Page 42 of Where Sinners Repent

Every muscle in my body locks. Maddy immediately turns to him. “Ash...”

“We’ll have eyes on you the entire time,” he says, looking only at me. “You won’t be alone.”

Dizziness blurs my vision.

“No.”

The single word slices through the room. The word uttered by the man behind me.

Ash blinks once.

“No?”

I can’t bring myself to look over my shoulder. His one word bringing me so much relief that I feel like I could fall on my knees and kiss his feet.

“No.”

The look of shock and amusement on Ash’s face feels dangerous. Maddy rolls her eyes, giving an exasperated sigh.

“It’s not even three o’clock in the morning. I’m not sitting through this testosterone fuelled pissing contest.”

She slides off Ash’s lap, taking my hand. “Let’s go get a drink.”

I let her pull me out of Ash’s office. Only once do I glance over my shoulder. At Kai, who stands motionless, staring blankly at the wall.

Does he even realise what he just did for me?

The door closing breaks the spell, and once again I’m back in the rowdy club.

A man where Leon was before, does a long line of powder and groans as it hits his system. The scent of cigarettes and straight alcohol burn my senses.

“Hey, Matty,” Maddy murmurs. She bites her lip at his intense focus, and I feel like I’m intruding. I fucking knew little miss innocent Maddy was a lie. “Can we get two wines, please?”

“Scotch for me,” I interrupt. She looks at me in confusion. “I need something strong after that.”

Humming, she nods, and Matty makes our drinks.

“Sorry about that,” she mumbles into her glass. “Ash has barely slept, trying to figure this Wraith shit out, and he wants answers.”

“I get it,” I smile softly at her. “I just don’t think I can see them again.”

“Then you won’t,” she replies with surprising authority.

We both lean against the bar, watching the commotion play out before us. It’s a good distraction from my spiralling mind, and so is the liquor warming my stomach.

“Guess what?” Maddy breaks the silence, an evil smirk twisting her lips.

I can’t help but grin. “Tell me.”

She leans in, her breath dusting my ear.

“I’ve killed someone, too.”

My mouth falls open, and I search her face for the lie. There isn’t one.

So many words, so many questions. None form. Maybe it’s how exhausted I am. Or maybe it’s how ridiculous this situation is. But my head falls back, and the most carefree laugh barks out of me.

She’s laughing too, snorting into her wine.