Page 79 of Pretty Broken Promises

“No, I was diagnosed with that years ago. I guess you’re trying to not so subtly remind me to get back on the point, right? And you probably want to know what our dear Coach is up to?” Lucien asks.

Raven rolls her eyes. “Something like that yes. We certainly didn't call you so you could hit on the football player you didn't know was here.”

“I knew Ford was there. I haven't gotten around to hitting on him yet. Probably because I've made a policy not to sleep with the same people you have. I don't think that we should do any Blackthorne double dipping.”

“Yeah well, I'm a Sinclair now.”

“If I can’t escape being a Blackthorne, neither can you. It’s a stain that never washes off. Besides, I'm not really hitting on the football player. Ted and Amber are up at the cabin and I'm bored,” he says.

Sin groans. “If we could finish this up, you could go join them.”

“Check your email. I sent the pictures minutes ago.”

“So this entire time we've been having this asinine conversation—” I say.

“The answer has been in his email? Yep. I just wanted to see how long he would let me go on before he lost it or decided to check his messages. Peace out, bitches. I'm heading to the cabin,” Lucien says, and promptly ends the call.

I look over at Raven and say, “Is it just me or is your brother weirder than before?”

A sad look comes over her face. “It's how he copes with stress.”

“Humor, or violence. Sometimes dark humor, while committing violence. You know he had to step up and take over Damien's organization, right? The power vacuum that was left with no one running the organization was causing too many problems. Our dear agents Marks and Holbrook asked him to step in and help them wind up the organization,” Sin explains.

“That explains what he meant about the stain of being a Blackthorne,” I say.

Sin checks out of the conversation while he examines something on his laptop. Raven carries on as if he didn't just zone out, because honestly, this is a normal occurrence. “This is one time I'm okay being left out of the family secrets. I know he's had to see some stuff that even he didn't know about, and isn't ready to deal with. Our father was worse than we thought, and we thought he was pretty awful. Teddy has been helping him shut down all of the various outposts and satellite operations my father had his hands in. It's nothing you need to worry about though. It's not like we're all going to end up living in a mercenary compound again. Lucien might, but the rest of us will be fine.”

Kendall turns to look at me. “Does Coach Greer have any idea who he fucked with?”

Sin laughs quietly to himself. It doesn't sound humorous, but eerie and haunting. “No, but he is going to find out. What do you say, Shaw, are you up for some of our brand of justice one more time? I think it’s the only way to make sure the two of you can be together without interference.”

Once again, Sin turns his computer so that I can see his screen. This time he shows me a picture, zoomed in on almost the same image as the video, except this time the other man is clearly identifiable as none other than, Wendell James.

Tessa leans forward. Her head snaps up and some silent communication passes between her and Sin. Somehow, I don't foresee Wendell surviving the lesson that Sin plans on teaching.

ChapterThirty-One

TESSA

Shane thoughtit would be a good idea for all of us to surprise Ford by coming to the game, even though Ford still hasn’t played yet this season. Lucien, Teddy, and Amber aren’t able to make it, but the rest of us managed to snag tickets close to the fifty-yard line. Shane said he had someone who owed him a favor, but I’m not even sure Ford could have gotten us tickets this good if he were starting. I think he’s looking for a way to make up with both of us, and I know Ford misses him. As long as he’s willing to try, I should be willing to do the same.

When we show up at the game the ticket agent steps away and gets on the radio as soon as she scans our tickets. Raven looks confused. “That was weird, right?”

Shane, Jen, and I turn our attention to Sin. He holds his hands up. “I haven’t done anything violent in months.”

“I don’t have a good feeling about this,” I say. Ever since Ford left early this morning, little bubbles of anxiety have been percolating through my body. I’m practically effervescent with tension at this point.

We’re left waiting for a couple of minutes before someone with a Cascade University windbreaker heads our way. When he gets closer I notice over the right breast it says, “Mitch Arnold, Athletic Director.”

I paste a fake smile on my face and speak without moving my lips, “Incoming. Don’t trust him.”

Sin snorts. “I never trust anybody.”

He grunts, and I catch Raven elbow him in the side. “You’re not just anybody, Princess.”

We all stop talking when he gets close to us. “I had to come out when I was alerted you came. We knew one of our players was from here, so we made sure to flag if any family showed up to the game. Tessa James, you’re Ford’s sister, right?”

My jaw clenches, but before I can speak, Shane puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “Technically she’s his stepsister, but her dad married his mom after they were already together. She’s actually his fiancée.”

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