Page 10 of Sweet Misery

“What did you do to piss him off?” Mass asked, ending his phone call and coming over to us as we placed the food on the kitchen island.

“Told him we were going to fuck his new toy,” Ren said.

I nodded. “He didn’t like that.”

Mass rolled his eyes. “That’s what she’s here for.”

“That and to experiment on new methods of torture.” Ren pulled out his chicken fried rice and his chopsticks. “I wonder if I could sharpen these and use them to fish out eyeballs. What do you think, Roe?”

“Probably.” I tossed him my chopsticks and got a fork. “Have an extra set.”

He grinned and tucked them into his pocket as Mass grabbed some food.

“We good to play with our toy?” I asked, knowing we’d need Mass’s permission before we walked in and fucked her or made her scream. While Ren had promised we wouldn’t touch her, I knew we would because it would get Sever to participate. He wouldn’t be able to handle it and would cave. He’d have her pussy turned out within the week.

“We’ll properly introduce her tomorrow,” he muttered. “If she’s still alive.”

“Sever took her water,” I said, mentioning my suspicions on his disappearance with the water.

Mass paused and looked at me, confused. “He did?”

I nodded.

“He just walked out. Where did you think he was going?” Ren added.

“That’s just… odd.” Mass shook his head. “Fine. My statement stands. If she’s still alive after seeing Sever, then we can play around with her.”

I looked to my twin who winked at me.

God save that poor girl’s soul because we sure as shit wouldn’t.

5

SEVER

Istood outside the door where Arianna was being kept, my heart beating hard. I hadn’t seen her since senior year when she’d attended the grad party. I’d begged her to come with me. Being around her made me feel human. Or what I assumed human felt like. My entire life had been filled with only anger and hatred, but she’d made me feel things I didn’t have words for.

I’d kissed her that night. She was my only friend in the world. She looked so beautiful beneath the moon in her pretty blue dress, her dark hair in a braid down her back, her eyes sparkling as I’d led her away from the party to look at the stars.

Ariana liked to wish on stars, so I’d taken her to see them, hoping maybe I could be part of her wish.

I’d watched her for years, feeling connected to her without even knowing her. When we were paired together for a project our freshman year of high school, I’d made it my mission to try to be friends with her.

It worked, but it took time. I wasn’t great with people. I didn’t know how to act or treat them. Being beaten my entire life leftits marks, both physically and emotionally. We were beaten to remember to not trust. To not love. To feel nothing.

So I did what I was taught until I met her.

The night I kissed her flashed through my mind as I stood outside her door.

“Make a wish,” I said, watching as she looked up at the stars, a smile on her pretty face. A star shot across the sky as if I’d planned its arrival just for this moment with her.

“I wish… for your happiness,” she said, closing her eyes.

My heart stumbled at her soft words. I stared in wonder at her, unsure how god could make such a beautiful creature and allow a monster like me to get so close to perfection.

She opened her eyes and looked at me.

“What do you wish for, Sever?”

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