Sinners & Starlight: Chapter Six
Elena is safely home—and swept off her feet by the mysterious and aggravating man who brought her there.
Sunlight streamed through the slats of her studio apartment window, making it impossible for Elena to steal a few more minutes of sleep.
Her head hurt.
Muscles ached.
Nothing alarming made her jump out of bed to check in the mirror, but she still wondered what the actual heck happened the night before? She didn’t even drink that much. Partying and getting smashed wasn’t her scene.
Nightclubs definitely weren’t her scene.
Ugh…
A quick glance to either side of her tiny twin bed confirmed at least one thing: she was home, alone, with no one there. And no evidence of anyone being there, like taking a shower or cooking breakfast.
Something twisted in her heart at the emptiness that should have felt comforting. Was she disappointed that Cade hadn’t stayed?
Wait…how did she get home in the first place?
Elena groaned as she slowly sat up, rubbing her temples until the pressure in her head subsided enough to stand on her feet. Wobbly feet, but functional enough to shuffle to the kitchen. Coffee would be required before she could mentally retrace her steps from last night.
She froze mid-step.
When did she change into her sleep shirt?
A fresh wave of dread washed over her as she glanced around the small apartment for signs of a struggle, discarded clothing, anything that would tell her what/who/how this happened. She couldn’t remember leaving The Solarium. She couldn’t remember getting home, or fumbling with her keys, or stripping off her clothes and slipping on the soft shirt that now hung to her knees and cheerfully announced, “Coffee saves lives”.
But there were no kicked pants, or a tossed tunic shirt or even a discarded bra.
Elena grabbed her breasts.
No bra.
A quick shimmy of her hips relieved the worst of her fears—at least she still had panties on.
She was about to grab her phone when someone knocked on her door. Heart suddenly in her throat, she tiptoed to see who it was through the peephole. It didn’t sound like Maintenance’s heavy thumping, or even the super’s…
A silver eye peered back through the hole.
Elena felt her blood pressure instantly skyrocket. But despite her shaky fingers, she managed to open the door. “Hi.”
“Good morning.” Cade thrust a large iced coffee at her and used the momentum to shoulder his way into her apartment. “Glad to see you up and about. I come bearing magic elixir for that headache you undoubtedly have.”
She frowned, but took the coffee. One sip made her instantly forgive him—he knew to make it a mocha. “How did you know?”
“Side effect of attending events at The Solarium without a club membership. The drinks can get a little…tricky.”
“Was I drugged?”
The way he froze in place, just for half a second, gave her a far more honest answer than what came from his mouth. “You were safe.” Cade busied himself by looking around the small studio, flipping open cupboards and poking into her fridge. “We made sure nothing happened to you.”
“Except something did happen to me.” She swept a hand over her body when he frowned at her over the fridge door.
“Ah. That.” He quickly nodded, shut the door, and took a long swig of his own coffee. There was no hiding the way he gave her a deliberate once-over, though. “That was all Seka. Lady to lady, because I am a gentleman.”
Elena narrowed her eyes. “Why do I only believe half of that?”
“Because it’s half true.” He plucked a book from her floating bookshelf and flipped it open—then bit back a chuckle when she snatched the obvious diary from his fingers and stuffed it under her pillow. “I’m hardly a gentleman.”
