Pretty Little Sins (Kings of Bolten 2)

He studied me for a moment, looking crestfallen. Finally, he nodded. Spinning, he put his back to me and turned the water on before facing the window.

Hurriedly, I shoved my panties down, stepped into the shower, and closed the shower door, letting the frosted glass hide me from his eyes.

“You know, I can see you naked whenever I want, right?”

I ignored him and began washing my hair with the shampoo inside the stall. My favorite shampoo. It wasn’t a coincidence.

“All I have to do is close my eyes. See? You’re naked right now in my head. You’re on your knees. You’re moaning for me, taking my cock—"

“Stop,” I snapped at him.

He let out a deep sigh and went silent.

I quickly washed my hair and body. Then I stood there, letting the water pelt me, mixing with my falling tears. A soft sob escaped as I covered my face, angry and broken because everything was so screwed up now. I should've run away the first night I was with Fallon. We both could've escaped.

Or not.

He might have delivered me to Dominic’s dad instead. Or worse.

But I liked to think Fallon wasn’t that guy. I had to cling to that hope or forever be broken. Fallon was good. He was so good. He just wanted to save his sister. I would've done anything to save someone I loved too, even died for the chance. I needed only good memories of him, so I focused on those, while pushing the thought of his betrayal away. It just kept coming back though. Eating at me. Tearing at me. Devouring everything I was.

Maybe this was hell.

I’d been so lost in my thoughts I hadn’t heard the shower door open, but I felt a warm, naked body behind mine. Strong arms wound around me as I cried.

“I don’t know what to do,” Vincent whispered. “What can I do to make everything better?”

“Finish your job,” I managed to choke out. “Kill me so I'll stop hurting. So I'll stop thinking.”

“You really loved Fallon, huh?” The sadness in Vincent’s voice made more tears fall.

“Like I loved the kings.”

Vincent turned me in his arms and peered down at me beneath the shower's spray.

“Not loved. Love. You still love us. You’re just hurting right now. I promise the pain will eventually go away. Fallon was going to turn you over to an unimaginable nightmare, B. He wasn’t a good guy—”

“He was!” I slammed my hands onto Vincent's hard, wet chest. "You didn't know him! You never knew him!”

“You didn’t either,” Vincent said softly, letting me slap and punch him. He didn’t even flinch. He simply stood there taking it.

He was right. I didn’t know Fallon as well as I’d have liked, but I loved what I did know, and that fucking mattered.

I sagged against Vincent, breathless with tears still running down my cheeks. He eased us to the tiled floor and held me as I sobbed, his fingers raking through my hair as I let out my tears.

He remained silent. When the water finally ran cold, he released me and rose to his feet, snagging a towel to wrap around his waist. He grabbed one for me too and had me covered and tucked against him in a matter of moments, his lips placing soft kisses on my face and shoulders every now and then.

“I’ll get you something to wear,” he murmured in my ear before leaving me in the bathroom to stare into the foggy mirror.

I wiped away the condensation and took in my sad face. My blue eyes held no sparkle and were bloodshot and puffy from crying. My lips were stiff, like they'd lost the will to smile. This wasn’t the girl I was. Or at least it hadn’t been.

I feared I’d never find her again amid the ruins of what the kings had destroyed.