Page 38 of Wicked Sins

“Tell you what.” Wayne leans closer, eying the empty dining room through slitted eyes. “One last game. Winner takes all.”

“Oh, I…”

What’s wrong with me? There’s booze up there, and that’s why I came down here in the first place, right? Booze makes my brain stop asking all these annoying questions. It blurs out the memories that stream non-stop through my head. It—

It makes you forget important things.

“Sure.” I nod with conviction, and Wayne sends a thousand-megawatt grin my way. Now my stomach is full of fireflies. I barely touch the ground as I follow him up the stairs.

We pass Josiah’s door, and for a moment, I feel this inexplicable tug.

I should have thanked him.

“Chickening out?”

I flinch and hurry after Wayne, forcing myself not to look back.

I don’t want to live in fear. So things don’t always go how they should…that’s life. I know that better than most, but I guess I’d been lulled into a false sense of security ever since Mom and I arrived at Bale Manor.

I should have realized that I’d have to pay for this luxury, for this happiness, for this…family.

Guess I never figured the price would be this high.

Chapter Fourteen

Josiah

The doorbell rings, again. It goes unanswered…again. I toss my battered copy ofThe Scarlet Letterto the bed and push to my feet. Blood sings in my veins as I wait…

Ding dong.

Jesus. Am I the only one in this fucking house with acceptable hearing?

I’m muttering to myself as I stomp downstairs. It’s bad enough I’m forced to endure the ramblings of an 1850’s puritan on a soapbox, but I’d have been done already if I didn’t keep getting interrupted.

First, it was Emma. Granted, I’m the furthest thing from pissed off about her asking me to sit with her while she swims. She loves the water, and there’s honestly nothing that makes me happier than watching her splash around. She’s not allowed to go anywhere near the pool without adult supervision, and even then, she’s not allowed out of the shallow end, but damn that little girl loves to splash around in her neon-green water wings. Sometimes, when I know Dad won’t catch us, I jump in with her and take her to the deep end, keeping a hand on her round belly so she can swim like a grown-up.

Emma’s swimming lesson added an hour to my study time. When I got back to my room, Candy had decided to start throwing up again. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I could hear her through the fucking walls as she retched out her stomach lining.

Thank God for earphones.

Finally, Candy went back to sleep, and I could study in peace.

Until about five minutes ago, when someone started ringing the doorbell like a zealot with a quota to fill.

Ding—

“For fuck’s sake!” I rip open the door.

Marissa Hawthorn’s mouth goes wide, and her raised hand drops to her side. “Hi,” she breathes.

You’d swear I was smiling at her, not scowling. “What?” I snap.

Not even this deters her. She messes with her hair, and then starts adjusting her clothing as if she wishes she wore something more scandalous today. “I…uh…it’s good to see you, Josiah.”

I show her my teeth. There’s no way she could possibly mistake it for a smile, but she grins anyway.

“Can I help you?”

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