A Necessary Sin (The Sin Trilogy, #1)(41)

“It was me,” Abram admits.

“What did you do?” Dad asks.

I’m not at all surprised to discover last night was Abram’s doing. I’m glad to learn my father wasn’t party to this. I’m not sure how I might have handled a stab in the back like that from him.

“Abram sent me out on Fellowship business last night. While I was away, he ordered Malcolm to come into my home and go after something that belongs to me.”

“Tell me my son’s mistaken.”

Abram ignores my father, as he often does. “Since when does the American belong to you?”

He is asking if I’ve claimed her but I purposely do not respond. “What you did can be considered a betrayal.”

“You should select your words very carefully, Sinclair.” He’s pointing his finger at me. “Betrayal is a strong accusation.”

“What would you have me call it?”

“Investigation. But since you’re the one bringing up disloyalty, what about your involvement with her? She’s an outsider. You don’t consider that a form of treachery to your brotherhood?”

I don’t acknowledge his allegation against me. “You sent Malcolm after Bleu. How can you call that investigation?”

Abram gets up from his chair. I know his tactics well. This is a maneuver intended to intimidate. It places him above me so he may talk down—but it won’t work. I will not concede. “A girl from who knows where inserts herself into our world. She sways her arse and you go completely stupid. Have you not considered that she’s been planted among us by our enemy?”

“Of course I have. I’m not a fool. I did my own private investigation the moment I knew she’d been hired by Leith. We ran her prints and found nothing. I did a sweep of her place and a web search. Everything pans out. She’s clean. I’ve looked from every angle.”

“What about the matter of her looking like Amanda Lawrence? That’s no coincidence.”

“Are you never going to be able to move beyond Bleu’s resemblance to her? Amanda Lawrence is DEAD! Her daughter is DEAD! You have to get over this fixation you have with them!” It’s madness.

“I’m telling you this is no coincidence. Someone handpicked her and she’s here to destroy us.”

“Bleu is one person, not an army or coalition. She doesn’t have the power to destroy us. If you’d stop for one damn second and think rationally about this, you’d realize you’re wrong about her.”

“I’m not mistaken.”

“Then we must agree to disagree. Unless concrete evidence proves I’m wrong, I won’t allow you to send anyone else to execute her.” And what was he thinking doing that in my home?

“I didn’t send Malcolm to kill her. His assignment was to scare the lass into admitting who she is and why she’s here.” I’m not sure I believe him.

“You should’ve been clearer with your instructions because that isn’t what happened. He attacked her while she was sleeping.” I can’t tell him Bleu killed Malcolm. It will only arouse more suspicion. “I came home and found them struggling. It was dark so I had no idea it was a brother.”

“What did you do?”

“He’s dead.”

“And so it begins,” Abram sneers. “Don’t you see? We’ve lost a good brother because of her.”

“We lost Malcolm because you sent him into my home behind my back. This one is on you.”

“Mark my words. That girl’s lying in wait. She’s the devil in his most beautiful form and she’s here to sabotage us.”

“I’m warning you, Abram.” Now it’s my finger pointing at him. “Don’t send anyone else after her.”

“Or what, Sinclair? You’ll kill me? You’ll choose a stranger over your own family?”

“Enough!” my father growls. “No one in this family is killing another member.”

“I saw the way you looked at her, Thane. You have a soft spot for that lass because she reminds you of Amanda.”

Abram’s obsessed with Bleu’s likeness to Amanda Lawrence. I’m afraid he won’t be over it soon.

“Bleu reminds me of a happy time in my life but it doesn’t blind me to the risk she poses. And my son isn’t a fool. He’ll take the proper action if needed.”

Abram must understand he doesn’t get to deliver the verdict on Bleu. “You come to me if you have any further concerns about her and I’ll be the one to take care of them. Not you.”

“Do tell, Sinclair … what will you do if you find she’s not who she claims to be?”

There’s only one way to deal with a betrayal such as that. “Then it’ll be my place to kill her.”

He looks pleased. “When the time comes—and it will—The Fellowship and I will hold you to that.”

“If she’s working for the enemy, I won’t hesitate.”

“It’s good to know she hasn’t completely impaired your judgment.”

I’m not telling Bleu that Abram sent a brother after her. It’s better she believes Malcolm was an intruder coming for me. There’s also no need for her to know my uncle suspects she’s an informant.