Chapter 63: Just you and I

"Oh, Sin. I actually came looking for you and... -"

"Use the door, Enrique."

I swallowed, and Enrique immediately walked away, then closed the door behind him. Even though he was gone, however, his words lingered in my mind. What did he mean by what he had said? Had Sin been more involved with that incident than I thought he was? Knowing Sin, he would tell me about it, and I couldn't bring my mind to conceive the idea that he could be hiding it from me.

"Are you okay?" Sin asked, cutting through my thoughts.

I met his eyes, then nodded. "I... I am okay."

He nodded, then slowly started to walk towards the large dresser. "You don't believe the detective, do you?"

He turned to me, then gave a small smile. "Of course not."

I bit down on my lips. "Why do you trust me?"

He shrugged as he slowly lit up a cigarette but let it burn between his fingers. "I trust myself, Annalise, and I know I haven't made a mistake with you."

I nodded, my eyes closing as I let out a small breath. "The evidence he said he was going to bring?"

Sin only scoffed at it. "I just fabricated twelve billion dollars, Annalise. Photos or whatever he intends to bring over are, in fact, much simpler to fabricate."

My eyes widened. "Alejandro's proposal?"

"Mhm," he said with a laugh, and a wicked glint lit up his eyes. I couldn't begin to explain just how attractive he was in that very moment. "I intend to take those diamonds back before they can. And leave them with the money I just gave. It's rather pathetic that these people have to make me stoop this low, but I have no choice."

I watched him, and contrary to his words, there wasn't even a bit of remorse in his eyes. I gave a small smile, then nodded, feeling rather relieved.

"I will take a bath, Sin."

He didn't reply, and I started to turn towards the bathroom, my smile small.

"Annalise?"

I stopped, then turned to Sin. He was sitting cross-legged on the edge of the dresser, his eyes now rather naked. He wasn't the attacking monster he had been just a moment ago, but he seemed almost vulnerable. The fact that he made these switches only around me, and they were so quick, so sleek, it made him so beautiful.

He swallowed, his eyes leaving mine for a short moment before he slowly looked up again. His eyes were big now, and when he spoke, his voice was as soft as silk.

"Do you, perhaps, have a prior engagement for Friday night?"

My brows furrowed, and I gave a small laugh. "I haven't had prior engagements in so long, Sin."

He nodded. "Good. We need to go somewhere."

"Another ball?"

"No," he said, his eyes holding mine. "Just you and I, Annalise."

I felt my stomach immediately melt, my knees weakening under his gaze. Just you and I. That simple request put me right on top of the world while keeping my feet grounded to the floor of Sin's home. While keeping my heart on my sleeve for him to have whenever he wanted.

I nodded slowly, not quite trusting myself with the ability to speak.

"Thank you," he said, but didn't take his eyes off me, and for another long, eternal minute, I watched the swirls of colours in his eyes.

I finally tore my gaze off him and practically ran to the bathroom, my hand resting right on my heart. It was beating hard, threatening to tear its way out of my chest and go to Sin himself if I didn't cover the distance himself.

But I knew I needed to stay grounded. I needed to stay right here. I needed to make sure I was wanted. I needed to make sure this wasn't an illusion.

I turned on the shower and simply sat under it, letting the water pelt down my body, my hair flattening against my back.

Just you and I. The words kept roaming around my head, and soon enough, I found myself giggling like a mad woman, my heart fluttering like it had finally found home.

I wasn't sure how long I stayed in that shower, just dancing around, imagining Sin right there, watching myself in the mirror to make sure I didn't look ridiculous, and scrubbing extra hard like I needed to look even better for him.

I got out of the shower finally, then dropped the half damp towel I had been using on my hair. Sin was now in bed, the lights dim. He was shirtless, his hair falling across his eyes, his hand stretched in front of him, towards me.

I watched him like that before I slowly leaned to him, my eyes taking him in, memorizing the little details of his face.

The small mole on his right brow, the lines on his lips, the silvery strands in his hair.

I moved closer, then gently moved his hair away, my eyes taking in every single inch of skin that was gradually revealed to me. It was worth it, even though his eyes were closed, but I had seen it enough to know exactly how they looked.

I smiled to myself, my fingers still resting on his skin. My mind was filled with images of us so far, and how we had so gradually progressed.

I moved closer to him, daring to do something I would never do if he had been awake. I tucked my hair behind my ear, then gently kissed his forehead, my eyes briefly closing as I did, my heart beating wildly in my chest. I lingered there for a while before I slowly moved away, my eyes falling on his face again.

To my surprise, his eyes were open, and he had a rather clouded, sleepy gaze as he watched me. I felt my throat go dry, my chest heaving.

"Sin, I was just... -" I trailed off, realizing I had no excuse.

I felt the heat rise up my cheeks, and I immediately started to move away. His hand, however, held mine, stopping me in place.

"Stay," he said, his voice husky, deep. Like something I would hear in my wettest dreams.

I turned to him, and he had a sincere beauty embedded in his eyes.

"Stay, Annalise," he said again, gently pulling my hand now.

Slowly, I pulled myself into bed with him, my hair sprawled across the pillows, my eyes holding his. Once I was settled, his eyes closed again, but his eyes stayed holding mine, and for the first time, I felt like someone was afraid to let me go.