Page 3 of Stitches

And this was my personal hell.

STITCHES

Iwatched as she nibbled along her sandwich, her brilliant, colorful eyes downcast, her ass planted firmly in Church’s lap. He hadn’t let her out of his sight for a fucking minute since she was hand-delivered to Ashes’s bed just over a week ago.

She hadn’t spoken yet. Ashes said she only said one thing to him. A promise.

I blew out a breath. Ashes caught my eye and offered me a sad smile.

Everything had been shit lately.

We’d gone back to the cemetery the following morning to find Sin had been removed from the cross we’d lashed him to.

I’d been so angry when we’d kicked his ass and tied him up. When the morning came, my heart hurt for him. I thought we’d find him half alive. Hell, maybe even dead. I hadn’t wanted him to die. I just wanted him to understand what he’d done to us wasn’t right. I wanted him to know angel had suffered alongside all of us.

Because I knew Sinclair Priest loved her like we did.

We were three now though.

Sin had disappeared to god knew where. I only hoped he was safe, but in misery with thoughts on what his actions did to us all. My feelings were caught someplace between heartache and fury a week later.

Although, if I had to guess where he was, I was certain he was with Asylum.

As for Sirena, I kept my distance from her. Immense guilt flooded me over what had happened. I’d not protected her in the facility the way I’d wanted to. I’d broken with her that day.

I was still trying to sort those broken pieces inside my mind.

I wasn’t myself. The urge to scream until my voice was broken and I was as silent as my angel clawed at me daily.

“You’re not done,” Church said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear as she made to put the sandwich down. “I tell you when you’re done. Eat. You’ve lost a lot of weight.”

Her hands shook as she picked her sandwich back up and bit into it again.

“She’s full,” I muttered. “Don’t push her. She’ll throw up. Her body is used to not getting a lot of food. She needs time.”

Church narrowed his eyes at me as Sirena took another bite and swallowed. He snatched the sandwich out of her hands and threw it before she could take another bite. It smacked some kid in a rabbit mask in his chest before it fell to the ground.

Sirena flinched, fear washing over her pretty face.

“He’s not mad, heaven,” Ashes murmured. “He’s just worried about you.”

She said nothing and ducked her head.

I watched Church sigh. A tremor went through his body. I knew my brother well enough to know he really was concerned about her. It ran deeper than lunch. It ran Everett deep. I had the same fears because I knew exactly what that prick was capable of.

Church reached out and tilted her chin up and dragged her against his body, his lips meeting hers.

I watched as she parted her lips for him and kissed him back, his hand cradling her face.

Ashes turned his attention from them and looked at me.

“How are you today?” he asked in a low voice as Church’s hand moved down to angel’s waist and squeezed.

I swallowed and looked away. I hadn’t kissed her yet. The last time I’d touched her was when I’d hooked pinkies with her the night we’d punished Sin. I hadn’t spoken to her either.

But I loved her. Fuck, I loved her.

I guessed my guilt was eating me alive.

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