Page 255 of Sinister

“Petra, meet my mentor.”

“You’re Arnoult?” I blurt out.

He inclines his head.

“Pleased to meet the woman of Sin’s heart.”

I blush at that mention. “Is that how you described me?” I whisper to Sin.

He nods proudly. “Although I should have been more precise: You are my heart.”

“You may continue your sweet talk after we have saved my own heart,” Arnoult mentions dryly.

As we wait for the clock to strike midnight, the designated meeting time, I can’t help but keep glancing at Arnoult, trying to make sense of it all. He looks to be in his mid-to-late thirties, which already puts me on edge, because Leah is probably half his age.

Sin notices my scrutiny and comes closer. “Are you all right? Do you want to go?”

“No. No, I’m fine. I want to see Leah safe.”

“Okay. But if anything happens, know that I’m taking you away from here.”

“Sin, I’ll be fine,” I assure him.

He follows my line of sight toward his mentor.

“How old is he?”

“I’m thirty-six, Miss,” Arnoult answers.

Right. Double Leah’s age. But at least he’s not pushing fifty like Snowden.

“Isn’t it a bit of an age difference between you and Leah? How did you two even meet?” I can’t help but ask.

His brows go up, and it’s a wonder I can even see them behind those thickly rimmed glasses.

Sin’s hand brushes my waist, a light touch. Maybe a signal for me to stop pressing. But I continue.

“Did you take advantage of her?” I ask him squarely.

“What? Me? Never,” he says vehemently. “Do you think I wanted to fall in love with a girl half my age? At first, it was just stolen glances and furtive smiles. But eventually we started talking when no one was watching. I would come to her home to talk with her father, and before I left, she would always give me a little treat for the road, she’d say. But those small gestures became all I could look forward to.”

He looks at Sin. “If you doubt my intentions, ask your lover. He knows exactly how I feel about Leah. That I would never hurt her.”

“You’re hurting her right now. Don’t you realize? You and her father are enemies. You got her pregnant while she’s still living with her father. Don’t you think that puts her at risk?”

“I . . .” he trails off. “I didn’t know about the pregnancy until very recently.”

“Doesn’t matter. You exposed her to the risk. Do you not realize what these men are capable of—her father, my father? They don’t care about who they hurt as long as they fulfill whatever sinister purpose they have in mind. And if Snowden believes that she’s valuable to you, don’t you think he’s going to use that? That he’s going to use her to get to you?”

“Petra, let’s not do this now,” Sin whispers.

“You’re right. We can talk about this later—after Leah is safe. But don’t think for a moment that I’m not watching you. I don’t care what your relationship is with Sin. I don’t care how much he esteems you. Leah is a young girl. A young, impressionable girl who is currently in danger. And half of it is your fault.”

He has no reply to that. He just stares at me.

I turn my back to him, not wanting to engage further. On the one hand, I can empathize with the fact that they’re two star-crossed lovers, defying all odds to be together, including age-related odds. But at the same time, I don’t know what the circumstances of their relationship are.

And Leah, poor girl . . . whenever I saw her, she was always so moody, so sad and depressed. I can’t be sure he didn’t take advantage of that, can I?