Page 44 of We Are All Sinners

The contents of the pretty black boxes are to die for.

They will all get what’s coming to them. Karma is a fucking bitch when she gets pissed.

I smile as I set the alarm and wait for Jinx to run out before I shut and lock the heavy door.

Jinx showed up around one this afternoon. I still have no idea how he gets into the shop. I lock the back door after I come in every day, but he always gets in somehow.

I check my phone and see I missed a call from Em. I text her I’m on my way home and put my earbuds in. Clicking on my YouTube Music app, I start Lilys playlist for her next book, preparing myself for when she rips my heart out and stomps on it.

“Kiss It Better,” by He Is We fills the silence in my head. I listen intently to the words and can’t help the tears that come. I know that even though Brix would never go to jail for killing my murderer, he would wind up still being in a cell of his own making, and he would be miserable. He would become the Saint that he always swore he wouldn’t be.

I need to figure out who the person shooting the bullet that ends my life is. If I kill them first, they won’t get the chance to hurt either of us.

The vibration of my phone in my hand tells me I have a new text.

Emily Beaumont: Can you stop by the grocery store on your way and pick up some whipped cream? Noah needs it for his dessert and the one I bought the other day for Brixon’s dinner is gone.

I laugh, knowing where it went.

Me: Of course! I’ll be there soon!

I put my phone back in my back pocket and continue listening to what I already know will be my new favorite playlist. I can’t help but smile when the music changes over to a Taylor Swift’s song, “Everything Has Changed.”

I move a little quicker, trying to hurry as I bounce to the beat of the song into the grocery store, only picking up or touching the one thing I came in for.

Luckily, their refrigerated dairy section is close to the front. I grab two cans and speed walk to check out.

The young cashier rings me up quickly telling me the total.

I try to hand him exact change without touching him, but he cups my hand with his, and flips it over into his other hand, making sure he doesn’t drop the change.

I see him and a young girl by the river kissing. I feel all the emotions of young love. The butterflies in my stomach at the feeling of a first kiss, my heart fluttering in my chest, feeling like it could pop out at any moment. The heat swirling its way from my stomach to my core makes my breath hitch.

I’m pulled back into the now as he removes his hand from mine.

“Have a nice rest of your day ma’am.” He blushes a bit and smiles wide, holding out my bag of whipped cream.

My smile widens as I put the change in my purse and take the bag with a nod, embarrassed that I intruded on something so personal. It’s not like I can control what I get to see.

I get good images sometimes too. Not everything about my gift has to suck all the time.

I hurry down the sidewalk, getting more excited to see Brix again. I go up to their porch with Jinx still on my heels. He always just waits for me outside of the stores I go into when he follows me.

My gran told me once that familiars are usually our ancestors reborn as an act of service to make up for their wrong doings.

I wonder who he could be, which is a cruel game I like to play with myself where I never win.

I stand there for a minute, not sure if I should just go in, or if I should ring the doorbell.

Would I want Brix to just walk in my house at any time?

Before I can make up my mind, the door opens and Brixon is on me in a flash, cupping my face, and kissing me like his life depends on it.

I breath him in, getting lost in his scent of ocean, with hints of musk, and bergamot. The feel of him on my mouth, holding the back of my neck, keeping me in place.

His body relaxes before he backs away slightly. Having to swallow my moan, he breaks the kiss, but not his grip around me keeping me close.

“I missed you.” He says as he leans his forehead to mine while we both come back to reality.

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