Page 35 of My Forever Sin

My stomach twists at what, deep down, I know is coming.

Union.

A trembling What? almost spills from my lips before Heath speaks again. “Inside this folder is our marriage certificate.” He looks around at us, eyes snagging on me and Kain just a split second longer, but I notice it. “We’ve been married for two years.”

Everything around me begins to spin and heat breaks out across my chest.

“Oh, don’t look so shocked, this is just what this town needed. It will make us stronger. Big things are coming.” Mother speaks as if she’s already settled into the role of advisor and wife. She does not at all sound like a woman who merely exists to obey her husband.

“Blackcastle will expand, and with our marriage announcement, more people will speed up the process of marriage and procreation,” Heath adds. “We’ll be strong. Stronger than ever before—”

Dorrian shoves away from the table in disbelief.

The argument continues as my stilted gaze catches on another folder hiding under the marriage certificate. A beige folder with what looks like a picture that escaped. With a less than steady hand, I swipe it off the table and a heavy plunge in my stomach causes me to gasp.

My eyes bounce between the photo in my hand and the scene in front of me, not quite sure where to look or if the picture I’m seeing is even real.

“What’s wrong?” Kain stands up and rounds the table, his normally warm presence now somehow starting to feel cold as he places a hand on my shoulder.

Someone storms out of the room, the bang of the door echoing.

My muscles refuse to move as the picture is slid from my hand, and I’m left staring at my own fingers, the image of what I just saw burned into my memory.

“Oh my God,” Kain whispers, dropping the polaroid of me and him standing in front of his mirror, his hands gripping my ass cheeks, and a lipstick stain across it. He rips his wallet from his jean pocket, and with shaky hands, opens it. “What the fuck?” That’s where he kept the picture. That was his picture to keep for when we were apart and he was missing me.

More damning photos spill out from the folder as it’s picked up by my mother. Pictures of us at the party two nights ago. More accurately, his bedroom, with my corset pulled down and his shirt off.

No.

These are our biggest sins staring at us right in the face. Breaking every single rule of this town.

The most deplorable of them all.

Mother’s cackle fills the room. “That was going to be saved for next Sunday so the whole town could see your sins.” Mother forcibly pulls me out of my seat, and I come level with her spiteful gaze, her lips curled up in a venomous smile. “You heathen. You’ve been fucking your stepbrother the whole time,” she spits. “You’re unwed, sullied, and stained with the devil’s blood.” She snatches the photo from Kain and pushes it into my face. Heath hovers in the back, leaning casually against the curtained window, watching the chaos unfold.

The first words I say finally come out, yet it feels like the words aren’t entirely my own, they’re hollow and broken. “How did you get this?”

Mother laughs, throwing it onto the table. It lands on a lit candle, catching fire on its way down. Just like my entire life is at this exact moment. “Kain was very cooperative in giving us all the information we needed.”

Kain snaps his head to her. “What—”

“You finally pushed me over the edge, Jordan.” Her fingers grip my jaw, pulling my ear to her mouth. “You’ll atone for your sins,” she grits roughly.

“You both will,” Heath chimes in.

I rip out of her hold, at last facing Kain, who’s face is set into hard lines as he stares at the burning photo. “It was you.”

His head snaps towards me, eyes wide. “Jordie—”

“You did this.” My eyes sting and there’s a lump steadily growing in my throat.

“We can set pictures up. Have them sent anonymously so they find out that way.”

There’s a hustle around us, but I can’t process anything.

He did it. He said he would do it, and he did.

Dorrian caught us, but he couldn’t have known about the photo. He would’ve never risked exposing him and Cassie.