Page 95 of Peaceful Chaos

Limbo

Raven

Limbo,an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition. That sums up my entire life to a T. Take right now for example, it couldn't get more uncertain than pacing in Sin’s bedroom at his parents’ home. A bedroom he only used while we were kept apart, because he hasn’t lived in that house since he was a toddler.

Carina knocks on the open door. "I brought you a change of clothes. I thought you'd like to get out of your tactical gear." She crosses the room and sets the pile of soft looking items on the end of the bed.

I snatch up the pile, eager to be out of the Chaos uniform I donned for the mission to Devil's Crossing. There's an ensuite bathroom with a large garden tub and a huge shower with multiple shower heads. Everything in here and in the bedroom is done with careful attention to detail.

Setting the pile of clothes on the marble countertop, I grab the t-shirt from the pile. Something is familiar about it, and when I lift it to my face, I can smell the spicy scent of the soap Sin likes to use. Shaking it out, I vaguely recognize it as one of the few items he'd packed from when we ran from Damien's house.

Pulling it over my head, I imagine his arms wrapped around me, and the ache I've felt all night from missing him expands in my chest. I finish getting dressed and walk back into the bedroom.

Carina seems lost in thought as she wanders around the room. She doesn't turn around, but she must know I'm there since she starts talking to me again. "For all the years he was missing I've kept this room. It made me feel like I still had a piece of him. Even when he was here there was a part of him gone."

"None of this really fits him. I know that now." She seems defeated, and I don't like that.

She looks back at me. "We were wrong to try and separate the two of you. I don't think we can ever apologize enough for that, but I pray you can forgive us anyway."

I start to shake my head. "I'm not the one you need to make it up to."

"That's where you're wrong. I've missed so much of my son's life, but yet, I still see so much of his father in him. They are both deeply moral men. And when they love, it's completely. Arthur could tolerate a lot of personal insults, but if someone so much as looks at me funny, he's ready to go to war. Sound familiar?"

A laugh escapes me. "Must be genetic."

"So you see. If we don't make things right with you, we'll never stand a chance of getting to know him."

"I'd never stand in the way of Sin having his family back." I hope she sees how much I mean that.

"I'm so sorry we didn't see you clearly when we learned of your marriage. I'm afraid we couldn't see past our hatred of Damien to realize you might be just as much a victim of that horrible man." Her words are contrite and heartfelt. I can understand why she's the parent Sin is slowly letting in.

"My experience with my father isn't even close to the horrors Sin lived through. I can understand why you wanted him away from Damien completely."

Carina reaches out and takes my hands in hers. "But you are not your father's crimes. I'm sorry we didn't see that. Not only because we pushed Sin away, but because you're just an innocent girl."

I clear my throat and extract my hands from hers. Displays of affection are still foreign to me. Like Sin, I'm really only comfortable with him. I smile to soften what might seem like rejection.

"Is Natalie settled in?" I ask, changing the subject.

After Sin was taken into custody, Arthur brought her back here. We could have taken Javier’s plane back to California after our side trip to Devil’s Crossing, but I refused to leave without Sin. David remained back at the apartment because he didn’t want to leave Tempest without at least one of her parents, but Natalie seems to be having a hard time without him.

Lucien, Javier, and I came back here after I burned down my father's mansion. A smile spreads across my face as the images of fire licking over the walls fills my mind.

"She is. We had a lovely chat while you were with my brother. Natalie is a sweet woman. I know she's anxious for your brother to return. What her brother did hurt her a great deal."

"It isn't her fault," I murmur.

"It's not Holbrook's either," a voice rumbles from the door.

I gasp and start running through the room. The second Sin enters the room I launch myself at him, sure he'll be able to support my weight.

My arms wrap around his neck, and he lifts me so that my legs wrap around his waist.

Sin nuzzles into the side of my neck, and I can hear him smelling me. I try and pull back. "I smell like a bonfire."

He takes another deep inhale. "No, you smell like freedom. Did you miss me, princess?"

"So much." My voice is breathy, and I'm a little embarrassed how desperate I feel to have him to myself.

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