Page 2 of Sins

“How?” Knox shook his head, confused. “You’re like a fucking Picasso painting.” He waved a finger at all my tats. “Leo was a blank slate, for shit’s sake.”

“I don’t understand, Grim.” Mom leaned forward in her chair.

“Me either.” Knox pursed his lips. “Even if he had your jacket on, he looks nothing like you.”

“Hired men don’t get photos, they get marks.” I tried to calm my nerves and remember Knox wouldn’t know this shit. “They get a text, a bit of information, that’s it.”

“Why? That’s stupid.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “It’s all about tracing shit back.” I slammed my fists into the chair. “You’d know this shit if you actually paid attention.”

“Grim!” Mom warned as she pressed her hands flat on the table. “What do you mean, Cameron ordered the hit? What evidence do you have?”

“Kenna.” As her name slipped past my lips, I had a sudden vision of her still handcuffed in my room. “She found an envelope in her father’s office. It had Leo’s cufflinks and some of that straw that was found in Leo’s room.”

“Proof of a kill,” Dad spelled out for Knox, who had suddenly paled. “Any chance it could be a fluke?”

“No.” I rubbed my head. “Jesse found out Cameron sent Sonny to New Orleans. To see where we were, maybe? I’m guessing, but to me, it’s enough, with the cufflinks?—”

“That’s not why he sent Sonny there.” We all turned to stare at Knox. “He wanted confirmation that you and Kenna were together.”

I swallowed hard as Knox slowly shook his head like something was coming back to him. “What doyouknow, little brother?”

“More than I realized, I think.” His face morphed into visible pain, and for a moment, I took pity on him. “I’m not as stupid as you might assume.” His eyes went glossy. “I know I party too much, but it’s because I’m not ready to deal with the shit youall do. You all walk around like you carry this big secret on your shoulders, and Grim is always angry or just plain covered in blood.”

I shrugged. “We have a lot of enemies.”

“Don’t we have people to keep them out?” His youth showed in his face, and I saw the little boy I’d helped shield from our world for so long peek through. Yet another mistake I’d made. I shook the thought away and slipped back to business. “Knox, what do you?—”

“It’s a lot,” Dad cut me off, and I moved to sit next to him, “and we’re carrying a big secret, son. One I think you might be in the middle of without knowing it.” He gave Knox a sad smile and pointed at the chair across from us. “Grim may be right, Knox. If we can figure out what Cameron’s up to and what else you might know, maybe we can end this nightmare and move on.” Dad reached across and patted his arm tenderly. “What else do you know, son?”

“Well, I know Calli likes to feed me drinks.” He squeezed his eyes shut as he thought. “At first, I thought she just wanted us to have fun, but over time, I noticed she never really touches much alcohol at all. One time when I wasn’t feeling the best, you know, from the night before,” he made a face and looked down, “I pretended to drink whatever she gave me, but I poured them into a planter next to me. Later, when I was zapped from the sun, I drifted off in the cabana. I wasn’t totally asleep and overheard Cameron telling Calli he’d sent Sonny to New Orleans to get proof that you,” he looked at me, “were fooling around with Kenna.”

“That’s probably what made him snap.” I slammed my fist into the table. “After I beat his face in, I’m going to slice his throat and break every?—”

“Calm down, Grim,” Mom said firmly. “Knox, I know you care for Calli, but you see what’s happening here, right?”

“I do. But, Mom, I really love Calli. She’s different than them.” He didn’t get it, blinded by easy pussy and a cute smile. “She’s just as blind to her father as Kenna is.”

“Don’t,” I snapped. “Don’t clump the two of them together.” I suddenly felt wildly protective of the woman I’d ripped apart emotionally and still held captive in my bedroom.

“She feels stuck in her job because she works for him. You guys don’t know the Calli that I do. She’s loyal to her father. Surely that counts for something?” Knox looked at Dad, and I saw red. Dad must have sensed my change in mood because his tone changed.

“It does,” he said soothingly. “I love that you see the good in everyone.” He stood and walked around the table and kissed Knox on the head like he was twelve and not in his mid-twenties. “And you’re right. We don’t know Calli, and maybe given what’s going on, we need to. Why don’t you invite her to dinner tonight? Kenna too.” Dad gave me a look, and I wanted to laugh at what I was hearing.

“Sure, I’ll ask.” Knox cautiously looked at me then at Dad. “Just make sure Kenna will be there so Grim doesn’t take a swipe at Calli.”

I found it humorous that he thought Kenna could stop me.

“I will.” Dad smiled warmly. “Why don’t you head out, and we’ll deal with this Sonny situation?”

“Okay.” He looked relieved to go. “Sounds good.” He headed for the door.

I blocked his path and pushed a finger into his chest. “Just remember what blood you carry and where your loyalty lies.”

“Andyoudon’t forget he was my brother, too.” He swallowed hard. “You grieve with violence and I with emotion. You might want to try it sometime before you push everyone who loves you away.” He shoved my arm aside and left.

As the door slammed shut, Mom let out a light cry.

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