Page 59 of Sins

As Dad looked around, I saw the corners of his mouth turn up. We were on display like a fucking National Geographic documentary. He might think he was safe from death, but he wasn’t safe from the truth.

“I got a call today.” I tapped my nails on the tabletop and avoided a look toward Simon. I hoped he’d know I wouldn’t toss him in the line of fire. “He had a lot to share.”

“I don’t have time for this right now.” Dad attempted to brush me off, but I grabbed a glass from the center of the table and tossed it hard at the glass wall. It burst and shattered above him, and he yelped and covered his head. The customers at the tables around us now stood and looked toward us with concern. I ignored everyone except the pathetic coward across from me.

“You will listen to me, you sorry excuse for a father.” I dripped with venom. “You brag and brag about how great you are as a lawyer. Then why’d you lose a case for the Potens?” His eyes popped wide open at that. “You let them fill our home with dangerous men. You know they stepped over the line with me. And not just me, by the way,” I shot him a hateful glare, “with Calli too.” I noticed Simon’s head tilted at me.

“I’m not listening to this drivel. Get out of here, now!” Dad glanced around like a cornered hare. “You make me sound like a mobster.”

I ignored him and looked around at the now interested faces. “You went after Grim and got Leo killed, you went after meand got Calli killed. You’re the worst mobster I’veeverseen.” I heard someone gasp. It might not be exactly right, but who was counting?

“That’s enough!” He slammed his fist on the table, and the water glasses rattled.

“That’s what I thought!” I screamed matching his volume. “But of course it keeps going because you’re Cameron Tame. You’re the big man who can’t help but make my life much worse than you already have.” Grim pulled out his gun and rested it on his thigh. I covered his hand and slipped my finger over the trigger and tried to pull it from his hand, but he wouldn’t let go.

“Maybe we should all take a breather.” The security agent tried to step in, but Jesse, to my absolute delight, elbowed him in the stomach, and he gasped and stepped back with a nod. I swung my gaze back to Dad. He looked stricken.

“Tell her the truth, Cameron,” Simon said. “Give her that much.”

Dad’s face turned red as his blood pressure no doubt skyrocketed. “Did you have something to do with this? You stupid little weasel, you’re trying to play me!”

“You played your entire family!”

“About that,” I stepped in, “at what point were you going to admit you kept Zara around as your secretary because you were sleeping with her mother?” I pulled on Grim’s gun again, but he refused to loosen his grip. Then he tried to pull it free himself, but I held on. We were in a frigging tug of war for who got to kill the asshole first. I almost smiled.

“All right!” Dad swung his arms, and I saw the sweat on his forehead. “I loathe the ground you walk on, Grim Gates. You’ve screwed everything up for me since you came back, and now you’re sleeping with my daughter!” He pounded on his chest.

“Actually…” I interrupted and placed my left hand on the table. My huge engagement ring flashed like fire in the lights above the table, and Dad’s face paled.

Grim slid his hand over my stomach and kissed my cheek. “And,” he gave Dad a big smile, “she’s carrying my child.”

Bang!

The sound deafened me, then I registered blood as it sprayed over the glass behind his head. For a split second of fear, my eyes flew to Grim, but his head was turned away. In one long blink, I saw the gun. It was being removed from the hands of my mother by Jesse.

“He killed my baby,” she sobbed. Grim’s mother stepped through the stunned crowd and put an arm around her. “I’m so sorry, Kenna, I’m so sorry.” Then she was whisked away by Jesse and swallowed up in the crowd of stunned dinner guests.

“Time to go,” Grim pulled me to my feet, “before the police arrive.” He shielded me as we made our way out of there.

Simon

Ididn’t want to, but I was the only one left to clean out Cameron’s office. I walked there to give myself time to think. It wasn’t far, just off the Strip. I found myself dragging my feet as my mind went back to the last time I’d been there with Calli. I shuddered at the thought. If I hadn’t had a few things of my own that I wanted from my desk, I would have found a reason to never step back in the place.

As I went inside, I thought of all the time I’d spent there over the years. I had disagreed with Cameron when he told me we were to split our time between the office here and the one on the twentieth floor of Indulge, but he said it was at Jim Gates’ request, and I couldn’t argue with that. I knew it would be a big move for Cameron and would bring him closer with them, but I struggled with the Devil’s Reach always being around. It brought an element I didn’t like.

I knew the place had been professionally cleaned, but the smell of her blood still lingered in the air, and a chill raced up my spine.

Calli and I had a different relationship. I was older, and she still had a lot of growing up to do, but I cared for her deeply, no matter what anyone thought. It angered me so much that she had lost her life, and the fact that it was because of her father made it worse. That son of a bitch should have been taken out years before, and Calli would still be alive.

I grabbed a box and hurried to the back to Cameron’s office. The quicker I got the stuff packed up, the quicker I could get out of there.

“I’ll start with his bookshelf,” I said out loud.

“I didn’t see you at Cameron’s funeral.”

“Jesus, Sonny, you scared the shit out of me.” My heart pounded, as he’d come up so silently behind me.

“Sorry.” He shrugged as I reached to pick up the box I’d dropped. “No one noticed you weren’t there, anyway. Only people there were a few clients and no family. I think most just wanted to see that fucker in the ground. It was all a little weird, if you ask me.”