Page 131 of Stitches

Sin tugged at his shaggy blond hair for a moment before nodding. “Fine. You’re right. She’s your girl. You’ll look after her.” The way he said that made my heart hurt for him. But it was the look of longing on his face that really got me. He stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head and backing away.

“I’ll see you around, Asher.”

“Hey, Sin.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t hate you as much as I used to,” I said, offering him the smallest of smiles.

He let out a soft huff of sad laughter. “Don’t worry about it. I hate myself enough for all of us.”

He left me standing there. I watched him for a moment before I went to Sirena and took her hand.

“What’s wrong with Bryce?” I asked, leading her out of the building and toward our house.

She shrugged and said nothing, per her usual.

“Are you two fighting?”

Again, nothing.

“Heaven, come on. Talk to me. I’m worried about you.”

She pulled me to a stop and took my hand in hers. Quickly, she scrawled words across my palm.

I make him sad.

“How?” I asked.

More words on my palm.

I’m confused.

That only made the knots in my stomach grow. “Do you…like him?”

She nibbled her bottom lip for a moment before writing more words.

It’s complicated. Working through it.

“Sirena, this is big stuff. Did he touch you? Kiss you?”

She shook her head, her eyes wide.

Relief flooded through me. At least there was that. I didn’t like the idea that he had a thing for her though. I knew about their previous relationship, but that ship had sailed. We’d made sure of it.

Or so I thought.

Judging by the sadness on her face, I’d say she was still trying to navigate those waters.

“Promise you’ll talk to me, OK? With the feelings and stress. I don’t want you stressed, heaven. I can be levelheaded and help you through any feelings you are struggling with.” It pained me to say those words, but at the end of all things, her happiness was key. I wasn’t going to give her up to anyone, but I’d at least talk to her and try to give her insight.

Sirena looked past me, and I turned to see Church coming across the courtyard with Stitches at his side. They were headed off by Melanie, who practically fell trying to intercept them.

They stopped, Church looking exceptionally annoyed as she bounced up and down, talking a mile a minute. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but it really didn’t matter because when she reached out to touch Church, he grabbed her hand and gave her a shove back which ended in her slipping in the snow and ice and tumbling to her ass.

Then I could hear her.

“You fucking asshole! Why are you such a dick! I just wanted to see if you were busy tonight!”

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