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“I’ve been staying with Christian.”
Cynthia’s eyes shoot open.
“And before you flip out, he’s been letting me stay because I got another letter.”
It isn’t lost on me that she leaves out the part about being violated in the alley. I don’t speak, though. I allow her to share this news in her own way.
“Even though the cops claim there have been no signs of forced entry, I know the stalker has been inside my home. It wasn’t safe there for Kyla, and until we can get to the bottom of things or until I find a new place, I’ll be living with him.”
“Or you can move back here,” Cynthia deadpans.
“I have school, and his apartment is only fifteen minutes from campus.”
“Siân, I don’t know about this.” Cynthia shakes her head.
“It’s okay. He’s been a great host, and since I’ve been with him, there have been no other threats.”
Cynthia makes eye contact with me, and I know she’s thinking the same thing as me. There hasn’t been another threat because I have her exactly where I want her.
“I see. Excuse me, I’m going to grab the water pitcher.” Cynthia pushes away from the table and rushes into the kitchen.
Not even a second later, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I retrieve it and notice it’s an alert from the cloning app I put on Siân’s phone. With the device under the table, I open the software and skim over the text.
Cynthia: Don’t react. But as soon as you can, get up, go in my room, and get the gun from under my pillow. Christian isn’t who he says he is.
I inhale deeply, my nostrils flaring as I continue to read the message. My blood boils, and I manage to keep my cool. Cynthia’s little warning would have worked if Siân hadn’t left her phone in her purse in the car.
When Cynthia reenters the room carrying the water pitcher, I’m convinced is only a ploy. I excuse myself and claim to need to make a quick call. The ladies don’t give me a rebuttal, and I slip out on the porch and jump over the five small steps. Unlocking the car, I snag Siân’s purse from the floor of the passenger side and dig for her iPhone. Once I find it, I punch in her passcode and navigate to her message log. I find what I’m looking for and immediately delete Cynthia’s alert.
Letting the door slam, I glance around the darkness, suck in another breath, then make my way back inside. I don’t enter right away, needing a moment to calm myself down. The crisis has been averted, and I’ll deal with Cynthia’s sneakiness later. The women are quiet when I step foot into the room. Siân smiles at me while Cynthia sits uncomfortably on her end of the table.
“Is everything okay?” Siân asks after I’m seated with a hand on my shoulder.
I lick my lips, give her a soft smile, and lean in for a kiss. Siân melts into me, her tongue slipping past mine. Pressure builds in my gut, my body instantly waking at the taste of her. I drape an arm over the back of her chair, forcing her closer to me. It’s as if I’ve forgotten the shit her caretaker just attempted, my anger and the blatant sabotage becoming an afterthought.
Cynthia clears her throat, interrupting our embrace. Siân and I stare at each other for a second, her eyes telling me a story her mouth has been too afraid to reveal. She’s connected to me, and though it hasn’t been very long at all, she’s ready for me. Not that this is brand-new information. I’ve noticed the subtle hints and the barely there shorts she wears to bed.
Siân remembers how hard I made her come, just as much as I do, and if I had to guess, she’s dying to come again. But after what I did to her in that alley and the confession she was ashamed to share with me about how much she liked being on her knees, I need to play this cool. She can like being violated all she wants, but the truth remains, I was a stranger to her at that moment. Christian can’t claim her that way. Christian respects her body and her choice to do with it what she pleases. Christian has been patient, and the decision to take the next step needs to feel as if it’s hers and hers alone.
“Sorry,” Siân mutters, then picks up her fork.
Cynthia doesn’t offer a response. She only glares at me while shoving a forkful of food into her mouth. With her elbows propped on the table between bites, she watches the two of us. I sense she’s waiting for Siân to realize she’s sent her a message.
Sorry to disappoint, mommy dearest.
We get through the next hour of dinner, and surprisingly, the rest of the night goes off without a hitch. Cynthia seems to open up to the idea of me, but I know it’s all for Siân’s sake. We’re alike in that regard, both willing to put on a charade for the betterment of the one person who connects us.
