Page 104 of Bleed for Me

Valentine was seated at a picnic table, his gaze fixated on his phone as he lifted a silver flask to his lips and tilted it back.

“Drinking on the job now?” I called out as I steadily approached him.

Valentine jumped with a startle, spilling some of the alcohol on his shirt in the process. He quickly swiped it away whilehiding his beverage from sight beneath the table. “It’s water,” he lied smoothly, straightening his posture.

I arched an eyebrow. “Then why is the stain on your shirt brown?”

His gaze met mine. “Must be a trick of the light,” he added with a hint of a warning in his tone.

“Are you gaslighting me right now,PastorValentine?”

The muscles in his jaw tightened as he averted his gaze, his cold disinterest only amplifying the empty feeling that had settled within my gut.

“Why aren’t you with the others?” he asked, changing the subject altogether.

I glanced over at the water, watching the small ripples form along the surface from the slight breeze. It was nice out here—a place that would be easy to get lost in. Nothing but nature surrounded us, followed by the soft chirping of birds in the distance.

“I prefer to be alone.” I shrugged. “It was too crowded.” He didn’t need to know about my internalboyproblems. Even thinking it had me wanting to thump myself upside the head.

Valentine sighed, seeming to sense that something was going on in my head. He patted the bench next to him, causing me to furrow my brows in turn. Reluctantly, I crossed the clearing and lowered myself into the seat beside him.

“Here.” He offered me his flask beneath the table, nudging me in the knee with it. “And be quick.”

My lips parted in surprise as I stared down at it as if it were nothing short of foreign to me. Wasn’t he supposed to be upholding the rules? Choosing not to question it, I accepted and quickly unscrewed the cap. My hand shook around the beverage, nervous energy prickling up my spine.

What if someone came outside and caught me? What if Valentine got in trouble for it?

Blowing out a breath, I willed my thoughts to mellow out. The likelihood of that happening was high, but if I was quick, it would be fine—assuming nobody smelled it on my breath.

I brought it to my lips and swallowed a good mouthful, grimacing as it snaked down my throat. The taste was…odd. It was nothing like the beverage Seven had fixed for me at that party. That one had tasted good and had been somewhat sweet with a hint of something strong. This one was purely strong. I hissed through the heat rolling through my mouth and took one last drink before offering it back.

Just as he was twisting the cap back on and stuffing it into the pocket of his sweats, the door to the shed opened and people started spilling out.

Valentine cleared his throat and rose, leaving me at the picnic table alone. He waited patiently for everyone to come out, and once they did, he ushered all of us to stand in a line before him. Blowing out a breath, I moved to obey, taking an empty spot next to Tawnie.

“The first question I need to ask is… can everyone swim?” he asked, glancing between us. When no one objected, he nodded and continued. “As I mentioned before, no one is permitted to wander off. If you can’t swim, stay in the shallow end. If you need sunscreen, I have some in my bag over there.” He motioned toward the tree.

I glanced around. I’d be surprised if anyone needed sunscreen. The trees were tall, casting shadows over the water. There was still a possibility someone may burn, but it wasn’t likely for most. It also depended on how long he intended to keep us out here.

After he was done rambling, everyone broke off into groups. Some started stripping immediately, while others headed for the sunscreen.

“Where’s Angelina?” Tawnie asked, more to herself than to me, as she looked around for her friend.

Ignoring her, I peeled my shirt off, walking over to the picnic table and placing it on the bench. Next, I did the same with my pants after kicking my shoes and socks off. The sun was warm against my skin, and a part of me wanted to just lie on a towel and bathe beneath the hot rays.

I slipped my shoes back on, knowing there would probably be rocks at the bottom of the water.

I’d been to a few natural springs growing up. Alex and I had even taken Daisy on a few occasions. She absolutely loved the water and never wanted to leave once she had a taste of it. My chest tightened painfully at the reminder. I missed her so much it hurt.

“You killed me.”

Those words continued to haunt me, playing on a constant loop within my mind. I knew it wasn’t really her. But I couldn’t help but wonder if that’s what she thought. Had she felt betrayed? Did my mother think I did it on purpose?

I blew out a breath and shook my head, trying to rid myself of the horrid thoughts that had surfaced.

Turning, the breath got knocked from my lungs as I worked to process what I was seeing.

Angelina was wearing a gorgeous purple bikini that fit her body like a glove. Behind her, Archer stood shirtless, his tan skin glistening with sweat. He was rubbing sunscreen all over her back, taking his time like he wanted to cherish the feel of her skin beneath his hands. His fingertips teased the waistband of her bikini bottoms, dipping right beneath them before coming back up again.

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