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Aliyana’s hands clasped together and a proud expression settled on her face That look made me step back Get some distance

I’d made her happy I wasn’t sure how to deal with that Happiness and ht

"So…" Aliyana said as she circled, gesturing to the statue "Have you thought about its title?"

As I stared at thathis fra blood, only one title cauination," I whispered before I’d time to think about it

Aliyana tensed Fuck It was probably a stupid title I was so shit at this whole art thing

"The draining of blood?" Aliyanaat the sculpture, an euination…" she uilt," I explained,"Of every sin this man committed… of his actions that caused people pain… actions he can never take back Those daggers are there for life"

Aliyana sucked in a breath, and I dippedthe truth of every word I’d just spilled cut into my black heart

"And as the inspiration?" she pushed tentatively

I sighed and pushed lanced to Aliyana, but I couldn’t take seeing the sorrow on her fucking beautiful face "Shit, girl," I snapped without caution My eyes closed briefly as I tried to rein in these feelings, these fucking choking feelings I’d never dared let loose

"You really need to kno I thought of this fucked-up piece? You need every damn sordid detail?" It came out harsher than I’d intended, but I wasn’t real co this shit to anyone

"Just soood" Aliyana nervously inched closer to me, her voice barely above a whisper "Like, how did you think of it? That should suffice for the text boards"

Slowly inhaling through uy’s a sinner A guy that’s done some real fucked-up shit, but by the time he realized all the pain he’d caused others, it was too late He’d already done the worst He’d already ruined people… ruined lives… destroyed people’s innocence, changed people, forever changed people’s souls …"

Inbehind hi Levi held in his hands a Beretta His little fingers were fucking shaking, face white with fear, scared shitless, but I ignored it all Gio had nodded his head at hter stidda, the star tattoo on a Heighter’s left cheek that showed you’d passed the initiation… by shooting a King

I watched my twenty-five-year-old self stand behind Levi like a da in his ear for hi his slim arm to aim at our rival and ordered now as Levi did what I’d said and fired a bullet straight into the fucker

But , I could see Levi turn to faceproud I was of hi that wasand always had been since I elve But I could also see the change in Levi’s face The young kid Austin and Ma out on the ground

"Elpi?" Aliyana questioned ata tear drop run down my cheek, over the crucifix tattoo that now covered er is a cri around hiut, and I glanced up to the sculpture "But the daggers will never leave The guilt will keep on pouring out The wounds will never close… the cracks, the fractures on his body, will never heal"

The sudden silence in the large gallery suffocatedbut cut and run, leave this fucking exhibition and my pain for someone else to deal with But as I heard Aliyana’s quiet controlled breathing beside me, I couldn’tin this pain with er And I didn’t knohat the hell to do with how daood that felt I’d vowed to never let anyone in I didn’t understand why I’d broken that voith her

Lifting my dirty hands, I unsubtly wiped away the few tears I’d failed to stop fro down my face and turned my back on the sculpture, on the sculpture that was allat the millions of stars I suddenly didn’t feel so tortured as I pictured Austin and me as kids, Levi just a baby inbrothers, best friends, sitting on the roof of our trailer, lying back and watching the stars…