Page 36 of Sins (The Sins Trilogy 1)
My heart jumps to my throat. I start to retreat before I catch myself. Tony would never hurt me. Despite his rudeness at times, there’s a core of decency inside him.
He raises his hands in front of my face. “You see these?”
“Your hands?”
“Yeah. There’s blood on them. I thought I could wash it away, but I was wrong. I could cut them off at the wrists, but the stain would stay. Everything I touch becomes tainted.”
Oh no. Tony. Mrs. Wentworth’s evil words flash through my mind, and I realize he holds himself responsible for whatever part he might’ve inadvertently played in Katherine’s death. My heart breaks for him. The weight of torment he must’ve carried in the last nine years would have crushed someone less strong. Tears fill my eyes, but I blink them away, worried he’ll consider them a sign of pity. He’s too proud for that. He needs sympathy. Understanding. And the realization that he’s innocent.
I wrap my hands around his. “There’s no stain. What happened was a long time ago. An accident. Nobody could’ve foreseen or prevented it, Tony. It isn’t your fault.”
His expression shutters.
I grasp for something positive. “These hands are talented, Tony. If you wanted to, you probably could’ve studied at a conservatory.”
He starts to pull away, and I tighten my grip.
“You used these hands to keep me safe from Caleb and his friends at the party. You’re a good person. You stopped them from ‘tainting’ me with their ugly—”
“Shut up.”
“No. You shut up and listen—”
He uses my grip on his hands to yank me forward. I gasp, stumbling against him.
“Tony—”
His mouth crushes mine.
