Page 104 of Shadow

She said nothing and stared down at the floor.

“Can we just keep the damn peace?” I whispered. “Sirena is coming home eventually. She’s not going to want to come home to this shit. So please. Everyone get along. OK?”

“OK,” Cady whispered.

“Church?” I looked at him.

“Fine,” he said. “For now. No more boo-hooing. I’m sick of looking at your sour fucking face.”

“I’m pregnant, you dick! How the fuck do you want me to look? Happy? Over-fucking-joyed? My sister’s boyfriend may have gotten me knocked up. You want pure goddamn excitement on my face?” Cady shouted.

I groaned and rubbed my eyes.

Sin stood and moved to sit next to Cady. She tensed at his nearness.

“Hey, I’m feeling pretty shitty too,” Sin mumbled. “You’re not the only one going through this. I know you don’t want to be pregnant. Fuck, I don’t want you to be. It’s happening, though. I need Sirena to come home to us. Please. I’m begging you to get along and try.”

“I am trying. It’s just hard,” she choked out. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Then just… be,” Sin said gently, reaching for her. I watched as he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She sobbed softly into his chest.

“I don’t know what you want to do with the baby, but if it’s mine, I’ll be there for it,” Sin said thickly. “I won’t run and leave you alone in it. I’ll take care of it if you want to keep it. I’ll help. It was a price I’d pay again to save Sirena. I would. For what it’s worth, I’m fucking sorry.”

Cady sobbed louder and clung to Sin.

“You two should talk,” Ashes said softly.

“Take her to your room, Sinclair,” Church said. “You two do need to air shit out. It’ll be less tense here once you do.”

Sin hesitated for a moment before he helped Cady to stand and led her to his bedroom. None of us spoke until the clicking of his door sounded out.

“What the fuck,” I groaned, tugging at my hair.

“Keep the faith,” Ashes muttered. “It’s all we can do at this point.”

“That and pray to whoever the fuck is willing to grant wishes that Sin didn’t knock her up,” Church said, pulling his phone out.

He finished his joint. I watched as he pressed the keypad a few times before putting the phone to his ear.

“Hey. It’s Dante Church. I need your help with something.”

I looked to Ashes, who appeared exhausted.

“I can’t wait until this shit is over,” I muttered.

“Same,” he said, yawning again. “Dibs on Sirena sleeping in my room the first night she’s back.”

“Fuck you. I called dibs?—”

“Malachi, you have to say that shit out loud with your whole chest, not whisper it into your head.”

I threw a couch pillow at him, making him laugh.

I cracked an actual smile for the first time in weeks.

It would have felt better if my angel were here with me, though.

Soon.

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