Chapter 23: Flames And fire

"What the hell are you doing?!" Larissa shrieked, her eyes popping out of their sockets, her fingers going straight into her hair.

The painting immediately melted off the cheap board, the colors following the trail of the wine, and taking its shape as it stained the white stage.

"Oh my God. Why.... is that painting..." the announcer trailed off as Mr. Johannson ran down to us.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

I folded my hand, letting go of the glass cup. "If my husband bought a painting of five hundred million from you, I needed to know that I wasn't buying a fake. What do you have to say about this painting? Where was it made? In your daughter's bedroom?"

"Don't you dare, you fucking slut!" Larissa yelled, finally walking up yo me, she raised her hand to hit me, but Sin held her from behind, his eyes buried in ice.

She turned, her chest heaving. "Sin!"

He let her hand go, then came to my side. "Is this what you wanted to talk about?"

"Sin, I swear, that is not it. I swear, I just..."

"That is why you went for Aldo, is that not it? Because he is very good at making copy paintings?"

My lips parted as I turned to Aldo, who was still sitting, his eyes wide. He looked about to cry, his hand clasped over his mouth.

"A charity auction?" I said, the sound of the cameras clicking and the flashing lights blinding me. "More like a robbery."

"You don't dare fucking judge us like that! You only get off a rich man and think you are all that! Those paintings may be fake, but your status on the diamond seats, as a person with influence, is even fucking faker!"

"Larissa!" Mr. Johannson yelled, then covered the distance, slapping her hard on the cheek.

Her face swerved to the left, and she brought her hand to cup her face, her lips parting as tears rolled down her face.

The entire place was a ruckus now. People demanding their money, and everyone starting to throw red wine onto the stage. Larissa was now nearly soaked, and the media, those bloodhounds, they kept taking pictures of everything, kept yelling obvious questions.

Slowly, Sin unbuttoned his jacket, then removed it. I thought he would be putting it around Larissa since her dress was now mostly see-through in a sickly red color, and the media were hounding her and her father about the paintings, he turned to me and put the jacket on my shoulder instead.

I turned to him as he cupped my waist.

"We should go."

I nodded slowly, turning to catch a glimpse of Larissa. She was now in Aldo's arms, and I could hear her father pleading with someone to not call the police.

Sin didn't seem to care, and he tucked his free hand into his pocket, then walked away, his hand wrapped around me. I turned again, and everyone on the diamond seats was exiting the hall, all except Aldo and Larissa. They had more than enough to handle back there.

The limo was waiting, and I got in first before Sin went around. His eyes were narrow as he got in, and he said nothing to me. I swallowed. Had that been a little too much? Did he regret it? Was he sorry for Larissa?

She had a lot to deal with, and it seemed that even her father was making her take responsibility for it. I swallowed, then bit down on my lips.

"Do you feel sorry for her?"

He let out a small breath. "I used to love that woman, Annalise."

I nodded. "With your influence, you can probably help out. I am sure you would probably feel better about it. And..."

He slowly turned to me, his eyes blinking slowly. "No."

"No?"

"No. She should have thought about that influence that year. It is way too late."

I swallowed. "What of Angel? When she grows up... she would understand these things better."

Sin didn't reply but leaned forward to take a cigarette. I took the lighter for him, then put on the flame and brought it to him. He met my eyes, the flame reflecting in the dark abyss of his own eyes.

I let my eyes dart between the cigarette and his eyes before I looked away, my chest heaving. He took the cigarette away from his lips, then sighed.

I bit down on my lips, my chest lightly heaving. Something had shifted in the car, and I wondered if it was just me. If Sin was more bothered about his ex-wife or if... maybe. Just maybe... he felt the slight change, too.

I turned to him again, and for the second time today, he was looking at me already. I swallowed hard, but the lump that had risen in my throat had decided to go nowhere.

"Do... do you have something to say?"

He watched me calmly, the sort of calmness that I needed to have.

"You have not named your price."

I swallowed. "For this?"

"No."

He met my eyes, and I immediately understood what he was saying.

"For the kiss?"

He nodded, leaning back.

"What makes you think I would want compensation for it?"

"Why wouldn't you?" he asked slowly, his eyes filling in on me.

I bit down on his lips, then turned away, unable to answer. Why wouldn't I want compensation for that kiss? I could think of a few reasons. Because it felt so damn good. Because I liked it. Because I probably wanted it to happen again.

None of them was something I could actually tell him, however.

"Nothing. I don't want compensation for it."

He nodded slowly. For a moment, silence fell between us before he took a deep breath, then adjusted a little, his eyes still the same icy blocks.

I had started to relax a little when he suddenly turned to me. If I hadn't heard it, maybe I could pretend, but that question set fire to my skin, and I let it burn.

"Does that mean you wouldn't mind if it happened again?"

I met his eyes, my lips parting. I blinked, then turned away, the question hanging in the air between us, but just as potent as a question that has been given the wrong answer.