Page 16 of Sinful

He gave me a sad smile. “Can-will you tell the guys. . .”

“What?” I prompted, shivering.

“Nothing. Maybe I can tell them sometime.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” I gave him a smile which he returned, hope in his gray eyes.

“Always a pleasure, Malachi,” Asylum said, opening their breadsticks and taking a bite.

I rolled my eyes at him. “See you guys.”

I began my trek and looked over my shoulder to see they were headed into the woods with their food.

I frowned, wondering what the hell they were up to.

Making it a point to mention it to the guys, I picked up my pace and went home, eager to see my family.

What was left of it anyway.

SIN

“Why are we out here?” I asked while we made our way through the thick, snowy forest. My concern over the guys not having themselves stocked for the winter was eating at me. And Stitches. Fuck, he looked so sad. When Stitches was sad, bad shit happened. The last thing I wanted was for him to take another nosedive. The fact I wasn’t there to stop him from it made me sick to my stomach. I could only hope Ashes and Church would be there for him. Knowing Sirena was a determining factor in all of this and was safely tucked away with the guys brought me a little hope that Stitches could hold his shit together. If not for himself, then for her.

“Why not? You love staring at the same four walls of that shithole we call home?” Asylum cast me a quick look.

“Beats being cold.”

“You won’t be cold. We have hot sandwiches to eat.”

“Real fucking picnic,” I muttered, clutching my bag of food tighter. I grunted as a bunch of snow went into my boot. Asylum and his weird-as-shit plans.

We walked in silence for what felt like forever before we took to a large hill. I watched as he practically slid down it in his long, black jacket, his hood filling with snow on the way down.

“Come on, Sinclair. The water’s fine,” he shouted up to me.

For fuck’s sake.

I followed him down the hill, getting even more snow down my boots. I landed with a grumble at the bottom, dropping my baggie of food. Asylum was quick to scoop it up and hand it back to me.

“What the fuck are we doing, psycho?” I asked.

“This.” He nodded for me to follow him along the hill. A large pile of brush and pine limbs stood in front of us and against the large mound. I watched as he continued forward before disappearing behind them.

Sighing, I followed him and was surprised to find the opening to a small cave. I ducked low and was able to still walk inside. The small hall opened up to a large chamber.

“What the hell is this?” I asked, spinning in a circle as he went around and lit several lanterns.

“I call it the bear den,” he said, grinning at me before moving to a small propane heater and lighting it. “It’s our home away from home.”

I took in the furnishings he had in here. An old couch and a few old overstuffed chairs. A bed, complete with blankets. A small table. Random barrels of who knew what. Wood for a fire for when his fuel ran out.

“How long have you had this?” I asked, going to the chair he gestured for me to sit in. I flopped down on it, grateful for the heat the heater was putting off.

He shrugged. “Oh, since I arrived.”

“I’m surprised Church doesn’t know it’s here.”

“It doesn’t run along his normal hunting trails. It’s why I chose it.” He bit into his sandwich and took a seat on the old couch. “It’s pretty hidden. No one has been here. Ever. It’s how I like it.”

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