Page 56 of The Ecstasy of Sin

If she says no? I’ll take the decision out of her hands.

It turns out that stalking her is a major fucking turn-on for me, and so is the idea of kidnapping her. Whatever way this ends up going, I’ll enjoy every minute of it.

Between shadowing her every move and eliminating anyone who even thinks about posing a threat to her—or to us—I’ve been enjoying this courtship.

If circumstances were different, I’d take my time seducing her. It’s so much easier to convince someone to come live with you when they’re addicted to you, when their body craves what only you can give them, and when their survival has become dependent on you.

Too bad I’m impatient, and more impulsive than I thought. Wren is homeless, a danger I can’t tolerate her being exposed to any longer. I can’t exist in a world where she isn’t safe. Not anymore.

I had plans. They’re gone now, scorched in the wake of my obsession for her. I’m an addict, and if my drug of choice isn’t curled up in my bed every night from here on out, I’m liable to burn this whole fucking city to the ground.

I lean against the wall, arms crossed over my chest, watching the doors as the streetlights cast harsh shadows between the towering buildings. It’s late, and the city is already swallowed by darkness.

Wren’s been in there for over an hour, which is unusual for her, and it’s starting to make me antsy as fuck.

My phone dings. I pull it out of my pocket.

GHOST

I know you didn’t ask, but I cleared my schedule tonight. Just in case.

ME

Alright.

GHOST

Don’t get arrested.

ME

Can’t promise that.

GHOST

I’ll make Ryker cover your bail. He’ll love that.

I laugh under my breath, but I don’t have time to respond to Ghost when the doors to Good Shepherd Respite open up, and my beautiful girl walks out.

She steps down onto the sidewalk, turning in the direction of the women’s shelter, only to pause in the middle of the busy sidewalk.

My eyes narrow as I watch her, wondering what’s going through her head.

She turns in a slow circle as she scans her surroundings, searching for something. Or someone. Me, mostlikely. She won’t find me, though. Dressed in all black, with the hood of my sweatshirt pulled low, I’m out of sight.

Unable to find what she’s searching for, she turns back toward the shelter. But she doesn’t walk, standing there like she’s thinking too hard about something.

After what feels like forever, she pivots in place and starts walking in the opposite direction. Straight toward me.

I take a few steps back, moving deeper into the darkness, until she walks past where I’m standing. I let some distance span between us, then I peel off the wall and fall into step behind her.

She walks slowly, weaving through the crowd like she’s got nowhere to be. Like she’s just out for a walk in the cold night air.

I want to know where she’s going and what she’s thinking. What her plan is for the night, since she’s messing with mine by not walking to the shelter.

I pull out my phone, dodging a loud group of girls in stiletto heels, and check the time. She has an hour to get to the shelter. Where the fuck is she going?

Unable to stop myself, I pull up my chat with Wren and start typing.