Sinful

Not taking it was never an option.

And now, I’m holding the one thing that will bring Bella back to me—her fake identity papers. My pulse is racing as I stare at it. I looked every fucking where for this. I glance up at Pearl. “Where was it?”

She tries to push a stray strand of her hair out of her face while still holding the gun and fails. “In his cabin safe, along with the rest of his secrets.”

I nod. I had always thought that’s where it was, but I couldn’t be sure. I could never get that close. He always had Zane or Royce watching me. Siding with Seth was probably the best decision I’ve ever made.

“She’s pretty,” Pearl says as I open it in front of her. I don’t try to hide any of it. No doubt she’s read it cover to cover. It’s what she has over me, just like I have the location of Odette over her. Finally, she lowers the gun and sits in the other armchair. “Are you going to find her?” She still shaking, and she looks a bit lost.

I shoot her a look, a sly smile on my lips. “That’s none of your damn business.”

“You might want to change the color of your hair. It’s bloody awful if no one has told you that.”

I choose to ignore that. “Seth know that you’re here?”

“No,” she chokes. “He thinks I’m shopping.”

I snort a laugh. “Then you’d better go spend all his money, little mouse.”

I wait for Pearl to leave before I start packing a case. Ravenclaw emerges from behind the drapes, meowing like a dickhead.

“Stop moaning. You’re coming too,” I say to her as I pack all her shit up and coax her into a carrier. Thank god I’m flying on the company jet. I could not deal with taking a commercial flight with a damn cat right now.

It takes halfa day to get to LA and then another half an hour in traffic to get to a little beach house in Santa Monica. Palm trees line the promenade. Brightly colored houses line up, facing the surf, painted on a purple and pink sky. The air is still hot from the heat of the day. I’m already missing Europe as I get out of the car that brought me here, leaving the air conditioning behind.

Ravenclaw cries at me again. The fucker has no idea.

“You’d better appreciate me bringing you all the way out here,” I mutter at the little bitch. I wasn’t lying when I said I hate cats. She’d better appreciate it.

I ring the doorbell and then stand there like a fool, sweating despite the sun setting and a breeze coming from the sea.

Voices inside. Someone approaching.

A fucking guy opens the door. He frowns, looking at me with a squint and a set jaw. “Can I help you?”

I grimace at the fucker, assessing his surfer’s hair, ripped abs under a white t-shirt, and shorts. What the hell did I expect? Of course, she would be married or some shit. It’s been five years, and I’m just showing up at her doorstep.

“Jake, who is it?” calls a female voice from inside. It’s not Bella’s voice. Tension releases from my shoulders unexpectedly.

“I’ve no idea, babe. Some guy in a suit, with a cat.” He looks back at me as a blue-eyed blonde girl, not Bella, appears at the door next to him.

“A cat?” she looks down at the carrier. “Oh my God, Ravenclaw! Bella is going to go nuts.”

“Where is she?” I blurt out.

The blonde narrows her eyes at me, a sly smile beginning to form on her lips. “You’re Roman, aren’t you?”

“Ro-main,” I say, correcting her like a dick. “Where is she?”

“On the beach.” She steps back. Do you want to come in and wait, or…”

I hand her the cat carrier and turn back toward the beach. I have no idea what fucking direction because I didn’t ask.

“Who the hell was that, Blake?” I hear Jake say in his surfer accent as I jog down the footpath that leads through the thick grass to a stretch of hot, white sand. So Blake actually exists. Interesting.

The beach is mostly empty.There are a few people strolling, including a guy with a dog.

I don’t see her at first.