The Sinner's Saint

FLUTTER

The kitchen feels too small for all this energy right now. Sunlight's pouring in but it ain't doing nothing to cut the thick ass tension in the room. Lev's leaning against the counter, one hand around a glass of water he ain't drinking, the other hand doing these slow taps on the surface. Just standing there watching me.

I keep my head down like scrambled eggs requires my whole spirit. My cheeks, my neck, fuck, my whole body is still buzzing and burning from the kiss earlier and this man is standing there looking like nothing happened. Looking fine as ever too and unbothered.

At some point, just to test him, I reach past him for a bowl and my arm brushes his. He doesn't move away or even flinch, just keeps tapping steadily and slowly. Me, on the other hand, my whole body short circuits. My pulse is a damn loop drum in my throat.

I notice Siena and Sasha whispering while looking at us, trying to be slick about it. Siena's eyes flick between us then meet mine, making her eyes go wide before she snaps back to her phone with this smirk she thinks I can't see.

Sasha's perched on a stool, seems interested in whatever's on his phone that is subtly pointing my way. These two are so messy I can't even be mad. I made them that way.

"Alex?" Aleyna shuffles in behind me with her arms out like a little koala.

"You want a hug baby?" She nods. I scoop her up and she immediately locks her legs around my waist, tucks her face into my neck and goes right back to sleep. I'm stroking her back as I slightly sway when my phone buzzes with a message from Emine, her shopping list and a pinned location.

I forward the text to Lev and leave to tuck Aleyna back into bed. She's got the whole day to chill, she could sleep the whole morning if she wants. For the rest of the time, I do as many nanny duties as I can, then get lunch and dinner sorted so nobody's starving if we run late.

The whole time I'm moving around the kitchen I'm chopping it up with the S siblings, I love calling them that. I notice one of the shirtless guys, pale as printer paper and very unmannered, keeps looking at me almost like he's plotting.

"Have you bribed them or something?" he suddenly asks.

"Uh... Sorry?"

"How'd you get those four to like you? They don't like anybody."

"Maybe you're just not likable." Slipped out before I could even think about stopping it. The room goes quiet, like you could hear a feather-fall type quiet. This boy just stares at me and then his whole face shifts into something I don't like at all. I would hate to be in a room with just him.

"I'll let you pass 'cause you're just some random girl that works here."

"Youre not gonna do shit either way," Sebastian walks in right on time. The guy immediately shrinks into himself like he's got past trauma from Seb. We do our signature handshake while Seb stares at the kid with the meanest mug, I'd hate to be on the receiving end.

He should come with us.

"Nothing," dude mumbles, very interested in the floor.

"That's what I thought."

I shake my head and glance at Lev without meaning to. Tell me why this man has his eyes set on Snowy, looking like he just used every torture method known to man on him in just a few seconds. If I thought Seb's stare was scary, Lev is fucking bloodthirsty. When his eyes move to mine they literally morph into soft, innocent, calm eyes that highkey make me melt and make the whole room go still. Siena fake coughs. Sasha slams a dish down for no reason. Messy. Both of them.

"You should change, we're leaving in ten." My voice comes out steady, don't even know how. He nods and stays exactly where he is. Of course.

"You coming?" I ask Seb. He nods and disappears to do whatever Sebastian does before he leaves the house, prolly get high. Having him there today makes the air easier to breathe. I stack the counter and fridge with everything I made, silently praying it stretches a few hours. These people eat like it's a sport.