Page 15 of Sinful Kingdom

Fuck. I hope so.

He has to know I didn’t mean it, right?

I didn’t mean any of it. I was angry and hurt and…

Why didn’t I cave the next morning and forgive him before he went off to his exam? Why didn’t I tell him how I really felt about him? At least when the worst happened he’d have known that I’d be here waiting for him. Fighting for him.

What if he’s… wherever he is, thinking that I hate him?

That thought makes my tears fall faster.

I’m still sobbing into my hands when Gianna returns a few minutes later carrying a tray.

Her soft footsteps pad across the room before she slides the tray onto the bedside table and sits on the edge of the bed, pulling me into her arms and holding me tight.

“You know, I always wanted a daughter. Obviously, I wouldn’t trade my boys for anything, but I always wanted someone to share the girly stuff with. I think I might have lucked out with my one day daughter in-laws.”

“We had a fight,” I confess, my voice broken and rough. “Th-the day before. I f-found out… I found out that he’d been lying to me and…” I sniffle. “I said some really awful things.”

“Oh, Evie,” she sighs, rubbing my back supportively. “What you’ve been through over the past week… it would have broken most people. It’s been overwhelming and intense, and add a new relationship into that mix and being together twenty-four seven, I’m not surprised things blew up a little. I think that’s very normal.”

“But what if he thinks I meant all the things I said?”

“He won’t. He knows how you feel about him. Just like you know how he feels about you. Fights and things you say in the heat of the moment don’t mean anything, not really.”

I nod against her shoulder, her t-shirt damp against my skin from my tears.

“Why don’t you try to eat something? You might feel a little stronger with some food inside you.”

As soon as she releases me, I shake out Alex’s shirt that I’m still clinging to and tug it over my head.

“Here.” She passes me a glass of orange juice before placing a plate of crackers on my lap. “I can get you something else, but I wasn’t sure your tummy would handle it.”

“This is perfect, thank you.”

Picking up one of the crackers, I nibble the edge. I’m not convinced my stomach will even take this. But I know she’s right.

I’ve no idea what’s happening. For all I know, the guys are rescuing the two of them as we speak, working under the cover of darkness to bring them both back to me.

But as I glance at Gianna and catch her with her mask down in a moment of her own worry, I realise it might be wishful thinking.

“You should get some rest,” I tell her, remembering that she told me it’s the middle of the night.

“I can’t sleep. Years of shifts have caused insomnia. Add in worrying about my boys and… yeah,” she sighs. “I’d much rather be making use of myself than lying in bed and staring at the ceiling.”

I nod, understanding completely. If I weren’t so exhausted, I’m not sure sleep would come very easily for me right now.

“Is Blakely sleeping?”

“Yes. She’s passed out on the sofa in the den.”

“She’ll be blaming herself for this. Since our mum died, she’s taken on the role for Zay. If anything happens to him, she—”

“Shh.” She squeezes my knee. “Nothing is going to happen to him. Especially if my pup has anything to do with it.”

“Why do you call him that?” I ask, needing to focus on something else.

“Probably for the exact reason you think. As a young child, he was this over-excited, playful, adorable boy. He reminded me of a boisterous puppy.”

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