Page 32 of Wicked Sins

Sleeping is all.

If I move quietly, I won’t even wake her.

“Who?” I don’t recognize my voice.

Alex appears at my side, and it sounds as if he wants to cry. Perhaps he is crying—I wouldn’t know because I can’t look away from Candy’s slim body there on the bed.

Has she always been that petite?

I feel disproportionately large as I head over to the bed.

Stomp, stomp, stomp.

I’m a giant playing with a toy doll, tucking the sheet in around her.

“Who?” Louder this time. Loud enough to make Candy stir against me.

“Dude, I don’t know. Sean. Eric. Maybe Daniel, I don’t know. Fuck, I tried to stop them.”

“Obviously didn’t try hard enough,” I snap out.

I have her off the bed, wrapped in sheets, cradled to my chest. She’s warm to touch. Hot almost, like she has a fever. Her body is too limp, though. Her hair so shiny.

“Clothes.”

Alex hiccups and I see him moving from the corner of my eye. Searching the room with its devilish red night lamp that soaks everything in blood.

I can’t take her out like this. Everyone will know. And no one caneverknow.

No one.

Ever.

“Get something else,” I say.

“Yeah, okay.” Then he’s gone, leaving me alone with her.

I sit on the edge of the bed, still holding her like a baby. Sheisa baby—she’s too young for any of this shit.

“What the fuck were you doing here?”

Too rough, my voice. It’s not her fault. She didn’t ask for this, didn’t deserve this.

I should have been here. She should have trusted me enough to ask me to come with. To protect her.

You? Really? God, you’re a pretentious cunt. You’ve made it clear from the day you met her how you feel.

Fuck, this could have been you. She wouldn’t have been surprised.That’show much you care.

But I do care.

I’m an idiot, but I do care.

“I’m so sorry,” I murmur, moving aside a section of her silky hair. Her eyelids flutter a little at my touch, and then slowly open. She watches me for the longest time, but her gaze seems unfocused as if she’s looking through me.

“I’m so fucking sorry, darling.”

I start rocking her. Her hands slither out from the sheet and grab hold of my hoody in two pale fists. Pale, but for a few streaks of blood.

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