Page 45 of Depraved

I nod as Matteo and the others walk past me, keeping my eyes on Dom. “You sure there isn’t something I should know?”

“You sure there isn’t anything I should know?” he counters, and I scrunch my nose.

I love Dominic and Luca like they’re my real brothers. I wish they were, which is why I won’t say a word, but I also hate lying to them. Almost as much as I hate lying to Dante.

“Gorgeous, you know he’ll find out the truth. Whatever that is. Right?”

Yep. I do.

“Let’s hope it’s after I’m gone. Then we can all be spared the grief.” I shrug, not bothering with pretense.

This is Dom—he and Luca have been my only sense of family since I started working at Church. I can lie by withholding, not by being false.

“Sarah. Don’t push everyone away.” I shake my head, opening my mouth to protest, but he stops me. “Like you always do. Let us help you. You have us. Me, Luca, and especially Dante.”

I stare at his face, wishing that I could just cave and say “yes,” but some things are for the best. I almost laugh when I think it, hearing Dante’s words in my head:“It’s for your own good.”

Matteo walks back out and nods. “All good, Sarah.”

I smile weakly at Dom and turn, walking inside my room, trying to suffocate the need to spill my guts, but it feels overwhelming. The longer I stay, the harder it will become. I know that. But there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for these guys. Especially now.

I grab the last of the things on the list I have in my head and walk to my bed, sitting for a moment and taking a breath. My phone buzzes on my bed where I tossed it when I came in. I scoot myself back and lean over to reach it, lying down as I answer.

I hit Answer without bothering to look because I know it’s Dante.

“Miss me?” I tease, smiling wide as I hold the phone to my ear.

“Oh, we miss you, Sarah.”

Chills shoot down my spine, and I sit up straight as a board. My breath is still in my throat, my teeth grating so hard they may break.

“Christopher,” I greet with every bit of the malice I feel for my brother. “Where are you?”

I don’t think he’ll actually tell me, but I always ask anyway.

I hear him laugh darkly as the sound of a car passing by with loud music mutes his voice. But what gives me pause is the echo I hear from my side…

“Look outside, dearest sister.”

My eyes blink rapidly as I stand, my head turning to the window as my feet refuse to move.Go, Sarah.I push forward, taking slow steps, then walk quickly toward my window.

My eyes dart to my bedroom door, worried someone may hear me or walk in. I stand by the corner of the wall and bring my fingertips to the soft cream curtains I put up myself. Peeling it back, I peer out with half my face, scanning the sidewalk and across the street for my brother.

I hear a match strike, and Christopher inhale deeply, just as I see the bright red burn from his cigarette illuminate the dark space across the street.

Shit.

“Still smoking, I see. Here’s hoping cancer strikes,” I bite out, closing the curtain and leaning my back against the wall.

“Wouldn’t that be your lucky day.” He laughs with an exhale.

My eyes search my room as I try to decide what to do. I could tell Dom and Matteo right now. They could grab him and beat the shit out him…maybe worse. But then…

“What do you want, Christopher? You know I’m never voluntarily coming back. So why call, why torment me?”

His voice forces me to remember what he looks like when he sneers.

“You know exactly what we want. I suspect that’s why you’ve made new friends, bitch.”