A Necessary Sin (The Sin Trilogy, #1)(68)

I feel absolutely horrid. “Do you have any idea how it makes me feel to know he’s suffering in my place?”

“You should be very proud. It’s an honorable thing he’s doing for you.”

These people are out of their minds. Why would I be proud or honored by his suffering? “Well, I’m not. It’s killing me to know he’s in excruciating pain and I’m the cause.”

“It speaks multitudes about his feelings for you,” Jamie says. “He basically took a beating to prove how much he loves and trusts you.”

“He could’ve just said so instead. That would’ve been a lot easier.”

“He’s going to be fine, Bleu.” Jamie laughs but I find nothing humorous. “I’ll give him something for the pain as soon as they’ve finished. You should expect him to be out of it by the time he’s home.”

The last time he was out of it, he was in such bad shape I nearly lost him. “Promise me you’ll take care of him, Jamie.”

“I swear.”



* * *



I’m looking out the front window of Sin’s flat watching for headlights when Isobel catches me off guard. “Has ma son told ye he loves ye?”

“No.”

“He doesnae have tae say the words for it tae be so.” She hesitates a moment. “It might not be something ye’ll ever hear from him.”

“I tried to tell him I love him tonight, but he stopped me when he realized what I was about to say.” I smile. “He put his finger to my mouth and told me to save it for a happier occasion.”

“He wants it tae be special when ye say it for the first time. That’s rather romantic.”

“Yeah.”

“Ye don’t understand oor ways, so this must seem terribly barbaric tae ye. It isn’t. This thing he’s done for ye is an act of true love. Right now, ye can’t recognize its beauty for the ugliness, but ye’ll come tae understand how truly beautiful this is.”

It’s impossible for me to see the beauty of his body being battered to a pulp.

“Sinclair has zero experience with love. He had no examples to watch as he was growing up. Be patient with him.”

“I think he’s doing a pretty fantastic job.” I come to attention when I see headlights on the street but they pass the building without stopping. “He wants to have a relationship with you.”

“I know. And I have ye tae thank for that,” Isobel says.

“I haven’t done anything special.”

“Ye’ve brought me and my eldest back together. I didn’t know that was possible after all the years we spent apart. I thought Thane had made him hate me the way he does.”

“Did you always hate one another?” I ask.

“No, Thane loved me when we were first married. I was the one in love with someone else and I blamed him for keeping us apart. Ma coldness eventually turned him into a different person—one nobody could love.” That isn’t true. I’m certain my mother loved Thane.

It’s a peculiar thought—that she could’ve been in love with a monster—until I remember who I love. Am I not following in her footsteps? Is Sin not a younger version of his father?

“Would ye care for tea?”

It looks as though we’ll be waiting a while longer. “I would.”

I turn to leave the window and Isobel gets up from her seat. “No, lass. I’ll take care of it. You keep watch.”

A moment later she comes into the living room carrying a tray. “Ye take two cubes and a dash of milk?”

“Yes.” She remembers from the few days I spent at her house while Sin was in the hospital.

I stir the hot tea, trying to cool it faster.

“Bleu, do ye ever wonder why ye’ve allowed yerself to get mixed up in this lunacy?”

“I’d be lying if I said no. But then I think of Sin and I know exactly why.” I bring my tea to my lips to try a small sip but it’s still too hot. “He’ll be in bad shape, won’t he?”

“Aye—and probably for a while. He’s going tae need ye by his side.”

“There’s no way I’d leave him.” I couldn’t if I wanted to.

“Good.” A smile spreads on her face. “He’ll draw strength from having ye near.”

Halfway through the cooling tea, the caffeine adds jitters to my already trembling hands. “It probably wasn’t the best idea to drink this. I’m nervous enough as it is.”

“It’s going tae be a long day and ye’ve not slept. Ye’ll need the fuel.”

I hear the distant sound of a closing car door. I place my teacup on the edge of the cocktail table and rush to the window. “They’re here.”

I go to the door and stand in the entrance waiting for them. I want to scream in horror when Jamie and Mitch bring Sin into the flat.

He’s bloody from head to toe. His face is swollen and distorted. I almost need convincing this is my Sinclair because this person looks nothing like him.

The only positive aspect is that he seems relaxed, not at all guarded. “You gave him something?”

“Aye. Morphine.” Thank God. “Where are we going?”

“I have the bed ready for him.” I knew he was going to be a bloody pulp so I removed our new bedding and replaced it with the old.