Page 79 of We Are All Sinners

The brothers move to give us a hug and we both back up, putting our hands up and out in a mock defense.

“Germaphobes!” I screech as Brix and Noah move to step in between us, making the three men back off, apologizing quickly.

“Sorry, we like to hug in our family.” Champ blurts out, stumbling on his words, “I’ll explain,” he turns to Liam extending his hand to shake.

I can see the difference between the twins that Emily let us in on. Tattoos mostly, but one parts his hair, and the others is messy. Which is which now that they have moved around, I’m not sure, even though she just introduced them.

“Why don’t you girls go check out the dance floor and have some fun.” Brixon says before he gives me a soft kiss, then turns back towards the guys, probably saying the same to my friends.

The Delamere brothers don’t introduce their dates. The men just take a seat at the large booth, now ignoring us.

Strange men.

The girls and I properly introduce ourselves to their dates, who look like they are afraid of us, but introduce themselves as Courtney, Candace, and Kelcey.

We all decide to give the guys their space with their business dealings and head to the dance floor. I learned a long time ago that when the Saints have business, the women leave them to it.

I think of Brixon’s mom and how she used to tell me how life would be for me one day. She told me I would hate it, but not to worry too much because if Brix was like his father, he would confide in his wife before he would anyone else.

I know Brix will be the same way.

I look at the dance floor as we descend the stairs and laugh when bouncer Matt doesn’t even look up when he moves the lime green rope to let us back through. This is going to be so much fun. I don’t even mind ruining a dress, my hair, or my makeup to get to do this at least once in my life.

We walk by a man with a huge drum set, each of the drums holding a different color of paint. He beats the drums, splattering us all, making the new girls of the night squeal in horror as the paint splatters all over them. They run off; I’m guessing to the restroom.

I can’t contain my laughter as we hit the dance floor. I spin with my hands up in the air as paint flies and bubbles fall. I feel like I’m floating as I get lost in the beat of the music, letting it take over my body.

Chapter 26

Brixon

Ireluctantly load up the car, including the box of files to help continue our investigation back in New Orleans.

Darius decided that he wanted to help. We went to dinner with him and our friends, minus any pets, last night. He gave us what my father had been gathering over the years, along with a necklace that is worth possibly millions, that supposedly completes the trinity.

The keys my father left went to several different safety deposit boxes and safe houses that he and Darius invested in for us. To help keep us safe if and when any of us needed it.

The trinity, we found out, after a little research, was developed to pull power from the ancestors. The original ancestors, from the early days of the Saints in New Orleans who died at their hands. The women created the trinity using dark objects that when puttogether, helped the scorned witches create the curse to take out the LaBlanc women and Blazendel men who made them suffer, using the power of the ancestors consecrated on hallowed ground.

The first Blazendel brought the first LaBlanc witch to New Orleans from Rome. They decided to bring the rest of the witches, unbeknownst to them, under false pretenses.

Delina and Blazendel believed that they were doing the witches a service and ultimately saving their lives. However, the Saint men chose evil. Instead of loving the women and protecting them, they chose to treat them no better than they would cattle.

Years later, the scorned and abused women retaliated with the trinity. A group of dark objects that pulls ancestral magic directly to the ones yielding it.

Over the years, the Saints being who they were, along with the Lablanc witches who suffered at the hands of their covens because of their name, were able to collect all the pieces over time and keep them separated, ensuring that no witch or Saint ever had the power to use it again.

It’s the only way Mark Boudreaux could have pulled off the spell he put us under. Someone on the inside helped him get the trinity and put it all back, without anyone knowing.

I don’t buy it. There has to be a better explanation.

The Trinity has been separated and hidden in multiple locations, including with the witches, and the head of the Saints for eons. It doesn’t make sense that anyone would help Boudreaux, but he had to have had accomplices to pull everything off the way he has.

Until now…

Alec let us know yesterday that Boudreaux and his Queen bitch had been eliminated. Evie took the news better than expected. She didn’t shed a tear. In fact, she looked like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

I was just hoping he would talk. He took it all to his grave, except telling Alec about his time with Emily, and the reason why she was punished. Who picked her up and took her to the hospital, and why she called Genevieve.

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