Page 12 of Taken By Sin
He flicks his wrist. “To me... to me.” A sigh escapes him. “Did you ever think it wasforyou, Magnolia?”
“Why are you doing thisforme?”
He smiles now, the striking white of his teeth clashes with the black ink that sweeps across his neck. “I figured you would appreciate this, a big home with food and a nice bed. You don't have to share a thing."
"Are you hiring me for cleaning or...?" I trail off.
"I’m just doing you a fucking favor,” he snaps, and I instinctively jolt back. Sin watches the fear in my eyes, tilting his head as if he’s admiring it.
“Stop." I shake my head, taken aback by his choice of words. "I need to know what my purpose is here."
"Why question it?" He leans back in his chair. “You should be bowing at my fucking feet.”
A scoff escapes me, I’ve never had anyone talk to me like this, in that manner. “First off, tone it down.” I narrow my eyes at him, giving the same taste of disdain that’s seeping from him. Matching his energy. “Second, am I free to leave?”
“Well,” he laughs; it’s soft and hollow. He stands again, pushing his chair under the desk, and walks to the fireplace. I'm staring at his perfectly combed, slicked back head of black hair. It matches the matte black of his suit. “Go, then.”
Every fiber of my being is telling my body to run as far away from this mysterious man as possible, but something morepowerful, what feels to be the beating of my heart, tells me to stay. “Mr. Donati.”
He tilts his head, looking sharp left. "Sin," he reminds me again before returning his attention to the blaze.
"Did you and your girlfriend adopt me?"
He chuckles, his shoulders lifting. "I'm only thirty, Magnolia. You’re about six months shy of nineteen. I didn’t adopt you; I want to provide you with housing." His gaze shifts to my feet. “Axle has grown fond of you; he ditched me last night for your room. Bria…” he laughs again, low. “Is my little sister.”
For some reason, his telling me that Bria is his sister and not his girlfriend has made butterflies erupt in my stomach. This is an odd feeling, one that I don't quite understand. “Speaking of Axle…” He looks over at his pup. “Where is his collar?”
I shrug, attempting to look innocent, remembering the thick chain that looked ridiculously uncomfortable around his soft neck. “Not sure.” There are too many thoughts racing through my mind. Is the reason that he brought up Axle being in my room last night because he knew I was awake when he came in? Or does he want me to be intimidated by the sheer knowledge he was in my room while I was sleeping? "Did you take pity on me?"
“Yes,” he responds flatly.
I’m uncertain whether I should thank him. All I really want is to escape this room and reflect on all this vague information alone, away from his watchful gaze. "Thank you," I whisper, not quite understanding why I’m thanking this impossible man.
"You’re welcome, Magnolia” He seems pleased with myacknowledgments, “Have fun with my little sister.” He winks, making it seem as though my question was curiosity about him being single.
He ends the conversation with one last, sweeping gaze over my body.
“Don’t buy anything too revealing.”
NINE
Bria is downstairs, chewing a bright pink piece of gum while tapping away on her phone.
I've never had one; we could use the house phone at the orphanage, but who would I call?
“Ready?" she asks, linking her slender arm through mine. “Sorry, my brother is such a fucking pain.”
I shake it off. “He’s fine,” I lie, stepping onto the sidewalk out front.
In the light of day, everything appears transformed. The exterior is stunning. From outside, the house seems slender, pressed against two neighboring brick structures. You could never know the sheer size from this viewpoint.
Weathered bricks hugged by cascading ivy, form a charming facade. Elegant wrought iron railings encircle each window, not confining them like a cage but gracefully defining their shape.
A woman strolls by, guiding a stroller with a laughing baby inside.
Meanwhile, a young couple struggles to keep pace with their two energetic puppies, who are eager to explore every inch of the sidewalk. I can't help but think we should have brought Axle along to escape Sin’s glare.
He can stay in his lair, captivated by the flickering embers of the fire, but I plan to enjoy this day with Bria, discovering my surroundings and getting to know her better.