Page 31 of Unholy

“Good. Because I’d have no problem killing him,” I add. Her eyes widen before she sees the look in mine. She has to know I’d do it. I’d fucking cut his insides out and shove them back down his throat.

“Do you have work to do?” she asks, changing the subject.

“A little. Why?”

“Can I come?” Now I smile.

“You can come anytime, Ash. You don’t need to ask.”

“Will there be other girls there?” I shake my head.

“No. Just you.”

“Okay.” We finish our food and then head over to the warehouse, where I get back to work on the sculptures. Ash sits off to the side on the sofa, watching me so intently, like she has nothing better to do. Her eyes stay glued to everything I’m doing, and I couldn’t fucking be happier than I am right now.

One would think after the surgery that I shouldn’t be doing this, but no one understands the way I need the pain to feel something, anything. I love the feeling, the ache.

Chapter 14

Ash

It’s insane the way that man can work with his hands. The amount of detail he puts into his work. His mom must be really proud of him for all that he’s accomplished.

Me, on the other hand? I haven’t done anything. I didn’t even go to the youth center like I had planned. I’ve been too wrapped up in Tristan, and maybe that’s wrong.

“Will you take me out?” I ask him, catching his attention.

“Where?”

“Wherever you go. I want to see what it’s like being you,” I tell him. I’ve been wondering what it would be like to hang out at the places Tristan does.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re not like me, Ash.”

“And that’s supposed to mean what?” I huff now. I can handle myself with him, so I should be fine with his friends.

“You know what? Never mind. I’ll take you,” he says, getting back to work. I grin because I finally have a win with him. He’s going to take me out and show me what he likes to do with his free time. Not that I would know what I like to do. I haven’t done anything.

I watch as he finishes what he’s working on and then cleans himself up. He comes back out of the bathroom with wet hair and black clothes as per his usual. He walks over, pulls me off the chair, and spins me around, making me laugh before he pulls me into him.

“We’re going to do so many things together,” he tells me.

“Like what?”

“I can’t ruin the surprise for you, Little Nun, but when I get done with you, you’re going to be the Little Unholy.” My heart leaps inside of me a little, and I don’t know if it’s from fear or excitement. Or maybe a little of both.

“Is this wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong,” he says before pulling me by my hand and out of the warehouse.

“Why do you have so many snakes?”

“I have two. A boa named Max and a python named Jones.”

“They’re big,” I tell him as we climb on his bike, and he passes me a helmet.

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