I told myself not to, I told myself that the devil wouldn't get ahold of my heart of sins. Over and over again, I told myself that there was a line no child, man, or woman could cross when it comes to trying to sexually assault the person that was housing and feeding you.

I told myself that watching Hailie sleep in fascination, tracing every detail of her face, her hair, her skin, her lips… Was already too much, too perverted, and that if I went any further, if I crossed the line from imagining to acting, I wouldn't be able to live with in for the rest of my life.

But lying there, her breath brushing the space between us, her forehead so close I could almost feel the faintest ghost of warmth radiating from it… I admitted it, I had fallen into the temptations that of biblical lust.

Before I could talk myself out of it, before I could reason, I leaned forward and pressed my lips against her skin.

A kiss was placed on Hailie Sonder's forehead.

And in that instant, every nerve in my body screamed. My fist clenched right in front of my heart, I almost grip my flesh and tore it out from how tight I held on, my toes curled and my knees squished together.

I could feel as if the gods intended for me to sin by offering me the juiciest apple in the entire jungle of life.

"Hailie…" I whispered her name, which sounds wonderful to the ear.

Her skin was impossibly smooth, the kind of softness you can't describe without sounding insane. It wasn't cold porcelain like I'd imagined before, Hailie was warm, delicate, the faintest trace of blood pulsing just beneath the surface.

My lips sank into that warmth, a whisper of contact that somehow made my whole body seize.

The godly smell lingered in my mind, from up close, her hair carried a faint snowy fragrance, not chemical like shampoo, not floral like perfume. Just clean, like the scent of fresh sheets dried in winter wind, subtle yet rewarding when discovered.

It filled my nose, flooded my brain. I breathed her in until my chest hurt, terrified of exhaling because I'd lose it. And maybe, I wouldn't take a shower for the next 10 years, in fear that the air that she breathed onto me might be washed off.

The world blurred as my lips trembled against her forehead, and for a single heartbeat I thought I could stay here forever, anchored in this forbidden moment. My chest swelled with a heat so intoxicating it was almost painful, a rush that surged through my ribs, down to my twitching fingers.

I pulled back, but only barely, because my lips stayed hovering just an inch away, tingling, starving for another taste. I was shaking, my breaths shallow and ragged, my heart hammering like I'd just outrun death, the guiltiest pleasure. I wanted to do it again, I wanted to kiss her again, again, again until the whole world burn down in a fire.

But then.

The door opened.

The creak was quiet, but it might as well have been thunder. I jolted upright, ripping myself away from her like I'd been electrified. My back straightened, my eyes wide, trying to force myself into the shape of someone casual, normal, innocent.

Gerald stood at the doorway.

Hailie's butler, the man who never left her side, who pushed her wheelchair around and was most likely some kind of ex-3 letter government agency agent hired to protect the precious gem of the Sonders. His eyes swept the room, landing squarely on me.

I felt my skin crawl under that gaze. Suspicious and heavy, he didn't say a word, but he didn't need to, his stare alone was enough to strip me bare, peel me down to the truth, I knew that he knew I touched his precious princess.

I laughed, letting out a brittle, awkward sound that scraped my throat, an unusual laughter that was too high-pitched, too quick.

"Oh, uh, hey," I said, scratching the back of my neck, as if I'd just woken up. "Uhm… Morning?"

For a long second, Gerald didn't move, I saw a glimpse of his lips being tightened, but he didn't speak, instead he just raised an eyebrow, then stepped further in. He reached down and touched Hailie's shoulder gently.

"Young madam," he said, his voice soft but firm, "Your friend is up."

She stirred, her lashes fluttered open, her small lips parting for a yawn. Slowly, dreamily, she blinked herself awake, then rubbed at her eyes with the back of her delicate hand.

"Mm… Gerald?" she murmured with her gaze shifting side to side, unfamiliar with the room in a blurry mess, until it landed on me, "Cory…?"

I froze.

She sat up a little, hair tumbling forward across her cheeks in loose, snowy strands.

"Oh, um, sorry," she said, her voice hazy with sleep. "I came here to wake you up so we could get breakfast, Eirlys had forgiven you! But you were… snoring. You looked really tired, so I thought I'd…"

She trailed off, smiling faintly,

"…So I thought I'd wait here with you for a bit."

The words hit me like a knife, why must she be so kind and considerate? Now I feel like an asshole for trying to inappropriately make contact with her.

I coughed, forcing another laugh.

"Right, right, yeah… Uh, thanks, I guess. That's… considerate of you, sorry for the trouble."

Gerald's stare lingered, drilling into me but still he said nothing. He only helped Hailie back into her chair, adjusting the blankets draped across her lap with methodical care.

"Come on, Cory," Hailie said, brightening as she stretched her arms. "Let's go eat, maybe the chefs can make us some brunch pancakes! Ooh I haven't had those for a while, Gerald, take us to the dining room, pretty please?"

"As you wish." He answered concisely.

I nodded quickly, anything to escape the crushing weight of the moment.

The dining room was a cathedral of glass and marble, light spilling through tall windows onto a table groaning with food.

After only a 5 minutes wait, even faster than McDonalds, plates of eggs, fruit, pastries, and pancake, all too much for three people, but then again, this was the Sonder mansion, excess was standard… The chefs probably gonna eat the rest, or if they're snobby, throw 'em all out away.

I sat stiffly, sitting next to Hailie as she whispered to me how good these brunch pancakes were, while across the table Eirlys Sonder sat like a judging queen.

Her long fingers tapped against her tablet, her eyes flicking up with sharp irritation.

"You two," she snapped without preamble, "are ridiculous."

I shrank into my chair, Hailie blinked innocently, chewing on a croissant like a guilty child.

"Do you have any idea," Eirlys continued, "How furious I was when I heard you went out without permission for a reckless ride? Not only riding, but drifting, you were drifting?! You two… Hailie, you're like some kind of delinquent! And then to be pulled over by the police? Do you understand how bad that is for your record? How embarrassing?"

Her voice cracked out of fury, while Hailie winced, lowering her croissant.

"Sorry, sis…" she mumbled.

"And you, Cory." Eirlys's glare cut into me next. "I expected this sort of nonsense from you, but dragging my sister into it? Ugh-"

She paused for a moment, probably contemplating whether I worth her trouble, which, I probably do… Because I'm about to write her another email about the navmesh exploit. So, I anticipated when she spoke:

"You're lucky I let you off after that hand-written discipline, one more stunt like that and you won't set foot near her again. Understood?"

My throat bobbed as I forced out a nod. "Yes, ma'am."

I stabbed at my eggs, forcing food into my mouth just to stay silent, just to keep the heat from rising in my cheeks.

Eirlys sighed, muttering about responsibilities, then turned her focus back to her tablet.

And so, the tension eased, just slightly. Hailie leaned toward me, her voice a conspiratorial whisper.

"Oh, um… Cory, are you free today?"

I blinked at her, awaiting elaboration, and she did.

"I don't have any classes," she said, smiling brightly. "Want to play together?"

My heart sank for a moment, not knowing how things would go, considering now I'm property of the New Destiny guild… So if I'm online, they'll surely know and can track me wherever I go, and I wonder if that's going to be a problem.

…Mhm.

I think I gotta tell Eirlys to turn off the invulnerable thing for Hailie… Because people may not be as nice to her as I do when they learn she can't be hurt but can still be restrained. A long email is due…

"Yeah!" I gave a nice smile, "Maybe in a few hours? I'll come see you, I got something to do."

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