Read Online Sinners 01 - Branded by Abi Ketner, Missy Kalicicki - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Abi Ketner, Missy Kalicicki
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chalkboard. It only takes me a few seconds,
so I’ll be back before you finish.”
I step backward, excitement blossoming on my face. “Chalk?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Any way you could bring me some?”
“I guess so, why?” He scrunches his face, scrutinizing me like I’m insane.
“To decorate my cell. It’s starting to get to me.”
“What do you mean decorate? How on earth can you decorate a—never mind. I don’t care,”
he says with his hand on the door.
I fold my arms across my chest. “Do they ever come by and check the rooms?”
“No, there’s no reason to. We follow orders or people die. Pretty straightforward,
don’t you think?” He walks to his room as his laugh fades.
“Hey,” I say. He sits on his bed and looks up. His facial expression softens and tired
lines appear below his eyes. “I never got the chance to thank you.”
“For what?” He pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it on the floor, distracting
me with his broad chest. I stutter while staring.
Crap!
“Uh… for saving my life,” I say while crossing my fingers and trying to stay focused
on his face. “I know I don’t show it, but I’m grateful… that I have you.” I know—the
words shock me as I say them.
“Um, yeah.” His cheeks turn a shade of pale pink. “White or colored?” he asks while
searching through his piles of laundry for a new shirt. His back stretches taut, his
muscles hardening while sifting around and coming up with a black T-shirt. He quickly
puts it on, and I exhale, his shirtless image uncomfortably burned in my memory.
“Both would be great, if that’s possible,” I say. Frustration mixed with some other
emotion crosses his face, but I can’t place my finger on it.
I run back to the shower before he changes his mind and before I gawk any longer.
I close the curtain, take off my bloodstained clothes, and scrub them with my hands
under the icy water. The thin material tears under the strain.
Dang it. Now what?
Unsure of what to do, I call for Cole. I turn off the freezing water and stand shivering
behind the curtain.
“Now what do you want?” he asks from the other side.
“Do you have a towel or another pair of scrubs by chance?”
“You’re in luck. I just got another pair.” His hand reaches past the curtain and holds
out a folded pair of blue scrubs. I take them and put them on. The fabric sticks to
my wet skin, but I know it could be worse.
“Thanks,” I say, but he’s already left the room.
I push the curtain aside and am surprised to see two containers of chalk sitting against
the wall. One is colored and the other is white. Sweet! I open the colored container and grab the purple. Turning it over in my palm, I marvel
at the small things that bring me so much joy.
A noise that sounds like a foghorn bellows from Cole’s room. I almost drop the small
piece of chalk. At the same time, Zeus storms into the hallway, looking over his shoulder.
Cole’s in his shower, singing some weird song I’ve never heard before.
“What was that?” I ask Zeus. It happens again but louder this time. Zeus runs into
my room as a foul odor drifts by. “Was that a fart?” I laugh. “Oh my word, I can’t
believe you’re afraid of your own fart.” I’m laughing so hard I snort. It’s a small
reprieve from the violence and stress. I’m on the floor, doubled over, when Cole walks
in with a towel wrapped around his hips. Everything else is bare, steaming flesh.
And I pry my eyes away.
“What’s so funny?” he asks.
Oh my God, does he have to keep doing that?
Everything within me wants to stare so I tuck my face in my shirt.
“Zeus farted and he came running in here with his tail between his legs… It scared
the crap out of him.” I continue to laugh in hysterics. Cole laughs with me. “Is that
why you chose him? Because he scares people with his ungodly odor?” I wipe the tears
that are streaming from my eyes
so I’ll be back before you finish.”
I step backward, excitement blossoming on my face. “Chalk?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Any way you could bring me some?”
“I guess so, why?” He scrunches his face, scrutinizing me like I’m insane.
“To decorate my cell. It’s starting to get to me.”
“What do you mean decorate? How on earth can you decorate a—never mind. I don’t care,”
he says with his hand on the door.
I fold my arms across my chest. “Do they ever come by and check the rooms?”
“No, there’s no reason to. We follow orders or people die. Pretty straightforward,
don’t you think?” He walks to his room as his laugh fades.
“Hey,” I say. He sits on his bed and looks up. His facial expression softens and tired
lines appear below his eyes. “I never got the chance to thank you.”
“For what?” He pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it on the floor, distracting
me with his broad chest. I stutter while staring.
Crap!
“Uh… for saving my life,” I say while crossing my fingers and trying to stay focused
on his face. “I know I don’t show it, but I’m grateful… that I have you.” I know—the
words shock me as I say them.
“Um, yeah.” His cheeks turn a shade of pale pink. “White or colored?” he asks while
searching through his piles of laundry for a new shirt. His back stretches taut, his
muscles hardening while sifting around and coming up with a black T-shirt. He quickly
puts it on, and I exhale, his shirtless image uncomfortably burned in my memory.
“Both would be great, if that’s possible,” I say. Frustration mixed with some other
emotion crosses his face, but I can’t place my finger on it.
I run back to the shower before he changes his mind and before I gawk any longer.
I close the curtain, take off my bloodstained clothes, and scrub them with my hands
under the icy water. The thin material tears under the strain.
Dang it. Now what?
Unsure of what to do, I call for Cole. I turn off the freezing water and stand shivering
behind the curtain.
“Now what do you want?” he asks from the other side.
“Do you have a towel or another pair of scrubs by chance?”
“You’re in luck. I just got another pair.” His hand reaches past the curtain and holds
out a folded pair of blue scrubs. I take them and put them on. The fabric sticks to
my wet skin, but I know it could be worse.
“Thanks,” I say, but he’s already left the room.
I push the curtain aside and am surprised to see two containers of chalk sitting against
the wall. One is colored and the other is white. Sweet! I open the colored container and grab the purple. Turning it over in my palm, I marvel
at the small things that bring me so much joy.
A noise that sounds like a foghorn bellows from Cole’s room. I almost drop the small
piece of chalk. At the same time, Zeus storms into the hallway, looking over his shoulder.
Cole’s in his shower, singing some weird song I’ve never heard before.
“What was that?” I ask Zeus. It happens again but louder this time. Zeus runs into
my room as a foul odor drifts by. “Was that a fart?” I laugh. “Oh my word, I can’t
believe you’re afraid of your own fart.” I’m laughing so hard I snort. It’s a small
reprieve from the violence and stress. I’m on the floor, doubled over, when Cole walks
in with a towel wrapped around his hips. Everything else is bare, steaming flesh.
And I pry my eyes away.
“What’s so funny?” he asks.
Oh my God, does he have to keep doing that?
Everything within me wants to stare so I tuck my face in my shirt.
“Zeus farted and he came running in here with his tail between his legs… It scared
the crap out of him.” I continue to laugh in hysterics. Cole laughs with me. “Is that
why you chose him? Because he scares people with his ungodly odor?” I wipe the tears
that are streaming from my eyes
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