Page 33 of Ashes

I glared at her. She definitely wasn’t like siren.

“I don’t give a shit what he’s feeling for himself. If he wants my sister, he better fucking put her before himself or I won’t let him within a mile of her. So make sure that message gets delivered. I don’t need her to have a broken heart on top of the shit she’s already dealing with. Got it, shrimp dick?”

“The fuck? Shrimp dick?” I snarled at her. “I don’t have a fucking shrimp dick. I can prove it if you’d like.”

She raised her brows at me. “By all means, prove it.”

I scowled at her as Ashes let out a soft chuckle.

“Fuck that. Fuck you too.”

“Unlikely to happen with a shrimp dick.”

This bitch…

“Easy, man. She’s just looking out for our girl. I’ll make sure Stitches gets the message,” Ashes said.

“Thank you.” She shot me a sour look.

“Come on, Sin. Let’s see Sirena.” Ashes slipped past Cady.

I didn’t follow. I stayed in the hallway, but so did Cady. She watched Ashes sit on Sirena’s opposite side since Church was now sitting in the chair by her bed. She turned to me, her gaze raking over me.

“Why don’t you go say hi,Sinful?”

“Fuck off,” I muttered, tearing my focus away from siren and my friends.

“I know you had something to do with Rina being this way. Once I figure it out, I’ll bring you down.”

“What makes you think I did something?” I asked thickly.

“Because no one named Sin is without it. And you looked guilty as hell running from her room when she started screamingSinful.”

I breathed out and glanced away from her to the guys gathered around siren’s bed. Ashes kissed the back of her hand while Church brushed her hair away from her face. I knew if Stitches was here, he’d be right next to her too.

“She’s too good for us,” I finally said. “I don’t want her. She’ll only wind up ruined if she’s near us too long. Everyone does. And then we’ll be destroyed. It’s an ugly, vicious cycle I don’t care to repeat. Stitches tried to end his life tonight because the thought of not being with her was tearing him apart. The worry that she’d slipped away forever was eating him alive. I don’t want that for any of us, and I don’t want that for her. So maybe I amsinful, but it’s only because I give a damn.”

Cady studied me for a moment as we locked eyes.

“I think you’re right. I think she’d be better off without you. But I won’t ever stop her from loving who she loves. If it’s you, so be it, but if it is—even all of you—then you better fucking be worth it. She’s been through hell and back. The last thing she needs is another monster holding her down.”

“It won’t be a problem for much longer. We’re going to be stepping away from her soon so she can heal.”

“Good.”

I focused back on the guys as they doted on her.

“Will you tell her goodbye?” Cady asked.

I shook my head, my voice thick and laced with my pain, “I already did.”

And with those words, I walked away.

ASHES

When I got out of classes, I rushed over to the medical ward so I could spend every possible minute with my heaven while I could. I knew our time with her would be over soon … until Seth gave her back.

I sat next to Sirena’s wheelchair and laced my fingers with hers. They’d gotten her out of bed today. She wouldn’t walk, so the nurse and orderlies had lifted her and sat her in a wheelchair facing the wall.

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