Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
At the top, in cursive writing, it says: The Sinners. And beneath it, two names:
Josh Dobbers
Mark Waters
Seeing my father’s name, in his handwriting, soothes some of my tension from that fucked-up vision.
“Dad,” I mutter, running my hand across the ink. But just as quickly as I feel ease, the tension returns, but this time, it’s rage. I turn to Brad. “You were keeping this from me?”
He doesn’t make eye contact. “I thought we were doing the right thing.”
“Well, that was a fucking mistake.” I stare him down. If I have some fucking powers, I wish I could blast him with all my anger right now. But whatever’s going on with me, that’s clearly not a thing, since nothing happens.
I head to the desk and snatch my bag, shoving the book inside.
“Hey, you can’t take that,” Seth says.
I don’t respond, just hurry toward the stairs.
Seth starts for me, but Cody stands in his way. “Let him. This is a lot.”
“Luke…” Brad calls after me, but I’m rushing up the stairwell. I’m so pissed.
I want to get away from these guys and get my fucking thoughts around the vision and our subsequent conversation.
12
BRAD
“The fuck happened to you? You look like someone stomped on your heart.”
My roommate, Matteo, lies across his bed, phone in hand as I close the door behind me.
“You think someone rejected me?” I ask skeptically, and he rolls his eyes.
“I was only telling you what you looked like. But you’re awfully defensive for a guy who didn’t get his heart broken. So what’s up?”
Matteo’s a decent guy. I don’t want to take out my anger on him, but my emotions are all over the fucking place, and while Luke didn’t stomp on my heart, I’m terrified that what just happened in the old church will lead to something happening to him, something with worse consequences than depriving me of what I need now.
“It’s nothing.” I head to my side of our room and collapse in bed.
I keep thinking I should have chased after Luke, tried to reason with him, but after stopping Seth, Cody stopped me too. “He needs time to process this. Give him a minute, guys.”
Cody’s right, but giving Luke space isn’t easy. Since he hurried out of the church in a huff, I’ve felt this searing pain. His pain. And yet it swells in my goddamn chest, brought about by this connection neither of us can explain or escape.
“You want to play a video game?” I ask because the distraction might do me some good.
“Can’t. Meeting with that girl I was telling you about—Steph. We’re gonna hang at that pizza place down the street.”
“You need me to be gone when you get back?” Matteo has had my back plenty of times, so I’m always happy to give him his space when he has a girl over.
“That’s sweet of you, Brad, but naw. She already let me know her roommate is out for the night with her boyfriend. So pop on Grindr and line ’em up while you can.” He winks.
If only he knew that for the past few weeks, only one guy has occupied my thoughts.
Matteo gets ready and heads out, leaving me to stress about Luke.
I knew he would blow up. I knew he might fucking hate me for what we’d withheld. But it was time for him to know the truth. The whole truth. No more Sinners’ secrets. No more sticking to oaths we made when we still had no clue what we were dealing with.
It’s clear from everything that’s happened since Luke arrived that none of us really know what’s going on, and if what Luke said is true—and I believe it is, that this monster is already out and killing people in Lawrenceville—then getting rid of Luke won’t fix our problem. We must work together.
In a desperate attempt at distracting myself, I sit at my desk, trying to focus on my homework. Not much of a chance of that happening, but as long as I can keep myself from hurrying out the door and down the hall to his room, I should be fine.
But the longer I try to distract myself, the more challenging it becomes. My chest twists in knots. Anxiety bubbles in my belly. And just when I think I’m about to cave, there’s a knock at the door.
I hop to my feet, hoping, wishing it’s him. As I near the door, I become more confident that I’m right. It’s like I can fucking smell him through it.
When I open the door, he’s standing outside, giving me those same dagger eyes he cut me with less than two hours ago. His hair’s disheveled, like he’s been running his hand through it. And he’s holding the Sinners’ bible.
“Luke,” I say, ready to apologize, but before I can get another word out, he shoves me back into my room. His lips clamp down against mine. It’s like some of the times we’ve met up before this evening, and given what happened, that throws me, but as my back slams against the wall and Luke’s tongue invades my mouth, I’m not fucking complaining.