Page 57 of Shadow

I closed my eyes and exhaled as I held her tightly to me.

There was no fucking way I was letting her go. The sooner I got her settled with Shadow, the better. I wasn’t so sure how long I could keep holding out.

Tonight had nearly killed me.

SIN

Igroaned as I got to my feet. Church had helped dress me only moments before after I was cleared to leave the facility. He hadn’t spoken much. In fact, he seemed incredibly preoccupied. He kept looking at his phone.

“Sorry it took me so long,” I said, wincing as we stepped out of the facility and went to the front doors. Church had brought his Bronco, so I wouldn’t have to walk.

“Don’t worry about it,” he muttered, looking at his phone again and frowning.

“Is everything OK?” I asked as we got inside the truck.

“Sirena spent the night with Asylum and Bryce.”

I studied him as he sat with his hands on the wheel, a grim look on his face.

“You gave her permission, huh?” I murmured.

He nodded tightly. “In a manner of speaking. I told her not to fuck him. That she had to be sure he was what she wanted. I know that to do it, there have to be…certain thingsshe would need to do. I just don’t want to fucking know about it.”

I stared out the window. “He’s a decent guy. I mean, he’s not like us, so maybe that’s a good thing. She could use someone like him.”

Church scoffed, a sour look on his face.

“He brought me her note while I was stuck in there,” I continued. “He cares about her. I think he’s trustworthy. He could be the one who watches over her while we do what we have to do.”

Church sighed but didn’t say anything.

“Besides, he might replace me,” I finished softly.

Church snapped his attention to me. “What?”

“Dante, man, about what happened that night at the mausoleum?—”

“You fucked Cady. I already know,” he said, his voice low and rough.

I blanched at his words but nodded because they were true.

“Tell me what happened,” he pressed. “I need to know because Cadence is in our fucking house right now. She kicked Stitches in the dick last night after she tried to get lost in the woods and freeze to death as a means to end whatever the fuck her issues are.”

I closed my eyes, my chest aching. I didn’t want to relive that night, but Church was right. He needed to know.

“Adam said if we did it, he’d leave her alone. I was fucking desperate. He knocked my ass out and dragged me into the mausoleum where he already had Cady. He drugged us. I-I was desperate and stupid. I kept hoping for something to give. A way to buy time. The last fucking thing I wanted was Sirena to be hurt again.” My throat tightened at my words. “I was trying to save her.”

Church said nothing, his eyes locked on me as the Bronco ran, the heat blowing out at us.

“I didn’t believe him, but I thought any amount of time was a good thing. That maybe that alone could save her.” I wiped my eyes. “I couldn’t even get my dick up at first. I-I had to finger her. Kiss her. She gagged in my mouth, her tears…” my voice trailed off. I could still taste her tears on my tongue. “She rubbed my dick for me, crying the entire time. She begged me to stall. To not do it. It’s my siren, you know? I’d fucking do anything for her. So I held Cady down and fucked her even as she screamed and begged me to stop. I fucked her while he watched, telling me I was good and saving Sirena’s life. That I should be proud of what I was willing to do. That it would keep Everett away longer.”

I cried softly, my heart aching at the awful memories.

“It was more than sex, Dante. I fucking forced her sister.” I wept, my entire body shaking. “I didn’t want to. Fuck, man. I didn’t want to, but Sirena… He knocked me out again after. More fucking drugs. I-I tried… I was so fucking scared for my siren.”

I couldn’t take it. I opened the door and heaved my guts into the snowy parking lot. I’d been sick over it. I didn’t know how I would deal with any of this. What it would even mean for me and Sirena. And I was worried about Cady and how that was going to work out.

I sat back up, grabbed the water bottle from the cup holder, and rinsed my mouth, spitting the fluid into the parking lot before gulping down a large swallow.

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