Page 15 of Sinful

When I reached the gates, I stood there, my hands stuffed in my jacket pockets, and my head ducked low. The wind was beginning to blow. The snow, which had already accumulated on the ground, was whipping across the main paved path as it wound its way through campus. Small drifts were forming.

The only good thing about this upcoming weather was that classes were typically canceled.

Didn’t need any psychos getting frozen to death on their way to their classes. That would just be fewer bodies for Sully and Everett to play with.

On the other hand, knowing what I knew about Everett, he’d probably love it just as much.

I breathed out and closed my eyes, an ugly image in my head of me on my knees and crying softly for my mother as someone’s warm body brushed against mine from behind. Warm lips. Tongue. The heat on my cock.

I swallowed hard, biting back the scream threatening to erupt from my mouth. More than anything, I wanted to smash these ugly memories into a million pieces so I couldn’t discern what they even were anymore.

But I couldn’t so far. I’d been trying. God help me. So much.

I didn’t want to be weak. I didn’t want to be some sick fuck’s plaything.

It’s what I’d been. It’s what I was.

I wiped hastily at a tear that slipped down my cheek, not wanting it to freeze to my face.

I’d been trying so hard to move past it all. Being strong right now for my angel was what mattered.

“Hey,” Sin called out, jolting me from my painful thoughts which had wandered back to my closet and the rope I’d put beneath my bed.

“Hey.” I stared as he walked toward me with Asylum, who was too busy looking down at his phone to say anything to me. Seeing the pair together was still odd to me. They seemed inseparable these days, though. I was glad Sin had someone to talk to. If they talked. I assumed Asylum probably just drove him nuts like he did to us.

They stopped in front of me. Sin’s hair was shorter. I’d noticed it before. It looked good on him. All shaggy. He was also thinner, with dark circles rimming his gray eyes.

A surge of sorrow swept through me. The pang of missing him hit me full force as we locked eyes. I shoved that feeling away too.

“How’s Siren?” he asked, his voice low.

“I think better. She isn’t locked inside her head like she was. . . before.”

He visibly swallowed and looked away from me as he shuffled the snow at his feet.

“I’m glad,” he finally said, looking back at me. “I-I worry.”

“I know.” I gave him a sad smile. It was good to know he was acknowledging those feelings. While Church was still pissed, I knew Sin might be able to redeem himself. Hopefully. I prayed he did because I missed his grouchy ass. Life just wasn’t the same without him. It was hard putting the past where it belonged. It was a task I’d been trying to work on.

“Malachi.Wolfy.” Asylum grinned at me. “Dinner?”

“Yeah, we’re almost out of food.”

“What? Why?” The concern in Sin’s voice had me glancing over at him.

I shrugged. “I guess we’ve just been busy with everything lately.”

Sin frowned at me. “You guys need to be stocked up. You can’t rely on this shithole.”

“Don’t you?” I looked to Asylum, who winked at me.

“I always have a little something tucked away for when times get tough,” he said.

I didn’t inquire further because my delivery arrived. Apparently, they were getting food too. I took our order and turned away from the pair, ready to get back inside and see Sirena.

“Stitches,” Sin called out to me.

“Yeah?” I stopped and turned to him.

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