Chapter 21: Heat and paintings

Sin was the first to break the eye contact, and he slightly adjusted.

"Tell me if there is a boundary I am crossing."

I cleared my throat. I was very ashamed to say that I wouldn't have noticed. I had spent the last four years greatly repulsed by men and harboring a deep fear for the entirety of them just to be sitting in the lap of who could as well be the most dangerous of them all. Dangerous in the sense of the triggers he could pull. Both physical triggers and not so physical ones.

"No. I am fine. I... I wanted this anyway."

He didn't reply and took a glass of red wine from a passing server. I took one too, just to occupy myself with something.

He slowly brought the glass to touch the base of my back, and I turned to him, and he gave a small, wicked smile. Without a word, he downed the drink and put the glass away. I swallowed. This might be harder than I thought.

I adjusted, then took a sip of mine as an elderly man in a white suit came on stage.

"Who is that?"

"My former father-in-law."

I nodded. I remember he wanted to destroy Larissa and her father. I leaned to his ear, tucking my hair behind mine.

"You mean our other target," I said in a small whisper.

Sin turned to face me, his face a mere inch away from mine, his eyes dark. His lips curled up in a small smile.

"You are smart. I like you."

I bit down on my lips, my eyes darting across his face. I immediately leaned away and took in a deep breath.

"Who doesn't?"

He chuckled again, shaking his head, his fingers secure around my waist again. I sighed, my fingers resting on my lap as the round of applause that neither I nor Sin had participated in came to an end.

"It is with mixed feelings that I stand here to kick start this charity auction. The artworks that would be put up for sale today are as near to my heart as my very own daughter sitting there."

He gestured to Larissa, and another round of applause started again. I turned to Sin, but he didn't look too fazed at all.

I turned back to the man as the applause died down again.

"However, we are doing this for a greater cause. To help. For humanity. For people. When my daughter brought the idea of this charity auction, I was a proud father. And now I am standing here, and I am even prouder. Thank you to everyone for gracing this auction, including..." He trailed off, then turned to us. "My prestigious former Son-in-law, Sin himself. Thank you very much."

I turned to Sin. "Was that a taunt?"

Sin's eyes thinned as he collected another glass of wine. "The one in your hand won't be enough."

I raised a brow but nodded as I turned away. I did understand what he meant. I downed the rest of the other glass, then held the other glass in my hand, my heart thumping.

I would hate to disappoint Sin. And with the number of things they were doing to him, I doubt I needed to hear the full story.

"Bring the artwork in!"

I turned as the curtains opened, and an artwork held together on a wheeled machine was driven into the hall. A different man came forward to assist Larissa's father, and he got off stage, then came to Larissa.

They exchanged fond pleasantries before he came to us.

"Sin."

Sin slowly looked up, and he gave a small sigh. "Your effort to help the poor and needy is very commendable, Mr. Johannson."

He smiled, then waved his hand. "Oh, please. You flatter me."

Sin smiled, nodding. "But it is true. After all, a man is to cater for his family, is he not?"

I could hardly stop the laugh that bubbled behind my throat, and I started to clear my throat instead. Mr. Johannson's smile immediately diminished.

"It is great you are here. And with someone else, I see. You have finally let go of my Larissa."

"Oh, I have," Sin said. "I will make sure to enjoy the rest of the night."

It was a subtle way to ask him to leave, and he didn't delay. He immediately walked away, and I turned back to the auction.

"Is this fake?" I asked as the man on stage started to tell the details of the painting.

"No," Sin replied. "The sixth, ninth, twelfth, fifteenth and the last paintings are."

I nodded slowly. Sixth, ninth, twelfth, fifteenth and last. Good.

The auction started, and I saw people raise their tags. Soon enough, the painting was bought for eighty-five million.

The next one was a rather beautiful piece of the night sky painting over mountains and seas. It reminded me of Sin's car and the starry nights that I went to the community park with my father so we could play around and lie on the grass. I knew he was trying to distract me from the fact that we did not have electricity, but now it was a memory I looked fondly back on.

"Do you want this painting?"

I shook my head. "I just... got a little nostalgic."

Sin didn't say another word as the bid for the painting started. Eight million. Then ten million. Then thirteen.

I gave a sigh. I may own a million dollars now, but there were some things that were still out of my control. Like this painting. Like a lot of things.

I watched the painting again as it moved around the stage, the lights cast on it illuminating it beautifully. Maybe someday I would come to a place like this and buy a painting. Maybe someday. I smiled to myself. Very lofty.

Suddenly, Sin leaned to take a tag, and at the exact same time, Larissa picked up a tag, too. I wasn't sure Sin had seen it, but I did, and they raised their tags at the same time.

"Fifty million," Sin said.

Just as Larissa said, "Twenty million."