Chapter 90 - Annalise first

The sun was setting, and the dark orange hues spread all over the room, painting it in a calm beauty. A calm beauty that brought the chaos inside my blood to a rest.

I looked up slowly, my gaze running across Sin as he slowly got into the bed with me. The shower had lasted an hour at least, and he came off with nothing more than a bite on the right side of his neck, but I...

I was damaged. Claimed. Rewritten in the pages of history over and over again. My neck tingled with the sensation of his fingers as he drove me to submission, and then his slow, deliriously beautiful lips against them as he drove me to a high I never thought I could reach.

My eyes finally met his, and my breath caught in my throat. I could see it all over his face. The demons we had both tamed so long had been unleashed.

It wasn't so bad. Hell. It was perfection.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked, tracing a long finger across my neck.

It did hurt. But what was pleasure without pain? What was ecstasy without the risk of falling? The risk of losing? The risk of dying?

I closed my eyes briefly and slowly nodded. "Yes," I said, reaching to cup his face. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

He gave a small chuckle as he moved, then kissed the inside of my palm. "You should take a breath and rest. I wouldn't want you passing out again."

I nodded, and he kissed my hand again, then my forehead and then my neck. My eyes closed as he traced the dark marks he had left with softer kisses, his fingers gently intertwining between mine.

He finally pulled away, then slowly moved away. I watched as he brought the sheets to cover me, and he sat on the edge of the bed. He was still shirtless, his hair wet and running along his face and nape. He was beautiful. Enough to make the sunset shy. Enough to make me need the pain.

Slowly, he stood up, then adjusted the waistband of his slacks.

"Is there anything you would want?"

I turned on my side, my eyes watching him. "Want?"

"Mhm," he replied as he walked away. He returned a few minutes later in a black V-neck shirt. It was loose and dipped right into his chest, teasing me more than ever. He had matching pants to go with it, and his hair was dryer but ruffled even more, the strands falling all over his face.

"I meant something you would like to have for dinner."

I shrugged. "Are you on the menu?"

"I will be when you are better."

My cheeks immediately went beet red, and he gave a rich, beautiful laugh. I loved his laugh. The small dimple on the left side of his cheek. The way he slightly threw his head back.

It made me smile.

"I love the way you laugh."

He turned to me again, his eyes tender and intense, his hands clasped slowly behind him. For a long while, he said nothing before he turned away, muttering something under his breath.

"What did you say?"

He shrugged as he walked away, and I gave a small laugh. I felt everything all at once. The crazy giddiness of falling in love. The rush of my heart. The adrenaline. The slight fear of things that haven't even happened yet, the butterflies.

My brows furrowed as my mind replayed the last thing Sin had said before leaving. I hadn't heard it then, but now...

"You just gave me butterflies, Annalise."

My eyes widened, and the butterflies in my stomach raged even harder, my chest heaving. I broke into a childish giggle as I buried my face into the pillow.

It took me a while to finally get out of bed, and I turned to the large dresser mirror. There were obvious hickeys all over my neck, and Sin, being the dangerously possessive man he was, left one last hickey right above my chest. Nothing spelled that I belonged to him like that kiss right there.

I walked to the dresser and pulled a large dark sweater from his collection. It had a wide neck and folded collars that opened up my neck. I dropped the robe, pushed my hair back into a ponytail, and wore the sweater. I added a pair of shorts underneath before I walked out of the room.

The house looked empty, and I walked downstairs, my eyes taking in everything. I saw the broken bar, and my brows furrowed.

It immediately made me remember the whole thing about the security, Enrique and Annalise, and as much as I wanted to stay in this pretty delusion, I lived in a life that was dangerous. A life that was riddled with blood and guns. A life that was dark and unguarded.

I swallowed hard and walked down to the kitchen. Sin was behind the work table, while a big burly man stood a few inches away from him. He had at least two visible guns on him, and his entire arms were covered in tattoos.

"That is the report we have currently, Sin."

Sin nodded as he continued to mix spices in a small wooden bowl. I watched him from the door, and my bottom lip sucked between my teeth.

"By the way, Sin."

Sin looked up briefly before he moved the bowl of spices, moved to the sink, and brought out premium cut meat he had probably left in there to thaw.

"Why are you... cooking?"

I gave a small laugh as Sin met the man's eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I have never seen you in a kitchen. Well, except for those toasts you always make with Angel. But you are cooking a whole meal and..."

"I am cooking for my wife," Sin said, clearing his throat as he continued to gently rub the spices on the meat.

"For your wife? But you have maids to do that, Sin. Besides, I don't think I have seen you cook like this for Madam Larissa."

Sin stopped, then slowly raised his head to the man. His eyes had lost all the humor I had seen in them before, and from the man's immediate string of apologies, I knew he saw it too.

"I do not appreciate the comparison, Captain. I choose to do what I want for my woman."

"I apologize. I was just surprised."

Sin turned back to his cooking, and the kitchen fell silent. I almost walked in before Sin started to talk again, causing me to stop.

"And that goes for you too, Captain, and every security personnel around me. The way I intend to give my life before something ever happens to my wife, Annalise, is the same way I want you to lay your lives down before you let any harm come to her. Even if it is to my own detriment."

My hand slowly came to my lips, and I felt tears fill my eyes. How can he so casually say something like that? How can he so casually think of letting go just so he can save me?

"We will do our best to save both of you, Sin. If it ever comes to that."

Sin looked up at him and gave a small smile. "Annalise first. That is an order."

Captain went silent for a long while before he nodded. "Madam Annalise first."