Sinners Condemned (Sinners Anonymous, #2)

by Somme Sketcher

Fuck it. We’re all going to die anyway.

Me using my dry shampoo even though it apparently causes cancer

When you came here with your mother three weeks ago, I offered you a reading and in return, you threatened to burn down my wagon, along with me inside of it.”

Lovely! What a great start

“Not everything in this world can be explained away with reason or logic.”

Okay true

There’s a smugness to her tone; one that makes me want to choke the life out of her.

Violent against women!! A great trait for the mmc to have

Last time, she’d made my mama cry and I’d been out for blood. I’d told her to wait outside, then kicked the door shut with the heel of my wingtip. Just as the flame of my Zippo came to life,

What the fuck

I do like being in control. My life is regimented; I’m a man of routine. I have a suit for each day of the week and my calendar is blocked out by the minute.

So real

Power and money, or love and a family. It’s that simple.”

Love and family everytime

“But never both.” “Never both.”

Ridiculous. I will make both for myself

Now, there’s another voice that’s louder, one that’s screaming fuck true love.

Me when i make the mistake of trusting a man

“You’re bad news, darling. You know that?” I drawl, fishing out a few more bills and dropping them on the table. “I hope you get what’s coming to you.”

Babes she only pulled out a few tarot cards

“If I ever have Vegas at my feet, you’ll be exterminated along with the rest of the rats.”

What a gentleman

It’s not in my nature to hit a woman, but Christ, this one makes it tempting.

Are you sure?

“The Queen of Hearts is detrimental. You could have all the success in the world, but she’ll bring you to your knees.”

i hope she does...and fast

Suddenly, something crackles and pops in my chest. It bubbles out from under my ribs and fizzes gently under my skin.

Is this supposed to be him having big boy feelings?

Still, with the snap of my wrist, the Zippo’s flame dances against the darkness, taunting me with possibility.

Its givng jack and his zippo collection

Either of them would burn down this wagon without giving it a second thought,

Yeah because theyre arguably worse!!

old witch

Ahh a lovely derogatory term

Oh my god hes just burnt this woman alive??? WHO KEEPS WRITING THESE MEN

I wish I could say the thought of conning one more man out of his hard-earned cash felt like a chore.

I don’t take too kindly to men with attitude problems—never have.

Our hatred of men was the only thing my mother and I had in common.

By the time they were killed, I was wishing I was anyone’s daughter but theirs.

Why does no one in this series have alive parents

I didn’t quit because of his remark—I got fired because I sank my teeth into the hand he prodded me with.

I mean, I’m not a fan of men at the best of times, let alone when they’re being arrogant assholes.

HAHAHHA ME

I realized way younger than I should have that men have two settings: dismissive or predatory.

FACTSSSS

“I said, I’d rather shit in my hands and clap than hit on you.” “Is that right?” “Uh-huh.” “I see.”

Against all odds, I’ve made it to twenty-one and I credit that achievement to both luck and always listening to my instincts, even if they only whisper.

And I’m going to finally figure out what interests me in this world, other than taking men’s money.

HELP💀💀girl don’t change

“Women don’t fall in love, Matt. They fall into traps. They are lured in by sweet lies and smooth promises. Then years, maybe decades, down the line, they realize they’re tethered to a stranger, their chains made heavier by things like babies and mortgages and mothers-in-law with unhealthy obsessions with their sons. Some get divorced; some decide it’s easier just to stay shackled.”

Me after heartbreak

My theory doesn’t just stem from the man who hurt me, but also from my experience of swindling. I’d say eighty-percent of the men who have approached me at bars or casinos have been married. With every ring-clad hand that made its way to my thigh, another jaded scar formed on my heart.

Genuinely this shit is soul destroying

Rory Carter can’t be marrying a Visconti. There’s no fucking way. Her

Yup she unfortunately does

But Nico was like an older brother to me; I owe him more than that.

Aww and she marries into the family, that’s cute

I nod to the Omega Seamaster on his wrist. “Nice watch. Would you like to lose that one too?”

HAHAHAHAH

Marriage is a crazy gamble when you think about it. You’re betting half of everything you own that you’ll stay with that person for the rest of your life. How can anyone be so sure?

Literally

I bring my hand to my chest, reminding my heart of the jaded monologue I spewed to Matt earlier. Love is a trap. I can’t help but wonder, though; would a few years of ignorant bliss really be worse than never feeling bliss at all?

God I feel this

steal a glance back at Gabe and immediately wish I hadn’t. Christ, he truly is something from a nightmare. He’s even taller and broader than his brothers, and ink spills out unapologetically from underneath every hem, collar, and cuff of his suit. He doesn’t smile, not even at his brother’s wedding. I guess I wouldn’t smile either if I had a scar running from my eyebrow to my chin.

THATS MY MANNNNNN

She looks up at me through thick, false lashes, and the hollow of my chest fills up with warmth. Rory’s always been so nice, and she truly deserves all the happiness in the world. I just hope a Visconti can give it to her.

Awww

Before she can get out of arm’s reach, I quickly reach out and grab her upper arm. “What does it feel like?” She blinks. “What?” “To be in love?”

I swipe my fresh drink and regard my brother Angelo and his new wife with the same level of interest one has when watching a David Attenborough documentary.

So lots of interest then?

There’s nothing less attractive than looking at a lady and seeing your last name flash in lights behind their eyes.

Why does commitment scare men so much? Fucking weirdos

They are a far cry from Gabe’s soldati, who all look like they’ve survived the apocalypse.

LMAO

The demand knocks all suspicion of hidden ink out of my brain.

He’s got a tattoo…so what? Girl he’s in the mafia, it’s practically mandatory

But as I pass, I catch his gaze dropping to my feet while a muscle tics in his jaw.

PLEASE NO FOOT FETISH

there’s a free-standing tub—the type I imagine someone like Marie Antoinette would bathe in.

THATS SO RANDOM LMAP

I’m in a bathroom, not a locker room. A private bathroom.

ONG HE SENT HER TO HIS BATHROOM

The shower head behind me drips. As I glare at my distorted reflection in the misted-up mirror, my heart slows and a light lust spreads between my thighs. Not only is it a private bathroom, it belongs to Raphael Visconti, and he’s just had a shower in here.

Saltburn bath scene activated

Le sigh. Those were the days.

Le sigh? Really?

My gaze falls to the aftershave bottle on the counter. Without thinking, I bring it to my neck and spray its cool contents over the length of my throat.

Uhh what

It’s sad to say aloud, but it’s all I’ve ever wanted. Maybe it’s because when my parents would pass out on the sofa, exhausted from a day of strong liquor and loud arguments, I’d sit on the rug in front of the television and watch The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on mute. I longed to have friends like that. Friends I could complain about my parents to and who’d invite me to sleepovers on Saturday night so I didn’t have to hear them fighting on the other side of my bedroom walls.

Oooff

I’m not six feet tall and I don’t have the type of body that only eating leafy greens and doing a hundred crunches before bed will achieve. But I don’t give a flying fuck, because I like how I look. Well, I’m impartial about it, at least. Worrying about the little pouch of fat that hangs over the waistband of my panties has never paid my bills. Obsessing over the fact that my thighs rub together has never given me a winning Blackjack hand.

I love this attitude