Page 114 of Sin With Me

I tried to take a deeper breath, but I couldn’t. They’d brainwashed him so thoroughly, it seemed his values were different thanmine.

“She thought you were dead. She’s loved you and mourned you her entire life. Ouch.” I winced, bringing my hand to my left eye, or whatever was left of it. All I could feel was a pulsingpain.

Setting me gently on top of a large rock, he reached into his pocket and passed me a tissue. “Hold that by youreye.”

“Thank you. I’m not sure I have much longer.”

“Just holdthat.”

“I’ve known you for three years now, and you don’t strike me as a Cortez.”

I looked up to the night sky and saw a falling star. I wished for Cameron not to find me dead. I wished to have enough strength to at least say goodbye. My head was burning up, and I felt my first feverish chill.

“You think you know people, but you don’t know people. I’ve seen enough in my life to know that nobody can be trusted.”

“Of course you have, just like I have. You’re a detective. But as a detective, you should also know that you can’t ever lose hope. We get rid of the badguys.”

I recalled Cameron’s words and wondered where he was. Was he worried about me? Was he searching forme?

“People are cruel,” he replied. “You’ve already felt how cruel they can be, and I’m sure you’ll feel it again tonight.”

My stomach turned from hunger, nerves, and exhaustion. It made me feel queasy.

“People aren’t perfect. They’re people. They’re a compilation of a little bit of everything in different parts: compassion, love, hate, fear, and experiences. You’re not a Cortez.”

“Are you two coming?” Aaron called out from the front.

“You should shut up now,” he said quietly and lifted me back into hisarms.

I didn’t say anything else until we arrived at our family chapel, and I thought it was as good time as any to try something different.

“I have to pee,” Isaid.

“Now?”

“I had a lot of water.”

“Uncle!” my brother called out. “A small break?”

“How much further, Anna?”

“Not far,” My mother replied. “Let her go to the washroom first.”

“Take her. Don’t leave her on herown.”

Shit!

Mike carried me a few feet into the desert to behind a rock. He set me down and grasped at my ripped leggings.

“I can do it. I’ll balance on my good leg.” I pushed his hand aside.

“I’m not steppingaway.”

“Turn around, at least.”

He grunted. Supporting most of my weight on the rock, I crouched to the ground. As soon as I did so, I felt another cramp in my lower stomach, and I almost fell over. Behind a shrub at the rock’s side, I saw a pair of familiareyes.

Lola?I mouthed.

She put her finger to her lips and removed her cell phone. I read the typed message she passedme.

Cam and Brook arehere.

Take them to the crypt.

She then took the phone back into her hands and typed somethingelse.

You look horrible. Hang on. Nowpiss.

I immediately let go of my bladder.

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