Page 33 of Broken

Blood of his blood.

Flesh of his flesh.

Sickness pools in my gut, but instead of making me want to puke, I feel anger.

It vibrates inside me, just as it does in Savio.

I’ve never felt this way before.

In the past, I only wanted to help.

I wanted to get the person I was helping away from their abuser.

This is different.

This is...

I suck in a breath.

Violent.

Temptation poisons wherever it touches.

Clenching my eyes closed, I wait for his next words, dreading them even as I know to brace myself.

“I never meant to?—”

“But you stilldid.” Savio’s ire is real. Just like mine. It seems to choke us, even as it floods us with life. “Do you feel repentance for what you did?”

His sudden about-face has me jolting in surprise.

Me: He’s going to absolve him!!!!!

Diana: That’s his job

Me: I shouldn’t have told you. Are you okay?

Diana: No, of course, I’m not. But, fuck, you can’t keep this stuff to yourself. You’re weaker than you want to admit, Andrea. Let me help you for once

Me: I don’t need help with this

Diana: Don’t lie. You can lie to your parents who love you and think you’re their miracle, but you can’t lie to me. I know what you’re doing there even if you don’t want to admit to it

Me: You have no idea what I want

Diana: You want the priest

Diana: He’s one of your, what do you call us? Charges

“Yes, I do. I truly want redemption. I’m sorry, so sorry.”

“They all say that,” I hiss under my breath, even though neither man can hear me.

Me: Why do men always beg for forgiveness when they haven’t earned it?

Diana: Because the world is run by men and they’re taught that giving the bare minimum is more than enough

How right she is.

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