Page 78 of By Sin To Atone

“Wait, what?”

“We bought our way in. Well, my father did.”

“You can do that?”

He shrugs a shoulder. “When you have enough money and enough hate you can do anything.” His eyes go flat momentarily before he blinks and shakes his head. He turns to me. “You don’t slip away tonight, you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” I salute.

“I mean it.”

“Believe me, I don’t hope to run into Wyatt Hoxton on my own ever again. Hell, I don’t even want to run into him with you there.”

“My brother’s wife, Isabelle will be there. I think you might actually like her.”

“As opposed to your brother?”

He grins. “Jericho can be difficult.”

“No!” I feign shock.

“You like me better than my brother then?” he asks, and I think he regrets it the moment the words are out. I don’t know how to answer but just then, we pull into the IVI compound along with a string of expensive Rolls Royce’s. My anxiety rises as the car slows to a stop. Zeke climbs out and Dex opens my door as Zeke walks around. He extends his hand to help me out.

I take it, step out into the breezy night. I tug my wrap closer and look around. We’ve entered on the courtyard side. I’m used to the employee entrance of The Cat House which is not front and center. We step past the line of cars and through the gates into the courtyard. It’s huge, the walls surrounding the compound high. Several trees are hung with lanterns and it’s almost as though the entire area is lit by thousands of candles and the stars in the sky. Flowers add drama at every turn, and the sound of a violin comes from inside the double French doors that stand open. Waiters circulate with trays of champagne, and I wonder what is housed within the buildings. The one I do know, one I heard rumors about in my time at The Cat House is behind me. It’s the circular Tribunal building. I turn to glance over my shoulder and shudder at the imposing shadow it casts. A small window high up, one of few, is the only one with light burning inside.

“Is that really… I mean, do they have trials and… things there?” I ask Zeke.

He nudges me forward. “And things,” he says to me then turns to Jericho. “Brother.”

Jericho reaches us, nods to Zeke and turns his untrusting gaze to me. Beside him is a stunning woman who is smiling wide, her face bright and open and welcoming. The absolute opposite of her husband.

“You must be Blue,” she says, coming to give me a hug.

An actual hug.

I’m so taken aback, it takes me a moment to hug her back. The St. James family are not huggers.

“I’m Isabelle,” she says, pulling back, but keeping hold of my hands.

“My wife,” Jericho says, his voice dark as he wraps his hand around the back of her neck. Is that a St. James thing?

Isabelle glances at him. “I think she probably got that, Captain Obvious.”

He narrows his gaze at her, tugs her close. The action is, in a word, tender, and I can see the affection between them. He whispers something into her ear that makes her blush.

She clears her throat and blinks several times.

From the satisfied grin on Jericho’s face, he got the last word on that one.

Zeke leans toward him and says something I don’t hear.

“How are you doing over there at the house?” Isabelle asks after clearing her throat.

“Okay, I guess.” Does she know exactly how I came to be at the house?

She looks over her shoulder at Zeke. “He’s not so bad,” she whispers. “More bark than bite.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” I say. “He has plenty of bite.” My face burns as I realize how literal that is even though that wasn’t my intent.

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