Page 47 of Sin

“Traced the number you called from. As soon as I saw the name, I remembered your friend from summer camp.”

“Why are you here?”

“You had to take the folder, didn’t you?” he asked casually, as if inquiring about the weather. Hid words sent a wave of fear coursing through her. “If you had only taken the money, I would’ve been okay with that. I’d have let you exile yourself. But you got greedy and took something you were never meant to find.”

“You embezzled from the church. From the people.”

He snorted. “That money did the church no good. I’m the one who brings the masses. Who collects the money. Who runs the show. Me. I deserve to be compensated for my time and effort.”

“Don’t lie to me. I’ve seen the bank accounts for the dummy corporations you put in my name.”

“And if I don’t get them returned to me, it’ll be your name the police come gunning for. See how clever I am? Always thinking ahead.”

Bile churned in her stomach. “I’m your daughter.”

“That’s what makes it even more tragic. My precious little girl fell victim to sin.” He pulled out a gun from his pocket and aimed it at her. “Give me the account codes you changed, and you won’t die tonight.”

Adira lifted her chin. “You kill me and you’ll never get those codes. Guess we’re at an impasse because I know you won’t risk that.”

“I don’t have to kill you,” he said smugly.

He fired the gun and her body lurched backward as the bullet hit her shoulder. Intense searing pain consumed her body, causing her to cry out as she fell her to her knees. Blood poured down her torso and back, immediately drenching her shirt with the viscous serum.

“I’ll just make it impossible for you to withstand the pain.”

She spat at him. “I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“Don’t quote the fucking Bible to me.”

Adira ignored him. Tears ran down her cheeks, the excruciating pain almost too much to bear. “Thou shalt not steal.”

She was losing too much blood. A woozy feeling started blanketing her mind and she knew she had to do something or else she was going to be at the mercy of her father.

“What’s the matter, daughter?” Vincent taunted. “Lightheaded?”

“You’ve underestimated me my whole life, but I’m not the fool you think I am. The best thing that could’ve happened to me was overhearing you tell Abel to find a side piece. Go to hell, Dad.”

Just then the unmistakable sound of motorcycles reverberated around them, and she’d never been gladder to hear the throaty growl of a bike. Her father gave a low cuss under his breath and in the next instant was gone.

She stayed on her knees long enough to see Hunter and Ares pull up. They parked and dismounted, running up to her just as consciousness gave out.

“Adira!”

Strong arms caught her before her head hit the concrete.

****

Ares paced back and forth in the waiting room, slowly going out of his mind. Watching his woman fall, blood staining her chest, would haunt him for the rest of his life. Just because the bullet was high up on the shoulder didn’t mean it was free of complications. Adira lost a lot of blood. Tissue damage, chipped bone … she was going to be in tremendous pain.

“I’m going to kill that son of a bitch,” Hunter muttered. He slumped in the uncomfortable hospital, leg bouncing uncontrollably.

“Get in line,” Ares replied.

Hunter snorted. Chase, Vivi, and Lincoln waited with them while Brim, Thorn, Ghost, and a dozen men hunted for Vincent Dobias. Ares had no doubt they’d find him, from whatever rock he’d crawled back under. Him and that bitch Lori. They were both going to suffer for their part in why Adira was now in surgery, getting the fucking bullet removed from her body.

“When she wakes up, we have to clear up the misunderstanding,” Hunter said, leaning his head back. “She thinks we were trying to get rid of her.”

“Yeah, I was there.”

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