Page 210 of Sinister

“I don’t think I could run if I tried,” I say with a dry smile.

“But you’re not trying,” he murmurs, glancing down at our hands with reverence. “More than that, you . . . accept me.”

There’s a note of wonder in his voice, and I feel a painful tug in my chest imagining the lonely child he once was—cast aside, abandoned, unwanted.

“You’re not abnormal to me,” I tell him honestly. “It might be strange and a little frightening, yes, but it’s still you. And you’ve never hurt me. On the contrary . . .”

I should be terrified that anyone could wield so much power, but I’m not. In fact, I’ve never felt safer than I do when I’m with him. Especially now, because somewhere deep inside, I know the truth: He would do anything to protect me.

He looks at me, eyes softening. “You’re so sweet, Petra. Do you know that? You make me happy just by saying that.”

“You should believe me,” I say. “Because it’s the truth.”

He lifts my hand to his lips, pressing a slow, tender kiss to my knuckles. “I was afraid for nothing.”

“What do you mean?”

“You asked why I didn’t tell you sooner. It wasn’t because I didn’t trust you. It’s because I’ve spent my whole life hiding, afraid of being condemned for something I never asked for. Something that isn’t my fault. I suppose I just forgot what it was like to hope.”

“Oh, Sin,” I whisper, heart aching for him. Although he tries to put on a strong front, I can sense the deep turmoil inside of him, the pain that he tries so hard to mask.

But the more I find out about him, the more I come to admire him and his strength. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be reviled his entire life—so much so that he sought to end his own life.

He not only controls the shadows, but he’s lived in the shadows his entire life.

“Did you ever find out where your powers come from?” I ask quietly.

“As far as I know, it’s something extremely rare. Entities with this kind of power almost never mingle with mortals. I was told it was an anomaly—likely the result of some distant ancestor who once had this ability, and somehow, it was passed down to me.”

“Have you ever tried to find your birth parents?” I ask gently.

“No,” he says, voice firm. “And I’m not interested. They had me and gave me up. Why would I go looking for them?”

“Maybe just to get some answers. They might know more about your powers, or where they came from.”

He lets out a dry, bitter laugh. “Even if they did, I’m not sure I’d want to hear it. What if they looked me in the eye and told me I was a freak of nature?”

“You’re not,” I insist. “You’re not a freak of nature, Sin. I hope you know that.”

“It’s sweet of you to say that, Petra, but it doesn’t change the fact that I am . . . different.” He shrugs in defeat.

“Different doesn’t have to mean bad. I like that you’re different.” I give him a tentative smile. “Why, you’re like one of those mythological deities from the Iliad and the Odyssey. I think that is rather capital!”

He surprises me when he pulls me to his chest, his lips finding mine in a swift, hard kiss. The cup of tea disappears from my hand and appears on the table.

“As long as you like me, I like myself, too,” he whispers against my lips.

I lean in and give him a kiss of my own before drawing back and smiling mischievously at him. “Then be ready to like yourself a whole lot because I happen to like you tremendously.”

His face lights instantly, and it’s as if all the sorrow falls away as he gazes into my eyes. My heart skips a beat, and warmth spreads through me. In that moment, he’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

And his regard for me only serves to further confirm my own feelings.

“Like” is a paltry word for what I feel for him.

I . . . love him.

The sudden realization of my depth of feelings for him rattles me, but it also fills me with so much hope for the future. Perhaps it’s bad of me to even consider a future with him when he’s involved in some questionable activities.