Page 109 of Ashes

Ashes chuckled. “Either way, both are near my first class. I’ll walk you.”

She smiled at him. “Cool. I’ll go grab my bag.”

She sauntered into the house, leaving me alone with Ashes.

“I know she’s a lot to handle, but just. . . be cool, OK? For Sirena?”

I let out a sigh. “Fine. Whatever.”

He gave me a nod and clapped me on the back as we went inside.

I caught Cadence’s gaze when I came back in. She winked at me, making me want to launch myself across the room and pummel her tiny ass.

Instead, I opted to give her the finger.

She acted like she caught it in mid-air and then gave me one right back.

Fuck, what a nightmare.

STITCHES

Ididn’t know how much time had passed. It had to have been a few days at least since I’d seen Church and the guys outside my door. In those hazy days, I’d been shot up with drugs again, had hallucinated that I’d gotten on my knees and begged for freedom, and I was really fucking certain I’d been sucked off.

But each time I questioned things, I was reassured I was just hallucinating. Again. More delusions. More drugs. More. . .crazy.

It didn’t matter though. The memories or whatever the fuck was happening were so fucking cloudy in my mind that there was no way in hell to tell what was real and what wasn’t. I wasn’t even sure if I’d really spent a day with my angel or not. If I’d really eaten her sweet pussy like a slice of juicy watermelon while she’d came on my tongue.

Nothing was real, and yet it all was.

It was fucked-up. I was fucked-up. This life was fucked-up.

I wanted out. Still. I wanted out.

I’d definitely hacked away at my face though. I knew I had. I didn’t know why though. I only remembered the pain. It was still healing. I didn’t like to touch it. It was tender, and I had no idea the extent of the damage. Sully assured me it wasn’t terrible.

I didn’t believe him because fuck him. Truly. He was the root of evil as far as I was concerned.

I paced the short length of my room, counting the steps.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Turn. One. Two. Three. Four. . .

Breathe.

Angel.

Help me, Mama.

Fuck. I feel nuts.

Church, man. Come on. Ashes. Burn this motherfucker down. Sin. . . prick. I’m still pissed, but I miss you.

When the doorknob jiggled, I snapped my head up. My door swung open. I stopped pacing and stared at Sully as he came into the room with two wards. And my father. Well, Church’s father. My adoptive father.

Everett. Wicked fucker.

I licked my lips, telling myself to keep my shit in check. Any slip-up and Everett would have my ass down in his butcher shop, hacking away at vital organs some poor bastard out in Ohio was missing.

I hated the family business, but I was sure Dante hated it even more than I did. I knew Everett was hellbent on forcing Dante to join and help with all the fucked-up shit he had his hands in.

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