twisted in his sins

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟿

Zion's POV

"I fucked up." I shook my head in frustration.
"Dude it's not as bad as you think it is." Zephyr reassured.

Zephyr was a lifelong friend and business partner of mine. We met at preschool age when both of our mothers met each other at the park, ran off, and to our fathers' dismay, got married.

I guess you could say our foundation was purely built on trauma bonding. Either way, I got my best friend out of it.

Zephyr and I couldn't be more different as far as personality and appearance.

He was covered in black ink from his neck to his calves. I didn't have nearly as many tattoos but they still took up a lot of body space on me. Zephyr had a silver ring in his lip and box dyed, jet black hair that fell over his face. In terms of women, we both equally had experience. But Zephyr tended to like the fun of it more than I did.

"What the fuck do you mean 'not as bad as you think it is'? I murdered someone." I set my lips in a thin line, starting to lose patience with the whole situation and everyone in it. "And if that's not bad enough I fucking admitted it to someone."

"She's not gonna tell on you, Z. You know that." Zephyr replied coolly. Zephyr usually did the killing, not me. I didn't get the enjoyment out of it that he did. The difference between our motives was that I did it to survive and he did it for sport.

I had never felt the urge to harm a woman before I met Katia. No one knew about her. I originally thought Cassidy did, but she had only suspected my killing of Wyatt. I hated myself every single day for what I did to Katia. But we'll get to that later.

"Bro, are you gonna finish my tattoo or what?" The beefy guy beneath Zephyrs tattoo needle snapped at him.

Zephyr also ran a tattoo shop out of our warehouse that we did other business in. Our private "contract" business. He was a damn good artist too.

"My bad, Zeph. I'll head out so you can get to work." He nodded at me in thanks and got back to work on the almost fully inked man.

I stepped out of the warehouse door and a blast of cold, Seattle wind hit me. My eyes now watering, I fished my keys out of my pocket and unlocked my BMW M4.

The day was rather gloomy and cold. I liked it that way though. It comforted me in a way that I couldn't ever explain.

I opened the car door and ducked inside. I knew that Cassidy would be at the bar tonight so I planned to do what I do best and show up unannounced. She didn't know it yet, but she was completely and utterly mine. If I even saw a man come close to her i'd lose my shit on everyone there.

I was reminded of Wyatt and the ugly bruise that colored her beautiful, pale skin. That guy deserved what he got and I didn't feel bad about it at all. Cassidy had struck something in me the first day I met her. Her long, strawberry blonde hair and shadowy Grey eyes. Rage boiled inside of me at the thought of ever hurting her. I gripped the steering wheel, causing my knuckles to whiten.

I swerved my car into the apartment parking lot. I tended to keep my belongings here more so than the frat house I unfortunately belonged to in an attempt to conceal my identity.

I fished my keys out from my jeans and turned them in the lock. The usual clean smell of my apartment overwhelmed me. I decided i'd go on a run before going to the bar to see Cass.

I pulled on black Nike sweatpants and a plain white t shirt. After lacing my sneakers, I locked the door behind me and put my airpods in.

Running was the best distraction that I could get without doing something immoral. Music echoed in my ears as my feet pounded the ground. I felt invisible as no one turned their heads to look at me, I liked it that way.

As sweat dripped down my temples I started the shower and turned it all the way to cool. I searched for the soap and noticed blood stains on the tile wall. Cassidy. Or honestly should I say Katia? I didn't realize that Cassidy came into my apartment blood soaked until now. I figured I should probably change the guest room bedsheets.

She came out of the shower smelling like my soap. I wanted to touch her everywhere, but I knew Wyatt traumatized her and it would be a while before she would allow someone like me near her. But she would have to.

I stepped out of the shower, eagerly checking my phone to see if it was time to go to the bar. I had fifteen minutes to get ready and make it there. I hurriedly dressed in a Rolling Stones band t shirt and jeans. I towel dried my hair, causing it to fluff out in all directions. I spritzed cologne on my neck and grabbed my keys to leave.

I pulled into the parking lot, checking for Liseys car. Fuck. They weren't here yet. Where the fuck could she be? I thought I had her tracked to a tee, with the tracking device I put on her phone while she was sleeping.

I checked the app to see where she could possibly be. She was five minutes away.

I played some heavy metal band on the radio until I noticed Lisey pulling in next to me. Thankfully, my windows were tinted and she didn't catch a glimpse of me, and more than likely didn't remember the make of my car.

Cassidy looked stunning in her black mini skirt and top. Perfectly complimenting her pale skin. I wanted to rip them off of her right in front of everyone, showing them how crazy she made me. I hardened at the thought.

I decided i'd enter the bar from the back, and seat myself out of her view.

I came to the back entrance and met one of Zephyrs clients, we briefly talked about his next tattoo and getting in touch with Z to make an appointment. He let me inside, and I found Cass at a table with Lisey and two guys. My eyebrows shot up as I saw one of them, a brunette with a strong athletic build initiating conversation with her. With my girl. He looked like a fucking punk. He was unfortunately dressed in a tight polo and khakis. His mother definitely paid his tuition and it was painfully obvious.

I seated myself at the bar and asked the waitress for a Bourbon On the Rocks. She politely handed it to me along with a yellow sticky note with her number scribbled on it. I smiled and subtly threw it on the ground next to the barstool. She didn't notice. She sashayed off to a nearby customer, fulfilling their drink order.

I searched for Cassidy but couldn't find her anywhere. My heart started beating faster at the fear of losing her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I heard a silky voice from behind me. I turned to see Cassidy.
I took in her body from close up, making it oh-so-obvious that I was checking her out. She took a strange expression. She wasn't disgusted but she definitely wasn't having any of my shit.

"Well hello to you too. Want some?" I lifted the glass in my hand. She scrunched her nose. I fucking loved it when she did that.

"Are you stalking me?" She accused.
"Yes." I coolly replied, taking a sip. Prompting her to roll her eyes.

Lisey appeared next to her and shifted her gaze between us.
"Who's this?" She chimed. Grinning wildly at Cassidy.
"Just some fucking freak who wont leave me alone." Cassidy hissed.
I leant out a hand, "I'm Zion. Cass and I officially met at a frat party where she danced half naked on my pool table." Cassidy's cheeks reddened at this.
Lisey burst out laughing. "Well if Cass doesn't want you i'll definitely take you." She joked. Cassidy did not take this as a joke.

Cassidy gripped her arm and pulled her back to their table, shooting me a glare over her shoulder. I winked and raised my glass again.