Sin & Salvation

Chapter 23

"Cora, please— we need to talk." Silas's voice is muffled through the large doors that I'm still barricading with my body.

"No, just go away. I need space right now." My tears from the auction haven't subsided. I'm angry with Brett for taking advantage of Evelyn, and even angrier with Silas for paying as much as he did, and then following me when I clearly needed time alone.

"Please." There's desperation in his voice and I shove down the temptation to open it. The handle to the door jiggles and I know that with one swift kick, he could probably break this old thing down if he wanted to badly enough.

And I think he honestly does from the way he sounds right now— like he would do anything for me to open it up.

"Silas, there are so many beautiful women here tonight, all of which would be glad to go home with you." I feel myself cry more when I say that, the frustration building up. "Please, I'm begging you— just go."

He stops banging on the door and I hear his hand slide down against the wood before muttering, "I can't."

"Yes you can, Silas. All you would have to do is walk downstairs, approach a random, lonely woman and then—"

"No, I fucking can't, Cora," he says again, this time slightly louder and more aggressive.

"Yes, you fucking can!"

"NO I FUCKING CAN'T," he screams, banging harshly on the door which sounds like it cracks beneath his fist. I put my hand over my mouth to prevent him from hearing me sob, my throat tight and raw from trying to hold it back.

His hand thumps against the door a final time, seemingly giving up. His voice is a near whisper as he says again, "I can't."

I flip around, resting my head on the door, too tired and frustrated to keep arguing. "Why, Silas? Why?" I plead, my voice cracking while I cry.

No sound comes from the other side of the door for almost a minute. Thinking he's going to leave, I open it because I want an answer out of him. But he's still standing there, looking down, defeated and out of breath.

I get closer, standing directly underneath him so he has no choice but to see my face. "Why, Silas?" I demand again, raising my voice slightly.

"Because they're not YOU!"

I suck in a sharp breath, his words almost knocking me on my ass. He raises his eyes to meet mine and we take each other in, feeling the undeniable charge between our bodies intensifying. Our breathing grows heavy and the air grows quiet, making it truly feel like it's just us against everyone else.

In a second, he's plunging his hands into my hair, closing the gap between our bodies. Our mouths greedily welcome the other in, tongues sliding against each other, desperate to taste the other. He places one hand on my lower back while the other closes and locks the doors behind him. The hand on my back begins hurriedly undoing my corset and I reach back to help him out.

Both of us can barely breathe and are panting, trying to come up for air and not succeeding. Our mouths feel like powerful magnets that refuse to pull apart, snapping back together the second we come apart. My corset finally comes undone and he works to loosen it, so I begin tugging his jacket down his arms, wondering how the hell his muscles fit into these sleeves.

My fingers work quickly to try and undo the buttons on his vest, but I'm shaking with adrenaline. "Stupid fucking buttons," I breathe against his lips. He chuckles into my mouth and I feel it vibrate down into my throat making me insatiable. I give up on the buttons, pulling his head down to mine and deepening the kiss.