Sins of the Flesh (Exposed Series Book 1) Read Free

she’d stop if she knew how screwed up I am. But she doesn’t
have a clue. Probably because I’ve gotten so good at hiding my vices behind my straight
A’s and my varsity uniform.  
    I don’t think it helps that my brother is a freaking golden
child. Like he would’ve been a brilliant Nazi. Not that Chris is into ethnic
cleansing or has it in him to kill anyone because he definitely doesn’t. But
he’s awesome at following orders and rules without question.
    For example, I thought the best thing about having a brother was
that someone would always be on my side, but he’s never done anything but let
me down. Like I thought as soon as he got old enough, he would help me protest
unjust bedtimes and unnecessary strictness. But instead he always loved
sleeping, loved being sent to bed, and loved getting tucked in so tight he
couldn’t move his arms. He even loved to eat his vegetables as long as they
arrived by a fork making an airplane noise. Pathetic.
    For a long time, I thought he was brain damaged. But last year
he had the highest grade point average in the entire freshman class and played
lead trumpet in the marching band.
    To make matters worse, he’s been dating the same girl for the
last three years. She’s okay. Totally inoffensive. Like sugary cereal. Sweet, but
nauseating after a while.
    Then again, maybe I’m just bitter because nobody has ever looked
at me the way Chris and his girlfriend look at each other.
    But romance aside, these days I’d settle for a confidante,
someone I could trust.
    I used to be able to talk to my Dad. We were pretty tight back
in the day. Unfortunately, when I was in sixth grade a girl at school told me I
was too old to hug him or sit on his lap. She said if I did, he would get a
boner.
    I never thought it was true, but I distanced myself just in case.
I thought I was doing what was best for both of us, but now I hate that bitch
for messing with me when I was so naive.
    Not that it matters now. He always takes my Mom’s side lately anyway,
especially since things got so strained between us. I think he thinks I’m a
bully, but I’m not. I’m just trying to be hard enough that I can keep other’s
from bullying me first.
    I mean, I hope someday I can lighten up. Cause it’s exhausting
to be so tough all the time.
    But weakness doesn’t get you anywhere in high school. It just
makes you a target.
    And that’s the last thing I need.
     

Chapter
4: Dawn
     
     
    My leather pants still fit like a glove.
    I caught a cab to the club and entered through the side door in
the alley. The doorman didn’t even flinch.
    I never thought I’d see the inside of that place again, but I
needed a distraction. I needed something to take my mind off my doctor’s
appointment earlier, something to keep reality from sinking in.
    I walked down a narrow hallway that smelled like stale beer and
knocked on a black painted door.
    “Yep.”
    Mick was drinking whiskey and tuning his guitar on a tattered
couch when I poked my head in.
    “Dirty Dawn, babe! How are you?” He put his guitar to the side
and stood up. “God you look fantastic.”
    “Thanks, Mick,” I said. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
    He gave me a big hug, squeezing me just a little too tight. But
when he pulled away, I was sad it was over.
    “What has it been- ten years?” he asked.
    “Who’s counting?” I looked around the dressing room. It wasn’t
Mick’s. It was just his for the night. Clothes hung from the mirrors and the
busted speakers stacked around the perimeter. Everything except the cases of
beer at the back of the stuffy room was piled with junk. 
    “I knew I could count on you,” he said. “I owe you big for
this.”
    “Don’t worry about it,” I said. “Where’s the rest of the band?”
    “Went to pick up food.”
    I laughed.
    “I know.” He smiled. “Back in the day it would’ve been drugs,
right?”
    Besides a few more wrinkles he was as handsome as he’d always
been. I used think