Bane (Sinners of Saint #4)(81)

“She does.” I sniffed, scrapping an invisible stain from the table.

“Does she still go to the maze?” Ryan interrupted, his voice no longer hostile, although still edgy.

I shook my head. “I go there now.”

“That’s where they fell in love,” Kacey commented, and my heart skipped a beat at her words. It was where I’d fallen in love, too. “My dad and her. This mansion belonged to his family. She was the gardener’s daughter. He used to go there all the time. That’s where they met. That’s where they fell in love.” Kacey took a shaky breath, a tear rolling down her cheek. “That’s where I was conceived, and that’s why we are all here.”

I have no regrets. I loved fully, I remembered Mrs. Belfort saying.

I smiled to myself. “She is the best company I’ve had in years.”

Ryan stood up and looked at his sister, who did the same. Something passed between them I couldn’t interpret. They asked for an hour, which I was happy to give them. I spent the time sitting at the dining table, alone, thinking about everything and nothing.

After an hour, Kacey sauntered back into the room. Alone. She looked like she’d been crying. I wished I had a brother to hold me when I did.

“Yes. We will take her,” she nodded curtly. “I’ll make the arrangements ASAP.”

I sucked in a greedy breath, realizing I’d been holding it for who knows how long.

One pin down.

Just a few more to go.





I hurried to my Range Rover like my butt was on fire. Mainly, I wanted to get to Roman as soon as I could and have this conversation that hung over my head. I light-jogged to my vehicle when I heard the familiar sound of Darren’s Mercedes locking. I tried to slip into the driver’s side, but then I heard his voice booming from behind the palm trees dividing the two mansions. “Jethy!”

I froze for a second. No matter how mad I was at Pam, Darren didn’t deserve my wrath. I owed him at least an acknowledgment. I turned around from my door, plastering a patient smile on my face.

“Hey, Darren. I was actually just about to leave.”

Darren rushed over to where I was standing, and I inwardly groaned. I really wanted to get to Roman as soon as possible.

“I need to talk to you, thweetie.”

“Now’s not a good time.” I turned around, swinging my door open again.

“It’s about your boyfriend.”

I paused, my back still to him. He had my attention, though, and he knew it.

“I was hoping we could do it thomewhere elth. Maybe Mayra’th offith?”

Driving all the way downtown to have a talk with me? Why couldn’t he do it at the house? Because whatever it is, Pam doesn’t know. A terrible feeling came over me.

Why would Darren have a key to Mayra’s office, anyway? Just how close were they?

I’m missing a chunk from my memory.

No, you’re not.

“Darren, I want to leave.”

I want to leave.

He gripped my arm and turned me around. It wasn’t violent and it wasn’t hurtful. What it was, was familiar. And it shouldn’t have been.

“Jethy,” this time it was a growl.

“What do you want?” I barked. A miserable feeling of a lack of self-control came over me. This felt dangerous. I wanted to take my imaginary sword and use it. I wanted to become the hero of my own story.

“You have to break up with Roman.”

“Why?”

“Becauth he is lying to you.”

“Why?” I persisted.

“Because the only reason he slept with you was because I paid him to!” His words came out in an angry haste. The air in my lungs squeezed against my chest, and my mouth dropped open. I stared at him, wide-eyed, before the next splutter of words attacked me. He was so close to me, our faces so near, I could see things on his face I’d never seen before. Fury. Frustration. Madness.

“I knew he was the town’s whore and that he was for hire. Knew that he had a café for you to work in. I paid him six million dollars to build his stupid SurfCity in exchange for spending six months with you. I didn’t want him to touch you or seduce you, just bring you back to life. I meant well, Jesse, but he took the money and the girl, too. A girl who wasn’t mine to give. He tried to blackmail me yesterday.”

My back slammed against my vehicle. I cupped a hand over my mouth. “No.”

“Yes. I bet he didn’t tell you why I wanted to break the contract, right? I didn’t even mind about you going out together. I only want what’s best for you, sweetie.” He was under the impression Bane had already told me.

I have something to tell you.

Is it bad?

Just come home.

He was about to.

Darren took a step toward me, even though we were already too close. “I ran a check on him to make sure he wasn’t as dangerous as they said.” He talked fast, in a hurry to get his point across. “And I found out that…sweetie, Roman is your stepbrother. Artem had an affair with Roman’s mother.”

An arrow of hot angry bile shot straight to my throat.

“You’re lying.” My voice broke.

Darren thrust his phone into my hand. “Call him and ask. He won’t deny this. His mother was Artem’s mistress. He is not the solution to your problems, Jesse. He is the cause of all of them.”