That Sinful Touch

Chapter Six: The Price of Mistakes

Xochi’s heart pounded in her chest, the sound of it deafening in her ears as Chris stepped closer. The tension from earlier still hung heavy in the air, that chaotic moment when Louis had barged in. But now, it was just Chris—his presence filling the room, making it feel like there was no space to breathe.

She hadn’t expected Louis to show up, at least not like that. She wasn’t ready for the sudden chaos, or for what had come after. But now he was gone, slipping out through the back door like a shadow.

Chris didn’t even flinch. He just turned to her with that cold look she hated—and feared. “You think it’s that easy? Letting him back in, like nothing happened?”

Xochi swallowed hard, her throat dry. What was she supposed to say to that? How could she explain how things had gotten this messy?

“I didn’t—” she started, but he cut her off before she could finish.

“Save it,” Chris snapped, his voice sharp. “You don’t get to act like you didn’t let him in. You let him get too close. And now you’ve dragged me into this.”

Xochi felt every word like a slap across the face. There was no arguing with him—not now.

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

“Yeah, well, it’s happening,” he said, his words thick with irritation. “And now you’re gonna deal with the fallout.”

Her chest tightened, the pressure of his words almost too much to bear. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. All she could do was stand there, caught in the mess she’d made, while Chris glared at her like she was the problem.

“You think you can just walk away from this?” His voice dropped, dangerously low. “You can’t. You’re tangled up in it now, Xochi. There’s no getting out.”

She tried to pull away, but her feet felt glued to the floor. How had things gone so wrong?

“I don’t belong to you,” she managed to say, her voice shaking, but Chris didn’t look like he cared.

“You’re mine now,” he said flatly, his words like ice. “Whether you like it or not.”

Her pulse hammered in her ears as he moved toward her. The air between them felt charged, thick with unspoken things. She had to get away, but her feet wouldn’t move. His grip on her was too heavy, his presence too overpowering.

“Don’t even think about it,” Chris muttered when she tried to step back. His fingers brushed against her skin, soft at first, then firm as he gripped her chin. She froze, his touch both gentle and terrifying.

“You’re mine now,” he repeated, his voice barely more than a growl. “You don’t get a choice in the matter.”

For a moment, she thought she might say something else—something to push him away—but before she could, there was a knock at the door. Loud, sharp, and completely out of place.

Chris’s head snapped to the side, his eyes narrowing. “Who the hell is that?”

Another knock came, this one more urgent.

Xochi’s heart raced even faster. Was it someone coming to find her? To take her away from all of this?

Chris didn’t waste time. He moved to the door in a single stride and threw it open. Henri stood there, looking tense, his usual calm replaced with a sense of urgency.

“It’s done,” Henri said, his voice low, eyes flicking briefly to Xochi.

Chris didn’t wait. “What’s done?”

Henri didn’t answer right away. His gaze shifted between Xochi and Chris before he spoke. “Louis. He’s gone. Slipped out the back without a trace.”

Xochi’s blood ran cold. He was gone? Just like that?

Chris’s eyes darkened, the fury in them barely contained. “Gone? And you didn’t stop him?”

Henri’s jaw tightened. “I’m not your damn babysitter, Chris. I did what I could. He’s gone, and that’s that.”

Chris clenched his fists, tension radiating from him. “He’s not gone. He’ll be back. And next time, we’ll make sure he doesn’t get away so easily.”

Henri looked at Xochi, his eyes unreadable. “You need to keep your guard up. You have no idea what he’s planning.”

Xochi barely heard him. Her mind was spinning, trying to make sense of everything. Louis was gone, but how had he gotten away so easily? And why did it feel like it wasn’t over?

She looked at Chris, but his attention was already back on the door, his back to her. He was furious, and she didn’t know if that made him more dangerous or just more unpredictable.

Henri turned to leave, his voice low and clipped. “I’ll make sure no one gets close to her again, Chris.”

As the door slammed behind him, the room fell silent. The weight of everything hit her all at once—Louis was gone, but somehow, it felt like the worst was yet to come.

Chris didn’t say anything more, his eyes focused on the window, as if he could see everything happening outside.

Xochi felt the pull of his presence, the weight of his unspoken threats. But what she didn’t understand was the one thing that gnawed at her: if Louis came back, would she fall for his act again? Could she trust him after everything that had happened?

She didn’t have answers—only more questions. And as Chris turned back to her, the future felt uncertain, the danger even closer than before.