Page 7 of Stained In Sin (The Twisted Trilogy #1)

She is so impatient. On the other hand, Amara is always patient. She waits quietly by her sister’s side. I grab my clutch and my phone, fast walking out of the room to join them.

“Oh my god, you look SO good, Ev!” Amara is constantly commenting on my outfits. She and I share the same style, hot—but modest. I will never expose myself to the world like that. On occasion, Astra convinces me to wear a low-cut dress, but I prefer silk material that still covers me.

“Thanks, Amara. So do you, are those heels new?”

“Yes!” She practically squeals.

“I got them in New York a few weeks ago. I am obsessed with this little boutique I found there. We will have to go sometime!”

“Um, count me in!”

“Are you guys done? I seriously need a drink,” Astra acts as if we have been chatting for a million years, and she is about to meet the grim reaper.

We both groan and follow behind her as we head out to the bar.

* * *

Warm bodies and the smell of alcohol surround us. Lights bounce around the room as “Sports Car” by Tate McRae filters through the bar. We linger at the bar, waiting for our drinks to arrive.

“I didn’t know it would be so busy tonight!” Amara yells into my ear as she leans into me.

“Same! I kind of like it though,” I give her a smirk. She rolls her eyes at me as she takes her drink from the bar, passing me mine.

“Ev, we could find a man for you here!” Astra beams at me as if she has just had the most brilliant revelation.

“I came to have fun, not find love.”

She juts out her hip and flips her hair.

“Duh! Men are the best kind of fun!”

Amara and I roll our eyes at Astra. Astra has always been more… promiscuous. While I have remained a virgin. Crazy, I know. Maybe Astra is right— that’s my problem. I need to get laid. Then the dark desires will die off, and I’ll never have second thoughts about my stalker.

I head out onto the dance floor, and my friends follow closely. We squeeze our way through the crowd and into the center of the bodies. A handful of women are around us, but the men outnumber them by far.

I start swaying my hips to the beat of the music for a few songs, downing my tequila sunrise quickly. I hold up my hand, letting my friends know I am grabbing another drink.

I shimmy my way through the crowd as I emerge at the side of the bar.

“Need another?”

“Yes, please. Tequila sunrise.” I smile flirtatiously at the bartender. He winks back at me and turns to make my drink.

“Tequila sunrise, huh? I would have taken you for a wine girl.”

I spin around to see who is talking to me, and I am met with a handsome face. No, not handsome. He’s fucking hot.

He has a chiseled jaw, blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. His smile is charming and sparkling white. His hair is styled in a slick back look, and you can tell the top is longer. His black t-shirt hugs his body snugly. His arms are free of tattoos, and he is impressively tall.

“I normally am,” I peer up at him, giving him a shy smile.

“What is different about tonight then? Celebrating?”

“You could say that…”

I smile to myself as I look over my shoulder at the bar. I spin around, seeing my drink is waiting for me, and open my clutch to pay for my drink. A hand slaps a $20 bill on the bar. I look back over my shoulder, and I am met with the same handsome smile.

“It’s on me. After all, you’re celebrating.”

I smile up at him, appreciating the kindness, but there is no way I am going to let him buy me a drink.

“Thank you, I appreciate it, but really, I got it.”

He grabs my wrist softly as I go to pull out my card. My breath catches from the act.

“I insist.” He pauses for a brief moment and then removes his hand from my wrist slowly. My eyes travel from his hand to his chest, up to his eyes.

“Thank you,” I smile and nod at him, taking my drink and heading off to find my friends.

I find my friends rather quickly, as they sway sensually to the music.

They know how to attract attention to themselves.

I giggle to myself, standing off to the side, observing their seductive dance.

My phone vibrates in my clutch, and I pull it out to check.

My parents are out of town and are due back at any time tonight.

Unknown.

You let him touch you— and now I get to decide what you learn from that. -D

What the actual fuck? He thinks he can dictate what I do with myself?

He is delusional. Also, he is still watching me in plain sight.

I feel fury building inside my fragile body, and I am about to come unglued.

I have had enough. I scan the room, not seeing anyone who is directly starin g at me.

It’s time I tell this asshole how I really feel.

You are delusional. You keep stalking me, threatening me, and sending me cryptic messages. Stop, or I will report you to the police. I tried to let you down easy, but I will never fucking want you. Kindly, fuck off.

I lock my phone and stuff it back into my clutch. Fuck him. I will do as I please. I head out onto the dance floor with my friends— only this time, I am on a mission. A mission to show this asshole how much I don’t care about what he has to say. He doesn’t own me.

* * *

Astra, Amara, Harmony, and I all walk out of the bar at 2 A.M. We are all trashed.

Harmony showed up about halfway through the night and we made the dance floor our bitch.

I was grinding on so many different guys, I lost count.

I felt a bit bad for being a tease, but I knew someone was watching. I wanted to make him regret that.

They all pile into an Uber, and I stand outside the car.

“You guys go ahead. I have another one on the way to take me back home.”

Astra slides back out of the Uber and pulls me in for a big hug.

“I could get used to this version of you, Ev. I had so much fun tonight. Share your ride with us so we know you make it back okay?”

I nod at her, feeling like the spins are coming on. She slides back into her Uber and they take off. I step back, leaning against the side of the building as I watch the Uber car slowly making its way to me on the app.

I hear footsteps to my left, and I turn around the corner to look, and no one is there.

I need to go to sleep. Just as I relax back against the wa ll, I see a dark figure rushing me from around the corner.

I’m too drunk to react quickly enough. I stumble back, but I am caught. Two muscular arms catch me.

“You need to learn what happens sooner, rather than later, princess.”

I blink rapidly as I look up at his face. This can’t be real. I am too intoxicated for this right now.

My eyes skate up the dark figure, but I can’t see his face. A mask covers it. The same mask that haunts my dreams and fills my fantasies. I want to force that last thought out, but it somehow slipped through the cracks. It’s the tequila. It makes me crazy.

He hurls me over his shoulder as he heads into the alley. I try to kick and scream, but he only chuckles.

“My Uber is almost here, you better let me go or my friends will call the cops!”

He sets me down on my unsteady legs as he leans forward, crowding my space. I back up until my body is pressed against the cool metal of the car. I feel nauseous from the sudden movement. I think I’m going to throw up.

“Your friends are wasted. No one’s coming.” He lets out a dark, haunting laugh. His veins in his arms are prominent as he clenches his fists. I swallow nervously, unable to think of any words right now. He is really fucking scary when he is mad. My body is as stiff as a board.

He reaches his hand up and traces my jaw, from my ear to my chin, in an excruciatingly slow motion. Leaving a trail of fire in its wake. My legs clench together as I feel a familiar warmth creeping its way into my core. The same warmth I felt in the voyeur room.

“They left you alone, little princess. I have come to collect you, so no other man would.”

His words are confusing. He came to get me so no one else would. That can’t be right. He doesn’t like me. Then the thought of clarity hits me like an aftershock from an earthquake— he thinks I am his posses sion. Shit.

“You will never escape me, Evelyn.” His tone is threatening yet sincere.

I feel tears stinging the back of my eyes as he moves his hand to my throat, possessively tightening his hold. My chest tightens as the fear creeps into my drunken mind. I grab onto his wrist, trying to free myself.

“P-please.. let… me go.” My plea comes out in ragged breaths.

He pauses for a moment, letting the silence snake around us.

“No.” His sharp tone alerted the hairs on my body to stand on end.

Tears stream down my face as I stare into the face of danger. No. Not danger. The Devil. Panic settles deep in my chest. I need to escape. I don’t care how, but I know he isn’t someone who makes an empty threat.

“P-please…” I sob.

“Why would I let you go?”

He wants me to explain myself? He is the one who ambushed me from the side of an alley and has his hand around my throat right now, and he wants to know why the Hell I want to be let go.

Fucking psycho. He’s such a narcissist. I need to inflate his ego.

That’s the only way he will let me out of this— alive at least.

“Because…”

He cocks his head to the side, slightly easing the pressure he is putting on my neck. A part of me wishes the pressure didn’t ease up. A twisted, fucked up part of me.

“Because you like chasing me. Right? If you don’t let me go, you won’t get to play your game.” The words flow from my lips seamlessly, as I suppress the tears.

He lets out a low chuckle.

“I do like chasing you, princess, but this is my game.”

He releases my neck, and I choke on the air as it rushes to fill my deprived lungs.

He leans close to me, his mask grazing my ear delicately. His voice comes out dark, as if it is pure evil.

“Now run.”

My instincts take over, and I swiftly take off towards the main street, not looking back. I can’t risk him catching me. If he does, I’ll never survive.

He had me fearful for my life, and my body reacted in ways I don’t want to accept. He applied pressure to my neck, and I felt that forbidden desire. Then I didn’t want it to stop, but it had to. I will never give in to him. He is the Devil, and I am no sinner.