Page 254 of Sinister

There is a natural bend to the spine, and as I reach the midway of the book, I find a small piece of paper inside.

Petra,

You said you could help me leave my house. Does your offer still stand? I fear my father has caught wind of my relationship with Sinclair, and I don’t know what he’s capable of. I’m scared for myself, for my child, and for my beloved Sinclair.

If you meant what you said, I can meet you tomorrow night outside the south gates of my house.

Thank you.

Leah

I stare at the note for moments on end. For Leah to have done this, to reach out to me for help when she was so hesitant before, speaks volumes. She must truly think she has no other recourse, and knowing what I do about Snowden, I’m terrified for her.

I wait until nightfall, when the entire house has gone to sleep, before opening my window. One moment I’m alone, the next, Sin is behind me.

“You startled me,” I gasp aloud.

He smiles that beguiling smile of his and opens his arms for me to nestle within his embrace.

“I thought night would not come soon enough. I missed you, sweet Petra.”

“I missed you, too.” I sigh dreamily against him, letting his warmth seep through me. We stay like that for what feels like an eternity, neither of us wanting to take the first step and break apart.

With great difficulty, I pull back.

“We need to talk.”

His features immediately contort with worry.

I show him the note from Leah, and his lips flatten into a thin line.

“I will speak with my mentor. We will go to her house tomorrow night.”

“I’m coming with you,” I declare.

He raises a brow at me, and I can tell he’s ready to challenge me.

“She asked me to help. I must be there. That way, she will be more at ease.”

He still doesn’t speak, merely staring me down as if that would make me reconsider.

“I am coming, Sin.”

He exhales roughly. “All right.”

I regale him with a warm smile.

“But that is tomorrow, not tonight. Come here, sweet thing, let me feel you.”

Before he can mention it, I shrug my clothes off and move closer to him. His own clothes vanish at some point, and we end up together on the bed between the tangled sheets.

It’s close to midnight when Sin comes to get me from my home.

“Close your eyes,” he whispers as he envelops me in his shadows.

Dizziness overtakes me as everything around me spins. When I next open my eyes, we’re at the gates of the Snowden estate.

There is another man there, one I have not seen before. It’s dark out, so I cannot entirely make out his features save for the thickly rimmed glasses he’s wearing.