Page 23 of Siccitas

She looks so goddamn heartbroken.

I sigh as I push myself away from the wall and reach down for her hand. If she wants to go home, then I guess I’ll have to take her there.

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“Hi, Momma!”

I gasp as I turn my face upward.

I can hear Darby’s voice at the opening of the oubliette, which means he brought her out here and told her where I am.

I always wondered if he could be any crueler than when I was in his home—in his bed playing wife—and I don’t know why it shocks me to find out that the answer was ‘yes.’

I hold a bruised hand up to shield my already sensitive eyes from the sunlight. I can make out their outline. He’s holding her in his arms, a leg hooked around his side as she peers down into the darkness at me.

She doesn’t understand why I’m down here, and I hope she never finds out for herself.

That would mean that he tried to make her into his wife too—and failed, because this is where all of his failures seem to go.

Down into the darkest pit of despair, with seemingly no way out.

What he doesn’t know is that by taunting me with her presence, he’s given me the strength he’s long since taken from me.

Chapter Seventeen

We walk in silencetowards the house.

Thathouse.

Hishouse.

It isn’t a home, it’s never been home.

It was the place where he fucked me, impregnated me, and then fucked and impregnated my child.

Darby.

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