Chapter 26: My Hand above his heartbeat

"Sin?" I said, my voice low, my brows furrowed as I watched him emerge again, his face wet.

He didn't say a word to me, and I sighed, my eyes following him as he lit a cigarette, then sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes closed. Slowly, I covered the distance to him, then sat close, risking his anger.

Maybe because I knew he had been driven to an edge. I have never had friends, but I knew it would hurt. Betrayal always does.

I brought a hand to rest on his shoulder, then gave his skin a gentle squeeze, my eyes resting on my own fingers. Slowly, he moved the cigar from his lips, then turned to me, his eyes darting slowly across both of mine.

"I am sorry," I said, my voice low. "I am sorry about them."

He said nothing but turned away from me as his phone started to ring. He reached for it, then closed his eyes, a sigh leaving his lips. I watched, however, and he opened his eyes, then smiled and answered the call.

"Hello, Angel."

I sighed. How could Callum say that this man would be a bad father?

"Daddy!" I could hear her scream. "Where is mummy? Something happened!"

"What's wrong?"

She went quiet, and he straightened. "Tell me, Angel. What's wrong?"

"I... I had a bad dream."

Sin let out a sigh of relief. "Dinosaurs?"

"Yes," she said, and I could hear the sound of feet running around. "There were dinosaurs and... and some man took me. He was big and scary, and he isn't you, Daddy."

My lips parted as Sin's expression faltered for the very first time. Things may have been working out for him, but seemingly not anymore.

"Uh... Angel? No one will take you away from me, okay? If there are dinosaurs, I will save you. Whatever it is. I promise you, okay?"

She chuckled. "I know. When will you come back? The nanny is boring, and she keeps bringing a man over."

Sin swallowed. "A man?"

"Yes! The man plays with my toys sometimes, but he comes around all the time. I have seen him before, too. He came to see you."

Sin raised a brow, then slowly nodded. "I am coming home tomorrow, sweetie."

"Really? Can you bring me another doll house?"

"Whatever you want."

She giggled. "I am going to have a bar of chocolate. You said a bar a day."

"Promise me you didn't have any before this, Angel."

She started to laugh, and it caused Sin to smile. "You can have one more. But just one more."

"Thank you!" She yelled and quenched the call in her excitement.

Sin dropped the call, then stood up. "Fucking bastard."

"It is that guy, Dante, am I right?"

He turned to me. "How do you know that?"

"Callum mentioned him at breakfast. What's the connection? I mean... why would they all turn against you in something that was so obviously wrong?"

"If I knew it, I probably wouldn't be here. It would be easier to forgive if there was a reason."

I nodded. "What would you like now? Comfort? Affirmation? Reassurance?"

I wasn't sure what I was thinking when I asked the question, but I was hoping I wouldn't just sit here and be completely useless to him. He slowly turned to me, and his eyes took me in.

"I need to sleep."

I nodded. Of course, he couldn't trust me yet. Not after everything.

I stood up from the bed. "Sure. You... you had a long day."

He didn't reply but let out a small breath, his eyes thin. Slowly, he moved, then unbuttoned his shirt, his skin coming into view again. I watched in a trance-like state like he was doing a strip tease for me, except he wasn't.

He slowly turned to me. "No plans to sleep?"

I cleared my throat. "Well, I... I was going to."

"You can change into a robe."

I nodded, then immediately walked past him to the closet. I changed into a robe and walked out again. Sin was already in bed, his eyes closed, his brows lightly furrowed. I went behind him and got in bed, but I couldn't help being bothered about him.

He didn't seem like he was able to sleep. I bit down on my lip, then sat up.

"Sin?"

"Sleep, Annalise."

"I will. But... let me help you."

He turned to me. "How?"

I adjusted, then tapped on my lap twice. "My mum said massaging the scalp would help you relax."

"You don't look good lying."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. But would you let me? It's just two of us in here, and no one would know. And even if they do, who cares? You were resting on your wife's lap, am I right?"

He didn't seem too convinced, his eyes darting between me and my lap.

"You don't have to compensate me for it."

He raised a brow, then slowly moved, the sheets falling away from him, so his back was open, his tattoo visible under the night light.

His head slowly rested on my lap, and I rested one hand on the top of his back and the other in his hair.

I couldn't see his expression as he was facing away from me, but I tried my best to be calm. To be slow.

"I think Angel fits her better," I said, my voice low as I let my fingers gently massage his scalp through his dark hair. Seeing him at the restaurant, I would never have imagined that I would be here, his head on my lap, for any reason at all.

Suddenly, he turned, so he was facing me, his eyes holding mine. I swallowed, and the hand that had been on his back slightly hovered above him, unable to rest anywhere now.

Touching him now felt a little too intimate. A little more than I had bargained for.

He reached for my hovering hand, then brought it to rest right above his chest, his heartbeat right under my palm. I held his eyes, the allure clouding in my brain, misting up, confusing me.

I wasn't sure what that look meant, but the air crackled with things that I did not recognize. Hell, I couldn't even recognize myself.