“Because you’re trying to kill my sister. Because you kidnapped us and won’t let us go home.”
“If that’s what you wish to believe, so be it. It’s a good thing then,” he paused as he took a slow step forward. “that I specialize in things that are wrong.” He took another step forward and into the range of her candlestick, daring her to swing at him.
“Vile—” She muttered his name through gritted teeth. “Stop.”
“Stop what?” Reaching up a hand, he took the candlestick from her easily and placed it on the floor next to the altar. “I have done nothing.”
She was shivering again, despite the fact that it felt like her skin was on fire.
“Here is the simple fact of things, my dear.” He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “If you expect me to rationalize to you why it ismorally soundto be with me?” He chuckled. “You would do better investing in snake oil.”
When she turned her head away, he tutted and caught her chin, turning her back to face him. His touch was too warm.
Slowly,agonizingly slowly,he stepped closer to her, nearly zeroing the distance between them. He smelled like incense and cedar. It was making her head spin. “No, there is no right way to be with me, my sweet Sasha. Whether you can accept that is up to you. But what I willnotallow you to wallow in is shame. For that hasnoplace within my purview. Not unless, of course”—his lips curled up in the slightest grin—“you’re into that kind of thing.”?*
“I—I don’t understand?—”
“Sin is what I am made of, my darling.” His hand settled onto her hip, squeezing it. “Sin is what I dobest.Do you think I’m not well versed in every single possible kind of depravity the human race has to offer?”
“That’s not what I meant, I meant the shame—” She wasn’t Irene Adler anymore. She was herself. This felt…far more real. Even if it wasn’t Vile in front of her. “Why?—”
“Because it was clear to both of us how much you enjoyed it.” He caught her chin in the crook of his fingers again and tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “How much you wanted it. Wanted the danger. Wanted thedarkness.You didn’t want it to feel right. You wanted the monster.”
“I—” She broke off. She wanted to say she didn’t. She very much wanted to say she didn’t.
But she’d be lying.
And they both knew it.
“But…should you wish to repent your wicked deeds?” His grin grew devious. “I brought you here to thishouse of Godso you could kneel at the altar and confess your sins to me, My Daughter, should you wish…”
It was very clear that what she’d be doing on her knees was anythingbut repenting her sins.
Sasha had serious, serious problems.
Ones she was only just starting to grasp.
Because everything in her body was screaming about how badly sheneededwhat he was offering her. It was wrong. And she wanted itbecauseit was wrong. Was it betraying Sidney? She wasn’t taking Vile’s side. She wasn’t acting against Sidney. She wasn’t getting emotionally attached to Vile. It wasn’t about that. It was about something else entirely.
It was about the way she’d felt with Moriarty. It had been the closest she’d been with another human being in her entire life. She’dneverfelt anything like that asherselfbefore. And that was what she was craving again. That sensation of being wanted—needed—of feeling thatnearnessto another soul that she’d never had.
And the threat of the danger of it all? The wrongness? The darkness? It seemed to be what cut through the nonsense. The walls she’d built around herself.
The priest lowered his head towards hers.
That was when it hit her. The real reason this felt wrong. The real reason something was eating away at her. It wasn’t the fact that he was thebad guy.That was going to be what sent her to hell, but wasn’t going to be what stopped her from having sex with him a second time.
The answer was far more embarrassing.
She placed her fingers on his lips. “No.” The word left her in an exhale.
He took a step away from her without hesitation, putting a foot between them. The lack of him made her shiver as the cold came back in a rush. “As you wish. But may I ask why?”
“Don’t you know? You canreadmy thoughts.” She tried to hide in her frustration and anger. But she couldn’t help but be a little disappointed.
“I can. But not here. I said I was looking for privacy. What did you think I meant?” He paused. “Ah. You think I meant from my brother? He can see this. There’s no avoiding that. No, dear. I meant for you.”
“Why…?”
