Sinful Like Us (Like Us, #5)

by Krista Ritchie

“You wrote: do not touch me under any circumstance.”

SAME. Tony is a creep

“Do you want to offer me a drink?” Connor asks, pulling my attention. “Water, lemonade, bourbon? You live here now, so I’m to assume you can act as a host.” Fuck all things to hell. I nod towards the fridge. “Would you like a drink?” I ask. “I can get whatever you want.” “Not right now. But I appreciate the offer, even delayed and obviously coerced.”

Connor is an asshole and I love it 💀

“You’re still alive, so I take it Richard didn’t do a good job annihilating you. Did he tell you that you’re moving too fast?”

Yep… I love the Cobalt parents

“You had the loudest cry. It was earsplitting. Look at those photos and remember that all babies cry. They will wake you up at odd hours of the night. They are not cute little squishy things. They are menaces.” Her fiery glare drills into me. “So when you’re thinking about having unprotected sex with my daughter, remember these photos.”

💀💀 I’m obsessed with Rose

“No, I’m not doing another bake sale for that school. They’ve insulted my baked goods enough.” She pauses. “Yes, they were from Whole Foods. That’s not the point.”

ME🤣

I’m head-deep, un-fucking-believably in love with this girl, and I would do anything for her.

Swoon

He seesaws his hand. “Menzamenz.” Half and half. “I could use a cigarette like a prostitute could use a stiff dick.” He bites on the toothpick with a half-smile. “But you’re not gonna help me out.”

💀💀

“I’m supposed to go on this trip and help protect Maximoff, and you’re supposed to stay behind and protect Xander.” His lip rises. “Switch places with me.”

😂 yesssss

Do not fall into his lap like a bird without wings, Jane. You’re born from lions.

“You owe me nothing for what I did. If you’d rather not be touched, I’d rather not touch you, Jane.” I love him. It chokes me. It throttles me. I don’t want it but I want it, and that is my tragedy. He adds, “I’m going to match whatever pace you set.” I breathe in. “What if I pull you at a million different speeds? What if I slow and speed and stop and speed and slow? Are you prepared to grow exhausted of me?” My eyes burn. Thatcher doesn’t recoil. “I’m prepared to be with you at every speed, and there’s no way you’ll exhaust me.” I arch my brows. “How can you be so sure?” He is all confidence and man. “Because I don’t tire that easily.” I exhale, face flushed, and I rest my shoulders on the limo door. We hold each other’s gaze for some time, and I try to squash some of my insecurities. I smooth my lips together, and then I say, “You keep me on my toes too, you know. Quite literally.”

I love this man soooo fucking much.

And so they tattooed the word, Cinderella. The cursive lettering and placement is actually quite beautiful. When I first saw the tattoo in bed, I was overwhelmed. Thatcher has always been the one living the rags to riches story. He’s been the one with everything to lose.

SHUT UP 💀💀

“We’re just callin’ it like we see it, mermaid.” She huffs. “Yeah? And his cock is probably ten fucking times bigger than both of yours.” Akara and Banks try not to laugh, and then Banks says, “No way in hell.” She goes still and glances down at their crotches. I can’t blame her. My curiosity has piqued too, but Sulli flushes a deep red, her breath shallow. She turns to me, an SOS signal in her green eyes. I pipe up. “Don’t listen to them, Sulli. They’re just jealous that you’re bringing a hot date to Scotland.” Maximoff crosses his arms, not a fan of Will Rochester. He’s told Sulli to be careful about a hundred times and counting. “Is that it?” Sulli asks Akara and Banks. “You’re both just jealous.” Banks raises his shoulder in a shrug. Akara’s muscles are flexed. “No.” He puts his fingers to his earpiece, as if comms chatter is louder. “I’m your bodyguard and you’re dating someone for the first time. That’s it.” Sulli frowns. “So you won’t care if I bring Will?” It takes him a second to say, “If that’s what you want.” “That’s what I fucking want.”

JUST FUCKING KISS ALREADY

“Suck my dick!” Donnelly shouts at the crowds, then shuts them out with the kick of the door.

💀

“Murder with the Cobalt fam,” Donnelly says through a mouthful of cheesecake. “Those who slay together, stay together.”

Once again, Donnelly being the funniest person in this series

I breathe in through my nose. What the fuck. I’m holding a trophy shaped like a snake. The plaque reads Master of Deception with the year engraved below.

This family is too much and I’m obsessed with them

“Stop sucking his dick—” “It was just the tip,” Eliot laughs.

💀

I see Skylar. He’s cupping my head, his smile rising. “Thatch.”

THIS IS WHY HE DOESNT WANT TO BE CALLED THATCH?! 😭😭😭

“How would you like it if I cracked your ribcage and tore out your heart?” Charlie rips open the last buttons of his white shirt. Bare chest and toned abs in view. “Go ahead.” Eliot unpockets a switchblade, twirls the knife, and stakes it on the wooden table near Ben. “No,” Jane scolds. I tear the knife out of the wood and snap the blade closed with a quick hand. I shove the weapon in my back pocket. “Murder-blocker,” Tom quips. “The worst,” Eliot jokes.

“Donnelly to SFO, I found the space babe.”

I mean, how cute

Tell us your last sexual fantasy Jane horizontal on a kitchen table while I pound my nine-inch dick inside her pussy. I politely answered, sex on a table. I got reamed for not including, with Jane. It feels like I blow my shot to hell with every card flip. I piss off or irritate at least one Cobalt. Jane’s response was more graphic, and I almost smiled when she described me pinning her against the wall. My hands cupping her ass, her legs hooked around my waist, my cock filling her to the brim with each thrust. Her face was bright red by the end of answering, but she did it. Bolder and better than me.

SWEET BABY JESUS

Even if I only have one-tenth of Rose Calloway Cobalt in me, that’s one-tenth of fire and brimstone that I can wield.

“My cock is attached to my body, and trust me when I tell you that every time I’m inside your pussy, it’s never some vapid, emotionless thing.” She opens her mouth, but words are stuck on her tongue. “I…” “My cock is yours, but I’m not a sex toy. I’m better because I love you, and I will fuck you with nothing less than love, Jane.”

Popping a little heart boner

“I bet your first kisses were fucking rad.” Luna bobs her head to the top-hits channel that plays throughout the pub and smiles into her sip of energy drink. “He made me a sandwich afterwards.” “Is that a euphemism?” I wonder. “Nope. A real peanut butter and banana sandwich. Eliot, Tom and I crashed some senior’s party, and I hung out in the kitchen with this guy named Mike…or maybe it was Rogan.” She shrugs, unconcerned. “Never saw him again.”

I love Luna… she is a little weirdo but in the best way

“She’s lovesick; she’s not thinking straight.” “She’s infected.” Luna sticks out her tongue, neon-green piercing in the center. “Should we amputate?”

While I chew, I sweep the pub—and I almost choke. Unholy… Fuck. In the darkened corner of the pub, Luna Hale is dirty-dancing with Donnelly. The kind of sloppy dancing you’d see at closing times from trashed guys and girls. But her and him—they’re completely sober. He cups her ass with two hands, holding her like I’m holding Jane, only she bounces on his lap to the beat of the music, and he sings the blaring song with Luna.

🤣 god, i love them

“You were twenty-two…when I met you.” I hold her gaze and pull off her right boot. “I was.” “I’m seventeen.” My mouth hikes in a larger smile. Clearly, she means she was seventeen back then, but she’s too drunk to catch the slip. “You were,”

He leaned on the car like he was the smoothest sex god worthy of my lust, and then he flashed a flirty smile that made my ovaries shrivel.

Not the shriveling ovaries 💀

Aunt Daisy has taught me to use my voice, even if the world says stay quiet. Aunt Lily has taught me fierce courage, even on days when you feel lesser than. And Rose Calloway Cobalt, my mom—she’s taught me how to walk into a room full of men and never back down.

🥺🖤

“All I can promise is that I will love you and respect you, Jane. And I will never abuse your love or take advantage of what you offer me.”

What a perfect man

Sempre toujours.

🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

“Are you sure you don’t want us to snowshoe?” Donnelly wonders with a frown. “Positive,” Luna nods. “Don’t sacrifice your life for a tampon.” “More like your comfort, you know?” Donnelly shrugs.

He is funny AND caring??? Tini, I see why you’ve laid claim to him

“To have a tea party with a bodyguard, who apparently decided to play Bill Nye the fucking Science Guy with my sister.”

To the tune of the Bill Nye theme song…”PAUL. PAUL PAUL PAUL PAUL” 💀💀💀

“So here’s what’s going to happen.” I wipe the rest of my tears from my cheeks. No return, no going back. “If you don’t promise me here, today, that you’re going to stop using, then I’m moving to New York. I’m going to live in an apartment on the same hall, and every day that you snort coke, I’m going to do the same.” His eyes flash hot. “Jane—” “If you’re going to destroy your life, your body, then I’m going to destroy mine.” I add in French, “Ton destin est mon destin.” Your fate is my fate. Charlie steps forward. “Ton destin est mon destin.” “You’re insane.” He rubs away his tear tracks with the heel of his palm. “You’re both insane.” “We’re Cobalts,” Charlie declares. Beckett extends an arm. “So being a Cobalt is now synonymous with insanity? That’s great.” He plants a look on me. “You’re not taking coke. You freaked out when you ate a pot cookie. I call your bluff.” Charlie reaches into his back pocket. “We thought you’d say that.” He procures a small baggie. Filled with white powder.

Goddamn… the Cobalts are insane 😂

Truth: 9 times out of 10, Uncle Loren will find a way to either pull Lily away or become a part of the PJ party. He might also be the biggest gossip queen of us all, so I don’t even mind the addition.

Fiiiine… they’re kinda cute

“I need you. I need you like the air I breathe, and I want you like ground beneath my feet. I’m not afraid—I’m not afraid, not even a little. You are the man who has respected all of who I am and protected every little piece of me.”

🥺

“Mr. Moretti, will you spend the rest of your life with me?” His mouth breaks apart. He looks stunned. “I’m asking you to marry me,” I clarify. He smiles. Ladies and gentlemen, a full-blown smile that overtakes his face.

I absolutely love that it happened this way🥺

“I recognize that Jane didn’t know how this would go since she’s the first of my children to be in a serious relationship. But know now that there’s a hierarchy.” His lip rose in a grin. “Many people need me, but there are only a handful that I’d drop everything for—and you’re now among them.” He cocked a single brow. “Just so you understand: you rank higher than security, and I would lie for you, if needed.”

Yeah… i am a Connor Cobalt fan💙

Rose Calloway was a surrogate for Daisy. She carried her sister’s child, and almost fifteen years ago, Rose gave birth to Winona Meadows.

Love learning things like this. Rose is an angel

I’m staring at round, blue orbs for eyes. A tiny brown nose. Two perked ears. Long whiskers and dark-striped fur. I’ve been to enough cat shelters to know what I’ve found. I’m staring at a tabby kitten. How could this happen? Out of all times and all days and all gas stations… I look up at the star-blanketed sky. I’m not as religious as others in my family, but I have faith. And call me nuts, but I feel like this kitten is Jane. Sent by someone who knew I’d need her. Come here to tell me that it’s going to be okay. Calm down. Breathe.

Too freaking cute

What happens next is history. My history. Maybe they never explained these dinners because you can’t. I’m twenty-eight, but here—no person is older or younger. Time is frozen, and a soul-bleeding feeling sings and screams—an experience that philosophers and mathematicians would fail to encapsulate. I’d try. But then again, I’d rather carry their secrets to my grave.

He is perfect for Jane and this family

I follow. To stop him. Lungs fucking ablaze. I don’t even reach the curb before Akara tackles me. My chest and knees thud to the hot cement. No, no—fucking no! “Get off!” I scream between gritted teeth, and I thrash against Akara. “Get the fuck off me!” Someone stop my brother. My chin digs into pavement, eyes wide-open. Super-glued to this misery.

Let’s just add this to the 2024 cry count😭

Thatcher takes the old library book out of my hand. The cover of The Outsiders is worn, and his chest rises as he flips to the list of names, eyeing the last one written. Skylar Moretti Thatcher started with less than me. I have possessions strewn throughout my childhood house. His whole life was in a bag, and it went up in flames. I just wanted to preserve something for him. He kisses the top of my head. “Thank you, Jane.” He pinches his eyes for a half a second, then stands and slips The Outsiders on my teenage bookshelf.

….aaaand another one to the 2024 cry count