Page 42 of Sweet Sin

FALCON

Eight Years Earlier…

I flush the powder. Nothing like seeing hundreds of thousands of dollars go down the toilet, but the Bellamys don’t fuck with drugs.

Hawk and I both swore to keep it a secret, and we made plans to have that old barn razed.

But before we could do it —

Eagle came to my room. I was living in my old room while my house was being built. I’d just graduated college, and in a few weeks Mom and I were supposed to leave on a wine tour. Then Leif and I were going to join the Navy.

Except none of that will happen. I haven’t talked to Leif yet, but no way can I leave my family. No wine tour, and no Navy. Not until this drug shit is put to bed.

How did I not notice what was going on with Eagle? I was in my last year of college and Hawk in his first, Robin and Raven in their third, so Eagle was the only kid at home this past school year.

He seemed fine during winter break, and I didn’t go home for spring break. Leif and I went to Fort Lauderdale and partied it up.

But I look at my youngest brother now, as he stands in my doorway, trembling slightly, and I realize he’s lost weight.

I’ve seen the way he eats, and I know how hard Dad works him here on the ranch, so he should be all muscle.

He’s tall and lanky. Why didn’t I notice?

Was I not looking?

“Eagle?”

Eagle scratches his arm. “I need to talk to you.”

“Sure. Come on in.”

He enters and closes the door behind him.

“Have a seat.” I gesture to my desk chair, and then I take a seat on the bed. “What’s up?”

“I’ve got a problem. A big assed problem.”

“You don’t look good, E.”

“I’m not.”

“What the fuck is going on? You look like you need a hit.”

He rakes his fingers through his hair, stares down at his lap.

Looks like I fucking nailed it.

Anger laces through my veins. “What the hell, Eagle? Drugs?”

He looks up, his eyes wide…and kind of bloodshot. “Falcon, I’m in big trouble.”

“If you’re on drugs, I’d say you are. But we’ll get you detoxed. Mom and Dad—”

“Mom and Dad can’t know anything about this.”

“You know they’d do anything for any of us. We have plenty of money to get you the best help available. So we’re going to—”

He rises then, and he has a look on his face that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen before. Fear, agony, and…torment. “No. No Mom and Dad,” he says through gritted teeth.

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