Page 208 of Heartless Sinner

I ran my fingers over her pillow, remembering resting my head there, before reaching beneath the bed for the bottle of vodka she kept in her stash. I cracked it open, took a few harsh swigs, then returned it before grabbing the bundle of sage from the shelf above her bed.

Smoke curled toward the ceiling when I lit it. I walked in slow circles through the dorm, wafting the smoke into every corner, every crack, every inch that still held pieces of her. By the time the bundle burned to ash, her room was suffocating with smoke.

I dropped to the edge of Daphne’s bed and pulled out my phone.

Me: You okay?

Adelina: No.

Knowing my sister was hurting stung.

Me: You want me to bring you Taco Bell?

Adelina: Not even a quesadilla will help at the moment.

That was another reason to hate Daphne. She’d broken my sister. Someone who didn’t have one malicious bone in her body.

I pulled up my Contacts, fired off a message to the head of Adelina’s Secret Service, and told them to bring her everything on Taco Bell’s menu.

My phone vibrated with another text.

This one was from my mom.

Mom: Be easy on her.

I didn’t have to ask who her was.

Me: Did you know?

Mom: I talked to Marjorie. Believe Daphne.

Me: I believe her.

Me: Doesn’t mean I’ll ever forgive her.

I went to the bathroom and stripped out of my clothes. The Caliran pin went straight into the trash.

The scalding hot water streamed down my skin as I used her shampoo and conditioner, breathing in the last trace of her scent I’d ever get.

When I was done, I wiped the steam from the mirror, seeing the faint bruises and cuts from my fight with Cory. Then I remembered her cleaning me up in here after it. Before I could stop myself, I drove my fist into the mirror. Shards of glass rained into the sink, followed by drops of blood from my knuckles.

This time, I hadn’t just put my heart on the line.

I’d risked it all.

My heart, my future, my fucking reputation by taking her public.

She’d had a thousand chances to come clean, but she chose to keep lying.

Now, Daphne was out of the country.

Out of my life.

And I’d make damn sure she never found a way back in.

Fifty-Four

Daphne