Page 26 of His Ruin
Melody whips around, her eyes frantic. “You’re going to wake Mom—”
I place my hands on my temples, hunching forward as it all shatters like broken glass around me. Every ounce of civility, every speck of normalcy, every fucking lie I’ve lived to make sure my sister never saw me as a monster. It all crumbles.
A calm settles over me as I straighten my spine. Darkness curls around me, beckoning me to her. I tilt my chin down, my eyes giving away a faux soft expression. “A kiss? This is all over a kiss?”
Melody shifts from foot to foot, her hands curling into tight fists at her sides as she sniffles. “Yes.”
I close the gap so quickly that her gasp doesn’t see the light of day. My lips slant over hers as I cup her cheeks tightly and hold her to me. Her spine goes completely straight, her body lined with visible tension as the taste of her explodes across my senses.
It’s sweet and soft, her lips tasting of candy and everything holy with the world. She stares wide-eyed at me, unable to think,blink, beyond what’s happening in the foyer of our shared home. Her big brother iskissingher.
I swipe my tongue over hers, taking advantage of her shock. She slowly softens, her body going pliant as her hands wrap around my wrists. I think she’s going to give in, to let us share this, only to be met with her fierce shove.
It all comes rushing back—the darkness, the arctic chill that’s picked and nipped at my skin since I was young enough to understand my diagnosis. My chest heaves with my panted breath, the taste of my sister still lingering on my lips.
Melody is aghast—horrified—as she folds her hands over her mouth. She stares unseeingly at the floor, her expression faraway. “Kaden…” Her voice shakes with uncertainty, the sound tremulous and quiet in the space between us.
I tuck my hands into the pockets of my jeans, rocking back on my heels. “Problem solved. You had your first kiss.”
She turns away from me, her brain buffering before her head swivels to me. “We’resiblings!”
“Not by blood.”
Melody’s mouth gapes, her hands upturning as she gives an egregious sound in the back of her throat. “Congrats! You win on a technicality!”
“Don’t even try to pretend you didn’t like it.” I bite harshly.
She points at me, her lips wobbling. “Don’t do that—”
“Do what?!” I rage, raising my voice. She invokes something profound in me. I’ve always been confused about the emotions I harbor for my sister, but one thing is clear: this willneverbe one-sided. I won’t allow it. “Do what we’ve always wanted?” I laugh delusionally, my voice echoing off the walls. “You want me, Melody, and you think it makes yousick.”
She slashes her hands through the air, tucking her chin in as her face screws up. “Stop, Kaden!”
I roll my tongue along my top teeth, sucking sharply. “Well, I know I’m fucking sick. I’ve always been sick, and I’m going to infect you whether you want it or not.”
She presses a hand to her chest, blinking past her tears. “No! This is wrong—”
“It’s always been right,” I interject, stepping towards her. She backs up, holding a hand up as if she can stop me. “We were fucking made for each other.”
“Kaden…” She swallows, her eyes fluttering. “You’re not thinking straight—”
“I’ve never been morally right, little sister. I’ve just gotten so good at hiding that part of myself that you had no idea you were tangled in my web long ago.”
She sucks in sharply, lifting her head as she swipes at her eyes. “We’re going to get some sleep—”
“I don’t want to sleep.” I close the space between us with quick strides until I curl my hand into her hair and make a fist at the nape of her neck, yanking her head back. “I want to watch youbreak, Melody. Watch you writhe until you can’tthink, can’tfightit, can’tstopit. I want to ruin you…”
Her throat bobs in a gulp before she whispers a plea. “Please, Kaden. I-I need space.”
I use my other hand to cup the side of her face tenderly before turning her head and running my tongue up her cheek to collect her tears. They’re salty and so bittersweet. “I am your space.”
The air electrifies and crackles between us, becoming a live wire. She’s enraptured by my dark gaze, her light becoming entirely swallowed by the horrid shadows that cling to me.
The lock of the front door slides open, and Melody stops breathing as shoes scuff outside. As the door handle clicks, I release her, and her knees almost give out. She holds herself up on shaky limbs, wrapping her arms around herself as Dad steps into the foyer and flicks a light on.
“Kids?” He asks, pausing in the doorway. “What are you two still doing up? It’s almost midnight.”
I groan, closing my eyes as that urge to maim and kill grips me. He has the worst timing.
