Sin & Salvation

Chapter 26

No doubt alarmed by my screaming, people are now crowding around the patio above us, whispering amongst themselves.

Evelyn and Charles rush down the stairs, running over to where we're all standing. I look over to see Emma is long gone, clearly not wanting to be implicated in all of this.

Fucking coward.

"What the hell is going on here?" Charles shouts, seeing both Silas and Brett with blood and bruises on their face. Silas begins explaining everything, making it seem like him and Brett got into a disagreement, which resulted in a physical altercation that ended with Brett getting his ass handed to him.

He doesn't even mention me or us finding him with Emma.

I'm still sitting with Brett's head in my lap, blood all over my beautiful dress, hands, and face. Brett's hand reaches up to mine shakily and grabs it, holding tight. It makes me cry more, people now coming to pull him off of me and help him.

My shoulders sag and I cover my face with my hands, trying to control the devastation and hurt racking through my body.

Evelyn comes over and gently lifts me by the shoulders, pulling me into her. I just let myself cry, not caring who sees.

She strokes my hair as she says, "Oh honey, if I had known this was how it was going to end, I wouldn't have even suggested it."

I feel terrible that she thinks this is her fault when she doesn't even know what actually happened here. She obviously knows more went on than what Silas is saying, but not the full truth.

"Cora? Are you okay? Who's blood is all over—″ Payton says frantically, running over to me with Jason following close behind. She gasps, her hands flying up to her mouth when she looks down and sees him. "Oh my fucking god, is that Brett?"

Almost immediately, she starts tearing up and I release myself from Evelyn's arms into my best friend's. We both stand there crying, just holding each other up.

I don't know if she's so upset because she's drunk or because of what she just saw, but I don't question it and hold her as if she's the only thing I have keeping me here.

It honestly feels like it, anyway.

I look over to Jason who also has tears in his eyes which he's trying hard to hold back. They've been best friends for so long that I know it must be absolutely wrecking him to see his friend all bloodied up and beaten.

I know if I saw Payton like that, I wouldn't be able to control myself. He comes over to Payton and I, bringing us together into a bear hug.

Payton releases me to grab him and cries harder into his chest. I pull away, letting her hug him and look over to see an older man, probably a doctor, sitting next to Brett assessing his injuries.

"I think you need to go to the hospital, young man," the doctor says, brows knitting in concern.

"I already said no, I'm fine," Brett groans, clearly annoyed. Even when his face is beaten to shit, his ego is still too big to allow others to help him.

That or he's trying to keep the situation quiet and the authorities out of it.

"I have a guy who can stitch me up and prescribe me shit, I don't need to spend hours in a dirty fucking waiting room while I bleed onto the floor."

Off to the side, I see a dark figure looming and light hits his unmistakable gaze. His hands are in his pockets, jaw tense, and cold eyes already fixed on me. Standing far from everyone else, shadows dance around his figure as if to taunt me.