Page 157 of Cain

Istill can’t believe the state I saw him in. It’s unusual for me to see him vulnerable—scared, even. But deep down, I know he’s relieved and happy he finally went to his mother’s grave. He needed it.

On one hand, I’m a bit jealous of him because he has good memories of her, while I have nothing good to remember about my own. We both miss our mothers; only he was loved unconditionally by his.

Many times, I wonder if anyone has ever truly loved me. If I even deserve it.

But then he came, and I stopped wondering if I was goodenough.

In fact, it’s better than I ever believed. He doesn’t pretend to be pure or gentle. He’s just there, proving it every single day, and for someone like me, that’s more real than anything else I’ve known.

He’s not trying to fix me. He sees the cracks and calls them beautiful because he carries his own.

When he looks at me, I feel seen. And if the price of that is a love soaked in obsession and marked by madness, I’ll pay it.

Back from the cemetery and still in my black pencil dress, I retreat to my room and leave him to talk to his cousin. He spoke of him like he was some monster, but if I’m being honest, the man I saw seemed serene and kind.

I would never have guessed that he was talking about a priest. Nothing about him suggests that he’s a killer.

But strangely, after all these weeks here in his house, I’ve got used to violence. Not that I like or accept it, but it’s not as strange to me as it used to be.

Hours pass without me realizing. I’m so absorbed in my thoughts, lying on my bed and just staring at the ceiling, that I don’t even notice when night falls.

I sit on my bed, a weird feeling in my chest as if something is wrong. I want to check on him. I step off the bed, barefoot, and walk toward the door.

Suddenly, the door swings open with force, startling me completely.

It’s Landon.

“Hello, pumpkin,” he pants, a sinister smile crossing his lips.

“Ever heard of knocking?” I ask, stepping back, trying to hide my terror.

“I’m sorry, my parents didn’t teach me manners,” he mocks, his arms extended to his sides as he prowls closer to me. “But that’s the way you like it, isn’t it?”

“If Cain finds out about it?—”

“Why bring others into our nice little conversation?”

My breathing accelerates as he approaches me, and I realize I don’t have anywhere to go.

Do prdele!Shit!

“What do you want?” I ask through clenched teeth.

“Let’s just say that your mind is too innocent to understand.” He smirks, his eyes wide like a complete lunatic.

“Cain will kill you!”

“Cain is long gone, doll.”

“W-What?” I stutter, stumbling on my bed and sitting on it. He can’t be dead. No, no, no!

He holds my chin and raises my head to meet his gaze. “I want everything he owns, and I will take it all, one by one.” He grabs my throat tightly in his hand, making me gasp for air. “And I will start with his whore.”

He pushes me back and climbs on top of me. I yank myself as hard as I can, kicking and slapping him away, but he’s much stronger than me.

“Don’t worry, babe. I like it rough, too,” he hisses in my ear.

“Slez ze me, ty zasranej prase!”Get off me, you fucking pig!