Unleashing Sin - A. M. Wilson Page 0,35

about her. Makes her do things in my head that she’d never do for real. I have a gaggle of women who’d come at my call. I can’t do that to her. I just can’t. I won’t.

Time to get out before my self-control wears thin, and I prove to myself again that I’m such a fucking bastard.

After I’m dressed, I lock up the apartment and leave. I had planned on calling on my father’s cleaning lady today, but it looks like Shelby took care of that for me. At least my home is clean enough to live in. Now that Shelby is a somewhat functioning human being, there’s no reason for us all to be bunking at Elias’s. She still needs to stay out of sight for her own safety, but I can leave those two alone.

I park my bike in the lot outside of his complex and let myself in with my key.

The place is dead silent when I walk into the kitchen. Not knowing if Elias left Shelby alone, I let out the stupid whistle.

Still nothing.

My gut churns with unease as I slowly make my way through the place. No lights, not even a TV left on. Where would he have taken her?

I hit the first bedroom on the right, the guest room, and that’s where I find them. Just the sight makes my chest burn hot with an emotion I can’t name. So still they could be dead, but I know they’re not. Just sleeping, curled tightly into each other like two blissful lovers.

As I take a step back to leave, my foot hits a loose board, and the floor creaks loudly. Shelby jolts upright in bed, but Elias doesn’t even stir.

“Sin. I mean, Alex. Hi,” she greets, more than a little breathless sounding, and if I’m not mistaken, guilty. The name switch feels like a stab right in the chest, so what do I do? I do what I always do. Turn into a fucking dick.

“Lookin’ cozy there, princess. Sorry to interrupt your morning fuck session.” Shelby’s face pales. “I need my clothes from the closet, and I’ll get out of your space.”

“It’s not what it looks like.”

“Yeah?” I sneer. “What’s it look like, then?”

“Not what you’re thinking, but I don’t have to explain myself to you,” she fires back in that mixture of fear and strength she’s been showing more of lately. Normally, it warms me to see her showing some signs of confidence, but today I’m too pissed off to care.

“No, you don’t. In fact, I like them quiet.” Reaching behind my back, I grab my shirt and pull it over my head. Shelby gasps. “If you scoot over, I can join the two of you. I like a threesome now and then.”

Her widened eyes and slack jaw are the confirmation that I hit my mark, which means I stepped about a hundred yards over the boundary. Wadding my shirt up into a ball, I throw it at her, and the cotton material hits her in the face. She’s too stunned to do anything other than let it fall to her lap.

Without a word, I walk to the closet, yank a clean shirt over my head, and tear everything else down. The metal hangers clank together from the force. One spins off the rail and lands somewhere behind my feet while another smacks me in the face. I’m sure I hear the material of one shirt tear. My hands wad the clothes tightly while I fight the urge to throw my fist through the closet wall. I close my eyes and try to control my harsh breathing.

Why do I do this? To myself? To her? There’s no sweetness in this torture I put us through. It shouldn’t surprise me to find her wrapped in his arms when I drive her there with every word out of my mouth.

When I feel more in control, I turn on my heel and head straight for the door. “Sorry,” leaves my mouth in a nearly unintelligible grunt.

I drop the clothes on the kitchen counter and rustle beneath the kitchen sink for a garbage bag. Her presence enters the room. She has this scared energy about her that I swear I can feel inside me whenever she’s near.

“I had a dream last night that I was back there,” she whispers.

I close my eyes and grit my teeth. My fingers feel the garbage bags, so I grab one and just hold it in my fist.

“You were there too. Captured,” she