Page 157 of Sinful

“Asher, please. Just leave me.”

I let out a sigh of frustration. I didn’t want to knock his ass out and drag him home, but I definitely would if it came down to it.

“Beg me,” Stitches broke in.

Sin looked up at him. “What?”

“Beg me to forgive you,” Stitches said. “I want to hear you say all the shit in your head to me. Beg me.”

Sin was quiet for a moment before he spoke, his voice soft.

“I’m sorry, Malachi. You’re one of my best friends in the entire world. You trusted me, and I broke that trust by letting my fear take over. I’m so fucking sorry. I don’t have enough breath in my-my lungs to tell you how sorry I am and always will be for what I did and what happened to you and Sirena. I-I don’t deserve to live. To be your friend. To be anything more than dust. But I swear to you, if I can come home, I’ll prove I’m worth it. That I’m loyal and love you all so damn much. You’re my family.” Tears rolled down his cheeks before freezing in place. “I want that again. I-I’m begging you to please forgive me. Give me another chance. Let me s-show you how much this means to me. How much you all mean to me. Let me prove what I’m willing to do to-to be a family again. You’re all I have in this world. You’re all I fucking have. I’m so goddamn sorry. Please, Malachi. Please. Forgive me. I-I’m begging on my knees for you to let me come home. I’ll do anything you ask of me. If death is your wish for me, then so be it. Just please. . . know how deeply I ache for my sins. I would take your place in an instant and go through that hell so it didn’t happen to you. Fuck, Malachi. I’m sorry. Goddamnit it! I’m sorry.” He let out a sob, his head bowed, his body shaking.

I swallowed the lump in my throat at his words, seriously hoping Stitches gave him the green light he desperately needed.

I glanced to Church to see him watching the scene, his face emotionless.

Stitches went to his knees in front of him and cradled his face in his hands.

“You fucked everything up, Sinclair,” he said fiercely. “Everything.Each night, when I sleep, I relive the nightmare of what happened. Of the forced. . . the way they forced themselves inside my body.” Stitches’s voice cracked. “But I don’t know want to lose you either. I’m angry at you for what you did. It may take me a long time to get over it. Not for me, but for what Sirena went through too. Because she suffers even now. She suffers because even going through it, she loved you. Your actions hurt and confused her. She trusted you too.”

“I know,” Sin choked out. “I know.”

“If you ever fucking think of hurting her again, I’ll kill you myself.”

Sin nodded, wordless.

“I forgive you.Brother.” Stitches reached out and hugged Sin to him, making Sin weep softly, his body shaking from his tears.

They stayed that way for a long time, holding one another. Finally, Stitches got to his feet and looked to Church.

“I’ve forgiven him,” he said evenly. “My part is done.”

Church nodded and looked to me.

I went and stood in front of Sin, who stared up at me, half the tears on his face a frozen mess.

“You hurt all of us. You know you did. I’ve seen the way you’ve changed in the last few weeks. You’re not the guy I knew. I hate that. I really do. I miss that grumpy fucker.” I went to my knees in front of him. “I forgave you long ago. I know what it’s like to hurt inside and be confused about it. I get it. I know how much you love Sirena and how much she loves you. I don’t want to take that from either of you. I want you to come home to us. OK?”

He nodded, more tears flowing.

I leaned in and kissed his forehead before getting to my feet and giving Church a pointed look.

He said nothing as he stepped around me and faced Sin.

“Beg,” he said softly.

“Please, Dante. Please, let me come home to my family. I beg you to give me a second chance. Please. I’m sorry for disappointing you. All of you guys. For all my sins. My mental shit. My-my mistakes. The watchers are my family, and you mean the world to me. I was so afraid of losing you that I didn’t stop to think that my actions would be the catalyst for my fears. I-I don’t know how to beg harder. What would you have me do?” Sin looked up at him, a plea to his voice. “I’ll do it. Anything you want.”

Church pulled his knife free from his boot and twirled it along his fingers.

“Make a blood vow to me,” Church said.

“Yes,” Sin agreed without hesitating.

I looked to Stitches, knowing exactly what a blood vow meant in our world. If you broke it, you died. There were no do-overs. No second, third, or fourth chances. One fuck up, and that was it. Game over.

Church signed his name in blood whenever he did a transaction with his father. Hell, whenever he did any meaningful transaction. It was just who he was.

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