Page 85 of Sinful Kingdom

Her eyes soften at the sight of us, her own pain over this whole situation reflected back at me before she glances at Evie curled up on the bed.

‘You okay?’ she mouths, not wanting to interrupt.

I nod. After a few seconds, she takes a step back, leaving Zay with me.

“Every time I close my eyes, I see you on that cross,” he confesses after the longest time.

“I’m okay, Zay. Evie saved us.” He nods, sending pain shooting down my body. “We’re all okay. It’s okay.”

“Will I ever forget?”

He moves, his big blue watery eyes staring up at me, making my heart clench in my chest.

Keeping the promise I made when I first woke and found he was in that hellhole with me, I tell the truth.

“Probably not, bud, no. What we went through… it was massive, horrific, and potentially life-changing. You’ll probably always remember it, although the details will fade. What you need to do is focus on harnessing it in a positive way.”

“What do you mean?”

“Focus on the good that came out of it. Focus on how much you love Blake and Evie. Find ways to show them how important they are. To the other important people in your life too.”

“Don’t take them for granted?” he asks wisely.

“Exactly. On days when you’re feeling weak, or if you’re at school struggling with something, remember how bloody strong you were. You survived that, Zay. You held your head high and made it through. If you can do that, you can smash any algebra equation or pass any test.”

“I wasn’t strong. I cried a lot.”

“Crying doesn’t make you weak, Zayden. It makes you human. It shows you have a big heart, that you care about the people who love you. You fought to be back here just as hard as I did. You—”

“They didn’t hurt me,” he counters. “Not really.”

“Pain doesn’t have to result in blood. It comes in so many other forms.”Just ask Daemon, I think. Thankfully, keeping the thought inside. Probably not what fragile Zay needs right now.

“Everything we go through, whether it be as awful as that, or something incredible, shapes you in ways you don’t even realise. Do whatever it takes to ensure it makes you a better person.”

He nods, agreeing with me, although I’m pretty sure he has no idea how to make that happen right now. Honestly, nor do I really, but it sounded smart as shit, so I’m rolling with it.

“You want to come to lie with me and Evie?” I offer, unsure of what else to say.

He nods, and I can’t help but sigh in relief when he releases his grip on me.

He hovers at the side of the bed, watching through concerned eyes as I climb on and shuffle as gently as I can into the middle so I don’t wake Evie. Then, he slots his smaller body beside me.

“Thank you,” he whispers, blinking up at me, making my heart ache once more.

“Nothing to thank me for, bud. Get some rest, yeah?”

He watches me watch him for a few minutes before he finally closes his eyes.

It takes only seconds for his breathing to even out and for his small body to relax.

Unfortunately, I don’t follow.

Instead, I stare up at the ceiling, my head spinning with everything that happened and all the things I still don’t know about it.

Yes, I know it’s over and that they’re all dead. I know that thanks to Ant, Evie put herself in a seriously dangerous situation, but I don’t know the details.

I probably should be pissed at Ant, but listening to him and Evie talk earlier, yesterday, whenever it was, made me realise that he cares way more than he’ll ever admit. He did what he had to do, and I fully appreciate that she won’t have given him much choice. And to have stood in front of Damien, Matteo, Reid, and Luciana… Damn, I wish I could have seen that. I bet she was fierce.

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