Page 66 of Blind Sin

“Will you stop that fucking pounding?” Dacre moans. He’s reverted to type by pouring his misery into working.

“Not unless you want me to start pounding on other things. Namely Nix’s skull when he gets back.”

Dacre looks up. “Nix did what he had to do. She’d never have gotten over it if Lucinda had left.”

“She might!” I reply, hitting the steak another time.

“We’ve lost her,” Dacre snaps. “Get the fuck over it.”

Get over it? Like he’s going to do that. The one time he even thought he liked a girl; he moped for months when she dumped his ass. And Sinful is not just any girl.

“She did us a favour anyway,” he continues. “I think I’ve got us a deal on the boat. I had to drop the price since it's no doubt going to be reported stolen any second now, but someone on the mainland wants to take a look at it in a couple of days. I’m only going to get enough money for three tickets out of here.”

I shake my head. The boat must be worth at least a quarter of a mill, and he’s only going to sell it for enough money for three airline tickets. “Remind me never to go into the criminal mastermind business with you,” I grumble as I continue bashing the steaks.

We both hear the boat engine at the same time.

“He’s back quick,” I mutter, slamming the tenderizer down on the counter.

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t,” Dacre warns as he steps up to look out of the window.

Nix could pound the shit of me. I know it, but right now I don’t care. I’m a lover not a fighter, but hitting the steaks wasn’t cutting it. Nix didn’t have to take her. We could have sorted something out.

“He brought her back.” Dacre calls from his position by the window. “Shit. He brought them both back?”

I race him to the door and fling it open. Sinful is already on the jetty and Nix is helping Lucinda off.

She’s not murdered him then. Something akin to hope flutters in my chest as My Sinful starts running down the jetty towards me. I’ve never been one for romantic shit, but right now it’s like a real life fucking Hallmark moment. She flings herself into my arms and I spin her round right there on the jetty.

“Hold up, loverboy,” Lucinda snaps as she strides down the jetty towards us. “I need to speak to everyone in the main house. Now.”

It feels like school again as we all gather in the living area. Sinful sits on the sofa with Lucinda taking the place next to her. Dacre sits on the love seat and Nix stands while I lean on the kitchen counter. Sinful is back, but if Lucinda’s face is anything to go by, it’s not going to be without rules. No touching. No fucking looking at her. I love a good game, but I hate being told what to do.

Lucinda’s eyes sweep over all of us, one to the next. She clears her throat. “Every single one of you lied to me. You all made me a promise not to touch Lauren and it seems that there’s a lot that’s been going on behind my back. I’m angry and I’m upset, but at the end of the day, what Lauren chooses to do with her life is up to her.” She turns to Lauren. “Lauren. I’ve been in denial because I don’t want to lose you, but out there on that boat, I was making the choice to run away from you and that scared me more than anything.”

“I’m scared too, Lucy. I don’t want to lose you. You’re my home, but these men are my home too.”

Lucinda visibly crumples “No one is losing anyone,” Dacre interjects.

Both girls look at him. This should be good. A Dacre declaration. A Dacrelaration if you will.

“Not a single one of us have any family that gives a shit. Nix’s parents are dead, Mercier’s are in jail or fuck knows where. Mine actively hate me and yours...” he nods at Lucinda and Lauren. “Well your father is the reason we’re in this shit in the first place.”

“Do you have a point to this?” Nix drawls.

“Yes, I fucking do.” Dacre is looking way more animated than he usually does which is fun in itself. “We’ve all fallen for Lauren and somewhere along the line we’ve become our own family. As dysfunctional as we all are, we all work. But...”

Oooh time for the big reveal. Dacre needs to get excited more often. It’s so much more of a thrill than his usually mopey self.

“Lucinda.” He looks directly at her. “You are our family too.”

“I’m not sleeping with any of you!” she says a little too quickly for my liking.

Dacre shakes his head, his expression serious. “This isn’t about sex. It’s about all of us, together. We don’t want to separate you and Lauren. We care for both of you. Yes, maybe in different ways, but damn... this last week and a half has been the best time of my entire life and you have been as much a part of it as Lauren has. Right Mercier? Nix”

“I’ve enjoyed teaching you how to cook,” I admit. “You’d make a fucking excellent sous chef if you kept it up.”

I’m sure I see a hint of a smile on her face.

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