Page 15 of Ashes

He cocked his head at me, his dark hair falling across his forehead. “I suppose I am.”

“You just fucking said you don’t want to hurt anyone—”

“I don’t. That’s why I’m telling you to get her for me. Then no one has to be hurt. You can go back to fucking Melanie and whoever else it is you four fuck.” He looked sharply to his left, his eyes traveling up and down quickly before he laughed like someone I couldn’t see was telling him a joke.

I stared at the empty space, my guts aching.

Fuck, I’d delivered siren into the hands of a fucking lunatic.

I hadn’t realized just how unhinged he really was. He was fan-fucking-tastic at hiding his crazy and blending in like the rest of the world. It only made him more dangerous.

“Yes.” He nodded thoughtfully before turning back to me. “I can take my forever girl away with us, or I can spill your ugly secret and take the watchers from you. The choice is yours. Choose wisely. I don’t have a lot of patience. Not now that I’ve made her scream for me. We really bonded in the darkness.”

“You drove her to insanity,” I said with a snarl.

“Did I?” He cocked his head at me again. “Or was it you? I would’ve never been in that box with her if you hadn’t put her there.” He tapped his temple, a sinister smile on his lips. “Think about that for a minute.”

I ground my teeth so hard I thought I’d break them.

“What will you do with her if Church and the guys let her go?”

“Love her,” he said softly, his demeanor completely changing from an insane asshole to one who looked like he really meant his words. “Forever. She’s our Rinny. We’ll take care of her.”

I didn’t exactly know what he meant when he saidtake care of her, but I did know he had my ass between a rock and a hard spot.

“Do you swear you won’t hurt her?” I asked, the words tumbling out of my mouth with so much worry I couldn’t stop them.

He blinked at me, a slow smile forming on his lips. “You love her too.”

“I want to know that you won’t hurt her.” I swallowed thickly as we stared one another down.

“I won’t hurt her. Swear it. I’m going to save her.”

I studied him. He was a fucking enigma. All I wanted to do was punch his already busted up face in, but instead, I nodded. I needed him to keep my secret. I was on the brink of losing everything.

“I’ll do it.” I hated the words. I hated them so much.

I just kept digging a deeper fucking hole, but this was me. It was who I was. I sabotaged everything in my life and always would.

Because who could ever love a piece of shit like me?

Not Sirena Lawrence, the girl I’d broken, that was for sure.

* * *

I knocked lightlyon the door with siren’s name on it. It cracked open a moment later, and a blue eye peered out at me before the door was pulled open.

“Who the hell are you?” the girl demanded.

Church was on his feet in an instant, shoving the girl aside like she was nothing, and hauling the door open so I could enter.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he demanded, glaring at me.

“I…just out,” I muttered. I noted Ashes and Stitches sitting on either side of siren’s bed.

“Fucking asshole. I texted you to get over here.” Church stepped aside for me.

“And I’m fucking here.” I looked at the girl who was glaring at me. She looked like siren, only mean.

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