Page 134 of Wicked Sins

“I know just the place.”

Candy licks her lips. On purpose? Maybe, because I’m sure by now she knows I can’t resist. I duck my head. Our mouths meet in a soft, warm kiss that leeches all the tension from my body.

If there’d been time, I would have undressed her again, but I’d rather not be here when Dad comes back. I can’t handle another confrontation—not after Candy just agreed to fuck off out of this place with me.

I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. Except…I already know what’s under the tree.

Candy doesn’t.

But I know she’s gonna love it.

Just me, and her, and—

There’s a dull thump inches from my face.

Candy slips from my arms.

Confusion forces open my eyes. I blink like someone waking from a deep sleep as Candy crumples to the floor, revealing my father standing behind her. He’s holding a half-full bottle of tequila in one hand.

For some reason, I fixate on the bottle of booze. When it slips from his hand and shatters on the floor, spraying him, me, Candy with tequila, my head turns to follow.

I immediately realize my mistake. But by then, it’s too late.

He’s already beside me.

His arm around my throat.

Squeezing.

Stars flicker at the edge of my darkening vision.

Choking me out.

Something warm touches my foot. My eyes move, and get stuck on the puddle of blood inching between my toes.

Candy’s warm, sticky blood is the last thing I see.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Candy

The flames dance for me. Hypnotize me. Mock me. They’re so free, so spirited. Not like me. Nothing like me at all.

Everything that moves blurs.

Everything except those flames. Strange, that. Perhaps it’s because they don’t move like regular solid objects. Flames…they…

The flames dance for me.

I would rock to and fro if my body wasn’t a lame piece of shit. My chin is on my chest, but my head’s too heavy for me to lift.

Heavy, lame, warm, numb.

Oh, sweet salvation.

This is the oblivion I was craving when I played Truth and Dare with Joah in the pool house. Except, I was never going to find it. My drink lacked an essential ingredient—one Mr. Bale always made sure to include.

Wayne’s gone and put me in checkmate again, hasn’t he?

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