Page 95 of Buried Beneath Sin

Starr Girl doesn’t fall under the umbrella of the people I trust. Though, for a second there, I thoughtjust maybeshe could. She seemed like one of the better people in this world. Sweet, quiet, and keen to participate in our darker games. I was wrong. She’s just like everyone else.

My bitterness is swift again as it rises up. Anger chases it. Rather than ebb away, both emotions linger until my body is trembling.

On top of everything, it’s Monday at nine o’clock. Who the fuck likes getting up and working at this time? The only reason I forced myself out of bed was because Thatcher said the truck full of my stuff was on its way.

Sagan signs the paperwork and picks up three different boxes from the large pile as the delivery driver closes the back of his truck. I open the door for him and watch as he lugs in my stuff. Sagan doesn’t go far. He carefully places the boxes on the floor and straightens. Still annoyed, I circle the items, staring at each box anxiously, looking for signs of damage as if Sagan hadn’t just done the same thing.

“What? No, jumping around?” Sagan asks. I can feel his eyes on me as I come to a stop, but I don’t meet his gaze.

“I’ll be excited when this stuff is where it's supposed to go.”

Sagan sighs. The sound is barely audible and doesn’t hold much emotion, but I’m not stupid. My eyes snap up to his face immediately. Though he’s not staring at me, I know Sagan. If I don’t follow the rules, I’ll have another punishment under my belt. Two in one week is a bad slip up. I suck my teeth in annoyance, then I cross my arms over my chest.

“I’m still pissed about Starr Girl peeping on me,” I snap, telling Sagan what he wants to know. “That’s why I’m not excited.”

Sagan nods before he kneels down and pulls out a boxcutter from his back pocket.

“You know what you can do to fix the situation,” he points out in his casual way, his voice inflection-less.

Yes, I can punish Beatrix Starr. I get that. But it’s easier said than done. I’ve never had to do this before. The twins love shelling them out whenever they can. But I’ve never been in a position—a position of power—to do such a thing. I want to make this worthwhile. A lesson that will stick. Starr Girl crossed a line, one I want her to never cross again. This punishment has to be good.

I stomp loudly as I continue to circle my goodies while my anger and bitterness rush forward once more.

Through gritted teeth I growl, “I wish I could just kill her.”

From the floor on his knees, Sagan shoots me a look that causes my cock to twitch in response. God damn he’s so fucking intense. His expression remains void, but those eyes… They speak louder than my vocal cords could ever reach. His dark hair falls into his face as he shakes his head and releases me from his intense gaze.

I come to a stop. My hands come to my hips as I tap my foot. “Glaring at me won’t get me to shut up.”

“It never has before, why would it now?” Sagan uses his boxcutter to slice open the longer box. “I don’t have to remind you where I stand when it comes to killing my pet, do I?”

“I’mnotgoing to do it, ok? But, like, damn it, this is hard.”

Sagan opens the box in front of him, and for a second, I’m too distracted by the beautiful items inside to give a fuck about Starr Girl.

“Oh my god, they’re perfect!” The box is full of tiles designed to look like medium brown wooden planks. Maybe this is what I needed, retail therapy. My smile stretches across my face as my vision board comes to life. The lack of enthusiasm from this Hunt twin doesn’t quell mine. ThisisSagan ecstatic. I nearly push him out of the way to examine each piece myself as he continues opening the boxes.

“That’s the wallpaper.” I grab his shoulders and bounce up and down as he cuts the tape away. “No, wait, you have to be extra careful!” This time I do knock Sagan out of the way, using my hip. “You could cut it if you’re not careful.”

“Who’s putting this up?” Sagan asks, lifting a roll and eyeing it.

“You, obviously.”

I snatch the roll and place it up against the ugly gray color on the walls of the foyer of Bright Starr. The light creamy color with a simple, white floral design is clean and sophisticated for the space. This with the new floors? It’ll be gorgeous.

Sagan’s mouth presses together in a tight line before he looks back at the tile. “And I suppose you think I’ll be laying those, too?”

I scoff and answer as if it’s obvious, “Ah, yeah. Who else?”

Sagan rolls back onto his heels. “I’ll get started on this tomorrow. In the meantime, figure out your shit, Knox. We all need to be on the same page.”

“I know!” I growl in frustration. My bubble of excitement pops, just like that. “If only it could be tit for tat, you know? If I could put her in a vulnerable?—”

The idea comes to me so swiftly that I’m sure it’s been there, just waiting to pop out at the opportune time. I gasp. Sagan doesn’t look up at me as I take a few steps away.

“I figured it out! I’ll be back later, I’ve got work to do.”

“Don’t kill her, Knox,” Sagan warns as I hurry toward the front door.

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