Nights Burn With Regret — by Nathan Perez 55

 

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Do you even know what kind of man he 

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Do you even know what kind of man he is? 

Penelope 

I was half–buried under the blankets, my phone in hand, scrolling through page after page. My thumb kept flicking up, my mind working faster than I liked to admit. 

The bathroom door opened, and I looked up. 

Kai stepped out, his hair dripping wet, strands falling over his forehead. Water was on his shoulders, running down the ridges of his chest, disappearing into the line of his sweatpants, sitting far too low on his hips for my sanity. 

I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “How was the shower?” 

He smirked, the corner of his mouth curling with mischief. Okay. But it would’ve been better if you joined me.” 

My laugh caught in my throat when the bed dipped under his weight. He slid in beside me, his arm sweeping over my waist. He nestled his warm body against mine. 

I touched his damp hair, brushing it back from his forehead “Sorry, I was busy.” 

He glanced down at my phone, his brows lifting. “What are you doing?” 

I shifted slightly, my focus back on the glowing screen. “Running a background check on the man interested in Violet. Even though I’m happy for her, I need to make sure my baby is safe.” 

Kai nodded. “And? What have you found?” 

“Well,” I started, nibbling on my lip, “since I only know his first name, I tried searching that way. I found a few similar names, but none matched the way Violet described him.” 

He chuckled low in his throat. “So basically you’re searching for him based on how hot he is?” 

I smirked, not bothering to deny it. “Exactly.” 

I scrolled again, then froze, a small thrill shooting through me. “Finally,” I whispered. 

Kai leaned in closer, his breath warm against my cheek. “Found what?” 

“I’ve been searching and searching,” I explained. “A name kept coming up, but the face wasn’t shown. So I dug deeper. And now…” I tilted the phone so he could see. “I found his face.” 

The screen loaded slowly before an image finally appeared. A man’s face filled the screen, he was so strikingly attractive it almost didn’t feel real. I had never seen anyone like him in my life. He looked surreal, otherworldly. My gaze dropped to the name beneath the picture. 

Hades Sinclair. 

I felt the air leave my lungs. My entire body went cold. My fingers trembled around the phone as my eyes widened. 

Sinclair? 

“W–what is going on?” 

Beside me, Kai didn’t move. He didn’t even breathe. His eyes were fixed on the screen, jaw tight. 

“No… no, that’s not possible.” My voice cracked when I finally spoke. “So you’re telling me, the man interested in Violet might be her ex–boyfriend’s father?” 

Kai dragged a hand through his wet hair, his expression dark. “Penelope.” 

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Do you even know whct of 19H IT) 157 

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“Yes?” My voice was a whisper. 

“That’s not even what you should be worrying about. Do you have any idea what kind of man he really is?” 

I shook my head slowly. Of course I’d heard the stories. Everyone had. The Sinclairs weren’t people you crossed, and Matthew’s adoptive father was the kind of man people were even scared to talk about. But the fear in Kai’s voice made me realize I didn’t really understand anything. 

Kai leaned back slightly, running his tongue across his teeth as though searching for the right words. “People view others in different ways, some see them as equals, some as tools, and others as obstacles. But….Hades doesn’t see people, he sees prey.” 

A chill rippled down my spine. 

“And he doesn’t hunt because he has to, he hunts because le craves the thrill of the chase. The longer it drags on, the greater his satisfaction. He loves watching his prey squirm, their fear mounting with every second, until he finally devours them whole.” 

I blinked at him, stunned, my mouth suddenly dry. Was he exaggerating? He had to be. No human could be that deranged, right? And yet, I knew my boyfriend. I’d seen him in countless situations, faced with people and problems that would make anyone else scared, but never once had I seen him this afraid until now. 

He looked back at me, his expression deadly serious. “If that demon really is the one interested in Violet, then he’s already marked her. He already sees her as his prey. And if anyone tries to take her away from him, I’m sure they will learn what hell feels like on earth.” 

The room suddenly felt colder, though Kai’s body was still pressed against mine. My pulse hammered in my ears. 

“B–but that’s impossible. There’s no way it’s the same man. No sane man would ever be interested in his son’s ex -girlfriend!” 

I didn’t even believe the words coming out of my own mouth. 

“Well, Hades Sinclair has never been a sane man.” 

My hands were trembling slightly as I snatched up my phone. My thumb hovered over the screen before I typed in Violet’s number. 

“What are you doing?” Kai asked. 

I looked up at him. “What else? I have to tell her, before she gets herself too deep in something she’s not supposed to.”