Garden of Sins

33. True faces

Carter

In the evening, everyone is in my car and I have no fucking idea how that happened. Or how anything happened.

Caden wanted to go to a party, so to the party it is.

We’re going to a party.

We.

It is Caden, me, Alayna, Melissa — and to top it off, my little sister Ava! What the hell? I don’t feel like constantly guarding her against dicks, but Caden guaranteed her safety and Dad entrusted her to us. That sucks. Why did Caden do it? No idea? Most of his moves are too opaque for me and I’m too dense to think about it. On top of that, Melissa talked me into becoming her friend. I mean, okay, I like her, honestly. I love fucking her because she’s so small and fragile, but I don’t want anything to do with the boyfriend shit since that crap happened with her back then. I’m done with all of it.

No feelings!

But good.

I’ll talk to her. Not now. Tomorrow. The day after tomorrow. I don’t know. I’m not good with this shit and Caden will probably destroy her if she stays, so I have to make sure I do something to get rid of her again.

Caden’s wearing the same outfit as me, by the way. I can see where this is going. He wants to play. I just don’t know with whom. I hope he doesn’t drive Alayna away again. Yesterday, he pulled her to him and hugged her as she slept, and today, he is pushing her away. I simply don’t get it.

We both wear black jeans and the same-color long sleeve shirt, he even laced his boots the same way I do. So sly. His dark hair falls across his forehead just like mine. He even wears the same fucking three-day beard.

Shit. I can smell the anger just like my cologne on him. My watch is silver, so is his. It exhausts me; he should just stop this shit — whatever he’s up to.

I tried to get Melissa to stay home because we all know that attending parties with Caden is usually only fun for him and everyone else gets the short end of the stick. But Madame wanted to go because Alayna was going and Melissa can get a bit paranoid and possessive just like Caden.

Alayna sits behind Caden wearing the tightest jeans in the world and a red, off-the-shoulder top with long sleeves. Her wavy hair is down.

Melissa, who is sitting behind me, as far away from Caden as possible, keeps looking at me with her blue eyes through the mirror. She is so fucking beautiful. Honestly. She has light makeup on, wears only beige lipstick, and she has done something to her eyelashes so that they look fuller. Her long straight hair is parted in the middle and tumbles down like silk. She is also wearing jeans and a dark blue top. For this occasion, she has chosen heels but only because she heard Alayna walking through the house in her heels. Melissa hates competing with Alayna and I wonder why she believes she has to compete. I’m honestly not interested in Alayna and she is not interested in me. I mean, I would fuck her, no question about it, I did, and I would do so again, but it’s not like I lost my black heart to her. Or is Melissa perhaps thinking about my brother? Is she trying to impress him? I don’t like the idea. I’ve been through too many disgusting experiences with Caden for that and it would mean she’s using me to get to him, which would be truly disgusting, but I don’t think so, she is too attached to me for that.

My sister sits in the middle in her simple black dress and the wild curls that Alayna gave her. Ava always looks classical when out, extremely different from girls her age, who are always so flashy and colorful. She is happy she is allowed to wear makeup today, which I don’t like at all because she looks twenty-two, not seventeen. Right now, with the vibes she is getting from both sides, she seems a bit uneasy between the two other women. I almost feel sorry for her, something I never do.

“Alayna, have you ever been to the Ribbon?” Melissa asks softly and her head, which is on the back of the seat, slowly turns in Alayna’s direction. This is the first time I am seeing this gesture that she copied from Caden. Through the rearview mirror, I look at Melissa with a raised eyebrow and wonder if this is the same person who almost crawled into me earlier because Caden addressed her.

“No, I’m not really the party type. I don’t care for it. If I do, it’s only with Caden.” Alayna smiles at her and Ava slowly pulls her head back and mumbles something under her breath. For my part, I glance at Caden, who is gri

“Really?” Melissa asks, imitating Caden. It scares me a bit and it’s a bit strange. “That’s not how it looked on your Instagram profile.”

Alayna tilts her head. “You looked at my Instagram profile, Melissa?” she asks. “Why?” Yeah, why? Alayna has nothing to do with me.

“Oh,” Melissa sighs, “I need to know who’s hanging around my family.” I see. Interesting. Since when are we all her family? Some women are way out there and I’m really confused by this show.

“Your family?” Alayna says, which is what we are all thinking, judging by Caden’s wrinkled forehead and my sister’s confused head-scratching.

“Yeah, you know how long I was here, don’t you? I always needed to know how my boys were doing, so I always asked around.”

Melissa makes a dismissive hand gesture.

Alayna is seething. She’s like me, unable to control herself. Just right for Caden. Alayna is also a heart person and he needs that.

But I’m really confused right now, dammit. Melissa was always better at swallowing than dealing. In every way.

“Your boys?” she asks with raised eyebrows as if Alayna didn’t really understand. Ava glances from one to the other the entire time and slides down her seat. In a moment, she’ll blend into the leather. “I wouldn’t state it quite like that,” Alayna continues.

Melissa sighs. “I know all their games. I’ve been through it all and... Has Caden shown you the folders yet?” I stiffen. What’s wrong with her? My brother also gives Melissa a sharp look over his shoulder and this time, I don’t stop him because Melissa is going overboard. Nevertheless, she continues to talk unperturbed.

“Has he actually tested you yet? Told you how it was with the others? Has he had sex with someone else in front of you? Caden is hot when he sleeps with other women. Maybe I should show you with him,” she muses and for a few seconds, it is eerily quiet in the car. I think I misheard and it feels like a stranger is sitting there. What’s the matter with that bitch?

Now Caden slowly turns his head in Melissa’s direction. “What did you say?” he asks dangerously calm and I grind my teeth.

“Enough, Melissa!” I growl. She knows the tone Caden just used and immediately flinches. Alayna mustn’t know about it, otherwise, she’ll be gone and Caden will go crazy. What’s going on with Melissa anyway? She’s not like this.

I’m going to talk to her when we’re alone and I’ll try not to freak out before that.

Caden reaches back and grabs Alayna’s hand before he pulls her forward. Alayna is visibly insecure.

Gently, he kisses her wrist and laces his fingers with hers, whereupon she relaxes a bit, but the doubt is written on her face.

“Fuck, Melissa,” I growl again and glare at her through the mirror.

“It’s okay, Carter. It’s good when you get to know the true character of a person,” Alayna says softly and looks at Melissa disparagingly. Ava finally closes her mouth again and stares longingly out the window because she wants to arrive in one piece. “Caden will never fuck someone else in front of me because I’m enough for him,” Alayna continues.