Page 84 of Wicked Sins

“Hey,” I manage, barely getting the word out through my tight throat. “Hey, darling, it’s okay.”

“I’m fine,” she says, pushing weakly at me as I try to help her up.

In the distance, a door slams. I look up, squinting through the legs of a bar stool.

My father’s on his way to the pool house, hands in fists at his sides, a snarl on his mouth.

Jesus fucking Christ.

“Candy, get up. Quick. Quick!” But there’s no time for her to get her shit together. I grab her, lift her, and bundle her into the powder room. Her ass thumps onto the closed toilet cover, the impact cutting off her sobs. I grab a towel and press it into her chest. “Not a sound,” I say, putting my finger to my lips.

Her face crumples again, but she folds over and buries it the towel, muffling the sound.

I close the bathroom door, stare at the mess of milky liqueur and glass on the countertop, and my chest closes up.

Can’t see this.

He’ll know.

Can’t seeher.

He’ll know.

I’m already moving before the thoughts have finished tumbling through my mind. A hand on my belt, I yank at the buckle and have it halfway out through the loops by the time I pull open the sliding door.

I keep my gaze down, tugging free my belt and letting it fall to the floor as I slide the door closed behind me. My shoes are next. The last one drops to the floor a second before my father’s shadow falls over me.

“What the hell are you doing?” he says.

I look up, squinting when the sun hits my eyes. “What’s it look like?” I ask, tugging down my pants.

Dad scans me with a sneer before his gaze snaps back to my eyes. “Where is she?”

“Who?”

“Your sister,” he snarls.

I walk past him and stand on the edge of the pool. It’s brisk out, so much so that it takes everything I have to come to terms with the fact that I’m about to jump into an icy pool.

“Haven’t seen her since we got home.” I force myself not to look at him, not to give him the slightest indication that I might be lying, and dive into the pool.

Sure, he could go into the pool house, but he looks like he’s on a mission from God—no time to waste.

When I surface, he’s headed back toward the house. I puff out the breath I’d been holding and draw cool air into my lungs.

Fuck, this water’s freezing.

I swim a few laps, willing my muscles to warm. Willing Candy to stay inside the pool house. Willing my father to give up his search.

For once, things go my way.

I’m shivering when I get out, but at least I can still feel my extremities. I pick up my clothes and head back to the pool house as casually as I can. I pause for a second and glance over my shoulder. I can’t decipher anything out of place—dad could be anywhere inside the—

A car starts up, engine growling like a caged animal.

He’s leaving, but why? Where’s he going?

I push away the thought, shivering. There wasn’t any time to grab a towel, and the air’s become arctic out here. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that he didn’t go inside the pool house, that he didn’t find Candy—

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