass hard.

She paused in her stride, turning her body in my direction. Her lips screwed with distaste, yet her features were somehow playful. “And how exactly do you think we’ll get to your surprise?”

“It ends with me so we can skip everything else and get to it.”

“Ha, like I would ever want you. Stop being delusional and desperate, Kon. I’m not interested.” She flipped her long dark wavy locks over her shoulder, jutting her hips side to side as she continued to walk blindly into the path of trees.

My chest clenched with contempt, my palms fisting with displeasure.

The way she rejected me would have made any man go crazy.

If I had no consideration for her vows, I would have grabbed her by the neck, slammed her against the tree, taken her lips, and made them know only my name.

Perhaps we’ll have time for that later.

Staying put, I observe her, folding my arms, watching her roam freely from tree to tree as she tries to find her way out in the obscure midnight.

Just waiting for her to ask me.

“Where is the freaking exit! And why aren’t you helping?”

“Well, since you’re all-knowing, I thought you would just zap us to our destination.”

“Don’t be sarcastic.”

“Then don’t be so naive.”

“I’m not naive. I'm realistic. You’re a criminal if you haven’t realized that.” She crossed her arms, giving me an inquisitive look.

Carefully trailing over to her, with every step calculated and brisk, until I backed her against the tree and caged her in with both of my hands next to her arms. My breath above hers. “So if you’re with a criminal, then why in your right mind would you come be with me alone in the woods?”

She glanced around, her focus shifting to the dark distant surroundings of trees, grass, and nothing more. Her gaze eventually leaned back to me.

“You’re not kidnapping me, are you?”

A deep noise of contentment rose from my throat. “Tempting idea.”