The Sinners of Saint Amos - Logan Fox Page 0,42

of his cigarette, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Over here, child,” Miriam calls.

“What’s he doing here?”

“Making sure I do my job,” she says stiffly.

From the sound of her voice, she’s about to take out a week’s worth of irritation on my ass.

Lashes.

In front of Zachary.

I’d beg, if I thought it would do any good. Fuck, I’d go down on my knees and pray.

I still have Reuben’s rosary. Its smell has been with me all this time, but it’s suddenly lost its calming effect.

“Move.”

I shuffle over on wooden legs.

“Hands here,” she says, using the stiff strip of leather to point to an empty space on the desk.

I press my palms to the table. I’m facing the wall, my side profile turned to Zachary.

“Feet back.”

I swallow hard and scoot my feet back a few inches.

“More.”

Now my ass is sticking out.

Hot, shameful tears fill my eyes. I try to blink them away, but they just end up rolling down my cheeks.

I squeeze my eyes shut when Miriam flips up my skirt. I’m convinced she’s going to tug down my underwear, but possibly to spare my modesty, she doesn’t.

There’s silence. Then I hear Zachary dragging on his cigarette, the dried tobacco leaves crackling faintly as they burn.

Thud.

Pain thumps into me. I gasp in surprise, vaguely proud I didn’t scream.

Thud.

That wasn’t so—

Thud.

I yelp in pain. Choke on a ragged sob.

Thud.

My legs go out. The pain of my knees cracking on the wooden floor is nothing compared with the dull aching throb on my ass.

This is hell.

Sister Miriam is the Devil.

She loops her arm under my waist and drags me back to my feet. “Can you stand, or does Brother Zachary need to hold you up?”

“Stop,” I manage in a breathless whisper. “P-please, just stop!”

“Six more, child.” There’s a sudden catch in Miriam’s voice. “You can do this. But you have to stand.”

I manage a nod.

Thud.

I can’t help it—I let out a wretched howl of pain. I’m in danger of scraping my nails off on the desk.

What could I possibly have done to deserve this?

I can end this, though, can’t I?

If I tell Miriam it wasn’t me.

I’ll tell her to fetch Gabriel. He’ll vouch. Tell him I’ve been set up.

Thud

Another howl, this one stronger than the last. Somehow that helps with the pain. I’m panting now; loud, ugly sounds only an animal can make. My cheeks are wet with tears. My face scrunches up as I fight the urge to collapse on the floor.

Thud

My ears start buzzing.

My legs give out.

Miriam’s talking, telling me to stand.

But I can’t.

I have nothing left.

An arm hoists me up. I think it’s Miriam again, and that must mean she can’t hit me again because—

Thud.

It’s Zachary.

I can smell his slightly-sweet brand of cigarettes.

All I have to do is say his name.

Cassius.

Say it and this will stop.

She’ll ask why? Why him?

I don’t know.

They hate me.

Him, Apollo, Reuben.

They hate me.

But I can end this.

Nothing can be as bad as this. What will they do? More pranks? More bullying? I don’t give a shit.

End this, Trinity.

Thud.

You can end this now. You just have to—

Thud.

I let out a whimpering mewl. The arm that had been supporting me tightens. The world spins on its head, and then I’m staring up into Zachary’s jade eyes.

There’s something strange gleaming in them, but I don’t understand it.

Thought, reasoning—not possible.

There’s just pain.

It eats through me like a slow-burning fire. Like the dried tobacco in Zachary’s cigarette. Ebbing and flowing but ultimately moving deeper inside me.

“Take her to her room,” I hear Miriam say.

Zachary’s chest rumbles against my side when he replies. “Thank you, Sister.”

Miriam’s voice is tight. “Make sure she puts on the salve.”

That fire moves through me, consuming me. It leaves behind nothing but ash.

Zachary takes me out of the room. His chest pushes and retracts against my body. Sometimes his breath touches my face, but mostly it doesn’t.

I sometimes hear voices, and sometimes just the steady thump of his feet. With every step, my body grows more and more numb.

My eyes closed moments after we left Miriam’s office. I can’t remember how to open them again, even when a door creaks and a strange darkness falls over me.

Zachary puts me down on something soft. On my side.

I think he lifts my skirt, but I’m not sure until something skims over my sensitive flesh. I whimper and try to move away from that touch.

“Shh,” he murmurs.

The surface under me dips.

A bed.

There’s the sound of a lid being opened. The strong menthol tickles my nose.

“This will hurt.”

I suck in a breath as