Page 14 of Wicked Sins

I’d get into a lot of shit for that.

“Puh-lease, Candy.”

“God,” I groan, flopping onto my back with ill grace. “Can I just sleep for like one hour?”

“Please, Can—”

“Yeah, all right!” I’m up a second later, cheeks hot and chest tight. I scan the little girl with narrowed eyes. “You’re not even wearing your swim stuff.” I point. “Go. Mush!”

She giggles at that and hurries from my room, her pigtails flying out behind her.

This blows. I didn’t sign up to be a babysitter. I don’t evenlikekids.

I rip free my bun and loosen out my hair as I kick off my shoes and head into my walk-in closet to change into something comfier than my school clothes.

I’d just slipped a hoody over my head when I hear the unmistakable sound of a splash.

“You’re shitting me!”

I race to my window and stare into the backyard. “Emma!” I yell, but she doesn’t react. Instead, she’s standing on the first step—no water wings!—and attempting to put on her goggles.

“Shit!”

I race downstairs, my bare feet thumping on the steps. Emma does an in-elegant belly flop into the water as I reach the paved pool area.

“Hey!” I yell out, coming right up to the edge of the pool. “You’re supposed to wait for me!”

But Emma doesn’t respond, because Emma’s splashing the water like she’s fighting it. And I guess, seeing as she’s slowly starting to sink, that’s a very accurate description

“Emma!” I pace one way, then the other, willing the little girl to swim to the edge.

Except, I forget—she can’tactuallyswim. Especially without her water wings.

“Emma!”

Do I have to jump in? Can she really not even make it to the side? Or am I supposed to leave her to try and get here by herself? Crap, I have no idea what I’m supposed to—

Something knocks into me from behind. I flail, barely managing to keep from falling face-first into the pool.

Josiah hits the water with barely a splash. A second later, he reappears right beside Emma.

It all happens so fast that I’m still reeling from his shoulder knocking into me when he drags his sister out of the pool with his hands under her arms.

She plonks onto her bottom, coughing and choking like she nearly drowned, and promptly bursts into tears.

When Josiah looks up at me, there’s murderous rage in his eyes. “The fuck?” he bellows.

Emma starts howling.

“I didn’t say she could go in!” I point at the choppy water, my heart beating double time when Josiah storms up to me.

“She could have drowned!”

“I didn’t—”

“Exactly,” he spits out, swiping a hand over his forehead and smoothing back his hair. “You didn’t do anything. Ever think that might have been an option? Or were you just going to watch her drown?”

My mouth falls open. “I would never—”

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