The Consequences of Sin

by K. A. Robinson

  I shrugged. “Things are complicated right now.”

  “I hadn’t noticed,” he deadpanned.

  “Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. I know it will.” I paused. “And, Reid?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you for what you said in there. Your forgiveness means more than you realize. I never meant to lie to you before. Well, I did, but I didn’t do it to hurt you.”

  “I was being an asshole, and we both knew it. It just didn’t hit me how life could be gone in a moment until I had a gun pointed at me—again. It made me realize that life is too short to hold grudges. And I meant what I said. You’re nothing like your father, Bree. You’re warm and kind and caring.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “You’re welcome. And, Bree?”

  I looked up at him.

  “When you figure your shit out with Wes, I’ll still be here—if he’s what you choose, of course.”

  I gave him a small smile. Of course he would know what was really going on with Wesley and me. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “You do that.”

  I turned away from him and looked up the hill to the cabin. I saw Wesley coming out of it. He’d left the door open, and I could see flames dancing behind him. The fire was small now, but in just a few minutes, I knew it would consume the cabin. Wesley stopped next to the SUV I’d stolen and opened the door. I watched as he lit a match and threw it inside. He did the same with the backseat. He waited until the cloth seats caught before moving away from the car.

  He quickly walked down the hill, never once looking back at the cabin or the car that he’d set on fire.

  “Let’s go,” he said as he opened the driver’s side door. He climbed inside.

  I glanced over at Reid. “You ready to get your life back?”

  “More than ready,” he mumbled as he opened his door.

  “Yeah, me, too.”

  The car ride was silent as we drove away from my past, Reid’s present, and possibly Wesley’s future. So many demons had both died and surfaced in that tiny cabin on the hill. Whatever happened next, I knew our lives would never be the same. Too many things had happened to all of us.

  We stopped at a gas station a few miles away from the interstate, so I could clean the blood off me. While I took care of my face, bandaged my nose, and changed into a clean outfit, Wesley was helping Reid clean his wound and get fresh pants on. Luckily, Reid’s wound was nothing more than a graze. It would hurt like hell, but it wouldn’t kill him.

  When we hit the interstate, Wesley turned his GPS on and punched in an address. My eyes widened when I saw the city—Amarillo. We were going back to Texas.

  “Do you think it’s wise to take us so close to Dallas?” I asked. “My father’s men know you’re both looking for me. When they realize that they haven’t heard from you or my father, they’ll send someone else.”

  “Let me worry about our friends back in London,” Wesley said quietly. “You need to get some sleep. I’m sure you haven’t been sleeping much lately.”

  I shook my head. “No, I’m fine.”

  He reached over and rested his hand on mine. “Bree, sleep. Please.”

  I glanced back at Reid, surprised to see him passed out in the backseat. After what had happened, I was sure that he’d never sleep again. He had struggled enough with sleep before I’d brought all of this to his doorstep.

  “All right, I’ll sleep. But wake me if you need a break from driving.”

  “I will,” Wesley said as he gently squeezed my hand.

  I closed my eyes and forced my body to relax. I expected to be greeted with images of my father, but for once, he left me in peace.

  Then, I fell asleep.

  When I awoke, I looked at the clock first before turning my attention to Wesley’s GPS. It was early afternoon, and we were already on I-83. I’d slept for hours. I groaned as I stretched.

  Wesley glanced over at me. “I was starting to wonder if you were dead. I’m pretty sure you haven’t moved an inch since you fell asleep.”

  “Dead tired maybe. I needed that though. I don’t think I’ve ever slept that good.”

  “Probably because you weren’t afraid to close your eyes for the first time in your life.”

  “You drooled a little,” Reid said from the backseat.

  I turned to see him grinning at me. It was the first real grin I’d seen from him in days. I carefully looked him over. He seemed happier today. I’d expected him to be the complete opposite. After all, he’d watched a man die last night. But he seemed fine. He seemed better than fine.

  “I don’t drool,” I said as I smiled back at him. “Did you sleep well?”

  “Not as good as you. I woke up a few hours ago.” He glanced over at Wesley. “It was wonderful to bond with Wesley over the sound of you snoring like a man.”

  I looked back and forth between them. Wesley glanced over at me long enough to give me a reassuring smile before turning his attention back to the road. I didn’t detect any signs of strain between the two men who were more important to me than anything else.

  “I see neither of you are bleeding. That’s a good sign,” I finally said.

  “Nope. I never thought I’d say this, but it seems like your friend and I have a lot in common.” He gave me a pointed look. “More than we realized.”

  “That’s…good?” I said, still unsure of how I felt over the fact that they’d talked while I was asleep. I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to know what they’d talked about.

  “We have another hour before we reach Amarillo. We didn’t want to wake you up for food, so we’re both starving,” Reid said.

  “You should have woken me up,” I said as my stomach rumbled. “I’m hungry, too. Let’s stop and eat.”

  Wesley pulled off at the next exit. We found a small diner about a mile off of the exit. The parking lot was practically empty, and I knew that made not only me, but also Wesley as well feel more comfortable.

  We all climbed from the SUV and stretched. I bent forward and grabbed my toes before standing upright. Hours in a car could be hell on one’s body. I turned around to meet Wesley and Reid at the front of the car. I stopped short when I saw them standing only a few feet away, both of them wearing identical smirks.

  “What?” I asked.

  Reid shook his head. “If it were any other girl, I would know that she had done that on purpose. With you, I know you didn’t. You’re clueless.”

  “What are you talking about?” I demanded.

  Wesley tried to hide a grin as Reid chuckled. “Those jeans make your ass look awesome, especially when you bend over like that.”

  I felt my cheeks redden from embarrassment. “I didn’t—”

  “We know,” Reid said, still grinning. “Come on, let’s get some food.”

  I shook my head as I followed them inside. My eyes widened when I saw Reid clap Wesley on the back. Apparently, those two had worked out their differences while I had been snoring and drooling. It seemed that my worlds had collided completely now. Reid and Wesley getting along was more shocking than Wesley holding a gun to my head last night.

  I shook my head as we walked into the diner. A hostess quickly hurried over when she noticed us. Her eyes were glued to both of my guys. I couldn’t really blame her. The two of them standing side by side was enough to make any woman stop and stare.

  “Just two?” she asked as she grabbed two menus.

  I rolled my eyes as I stepped forward, directly between the two of them. “Three.”

  She gave me a fake smile before grabbing another menu. “Right this way.”

  She led us to a table in the back. Wesley sat so that his back was against the wall with the front door in perfect view. Without thinking, I sat down next to him. Reid frowned as he sat down across from me, obviously annoyed that I’d chosen to sit next to Wesley.

  I motioned toward the door. “We can see everything better from here.”

  He rolled his ey
es before picking up his menu and flipping it open. My stomach growled again, prompting me to do the same. I scanned over the menu. I was starving, and everything looked good. I wondered how annoyed Wesley would be if I ordered two or three things. He’d probably just grin and shake his head. That was his go-to method when I did something he thought was silly.

  A waitress appeared a few seconds later and took our drink orders. As soon as she walked away, I stared at the menu again, torn between tacos and fried chicken. American foods were the best.

  “You look like you’re about to eat the menu,” Wesley pointed out.

  I grinned. “We’ve been living off of gas station food and a few quick and easy things I picked up at the store. This is going to be fucking nirvana after that junk.”

  His smile faded. “You get whatever you want, Bree—anything. I can’t believe I let him chase you like some kind of animal.”

  He looked away, but I hadn’t missed the shame in his eyes.

  “Hey, it wasn’t your fault, okay?”

  “We’ll talk about this later, Bree, when we’re back in the car or settled in at the hotel.”

  I nodded, knowing that I’d been foolish to say anything while we were in public.

  Our waitress reappeared and set our drinks down in front of us. “Are you ready to order?”

  I ordered first, deciding on the tacos. Reid made a joke about the implications of Mexican food and a long car ride, but I only laughed.

  Leave it to him to make the situation lighter.

  Once Reid and Wesley ordered, the waitress disappeared again. Silence descended on the table. It wasn’t heavy though. It felt like all of us were simply taking a breather.

  I played with my straw wrapper as I enjoyed the peace for a moment. When we reached Amarillo, we would have to decide what to do next. I was at a loss. I wasn’t even sure if we could send Reid home or not. If my father or Bradley had reported back and told the men about him, Reid would be their first stop. I hoped that Wesley had a plan. He was always the one to think things out, to plan ahead.

  When our food arrived, Reid started talking about unimportant things just to fill the silence. I appreciated that. He and Wesley joked about American football versus our football. I’d never followed sports at all, so I kept silent as they started debating on which was better.

  Leave it to them to argue about grown men playing with balls.

  When Reid asked about my childhood, Wesley was more than happy to tell him all the embarrassing things he could think of. I rolled my eyes as I listened, but I couldn’t hide the grin on my face as I thought back through all the years when Wesley had been my rock. He’d been there for me through every important milestone of my life up until I’d left for Dallas. He was the one person in the world who knew every single thing about me.

  We finished our food quickly, and Wesley paid the bill. Reid slung his arm over my shoulder as we walked out to where Wesley had parked the SUV. Unable to stop myself, I snuggled closer to him for a moment. After everything, it was amazing to have him hold me.

  I saw Wesley watching us. Guilt filled me, and I pulled away from Reid. I’d promised Wesley that I wouldn’t make any decisions when it came to him and Reid.

  With everything that had happened, my emotions were in such turmoil that I wasn’t sure what I wanted anymore. Reid and Wesley were both safe havens to me but in different ways. Unfortunately, I’d leaned on both of them far too much. I hated that I’d let them both take care of me. I was stronger than that even if I didn’t feel like it at the moment.

  When we reached Amarillo, a knot of dread formed in my stomach. This city was no different from thousands of others, but for me, it was the place where not only my fate would be decided, but Wesley’s and Reid’s fates as well.

  I hated how my involvement in their lives had turned everything upside down for them, especially Reid. He’d grown up and lived in a world that wasn’t even in the same galaxy as mine, yet I’d brought him into mine, kicking and screaming. Out of all the emotions I’d felt since my father found me, guilt was always the strongest. Thanks to me, the world was no longer innocent and safe for Reid.

  Reid and I waited while Wesley checked us into a hotel. After spending so much time in the cabin, I was more than a little excited with the hotel he’d chosen. It was fancy—fancier than I was used to since leaving London. It even put the hotel my father had taken me to in Dallas look plain.

  I’d almost suggested that we find someplace cheap to hide out, but I’d stopped myself. My father’s dirty money was paying for our stay. It was the least he could do for us even if it was from the grave.

  When Wesley returned only minutes later, the three of us gathered our bags with our clothes and headed inside. My eyes widened as we stepped into the hotel. The floors were black marble. The reception desk was made out of black marble and had pearl-colored tops. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling. Potted plants were everywhere. People walked past us in mostly elegant evening wear, but a few were dressed casually like us.

  We took the elevator to the second floor and stepped out. I’d almost expected Wesley to take us to the top floor, but that was stupid. Staying closer to the ground floor was always safer because it had easier access to escape routes.

  He slid the key card into the door marked 212 and swung it open. I smiled when I saw the two queen-sized beds. I dropped my bag next to the door and walked over to the first one. I fell down onto it face-first and moaned at the softness. It made the bed in the cabin feel like a rock.

  Wesley chuckled from behind me. “Comfortable?”

  “Very.” My voice was muffled by the mattress.

  I heard the guys moving around the room, settling in, but I stayed where I was. Nothing short of a hoard of assassins or zombies busting down the door would make me move.

  I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, someone was sitting on the bed next to me, poking me in the side. I moved my face out of the mattress and looked to see who it was.

  Reid’s face greeted me. His hair was damp, and he’d changed his clothes. Obviously, I’d been asleep for longer than I thought.

  “Hey, sleepyhead,” he said as he smiled down at me. “You want to shower?”

  I shook my head. “I just want to lie here.”

  Wesley cleared his throat. “We need to discuss things. You can nap later.”

  Suddenly awake, I sat up.

  Reid frowned at Wesley. “We don’t have to talk about everything right now. Let her rest. She barely slept at the cabin. She was too worried about watching for you assholes.”

  “No, it’s fine,” I said. “We need to get this over with.”

  Wesley sighed as he sat down in a chair across from us. “I’ve thought about our options since we left the cabin. I think I have a solid plan.”

  “Please enlighten us. I’m down for anything that gets my life back to normal.” Reid’s tone was light, but I knew he was serious.

  Guilt made my stomach twist uncomfortably.

  “I have to go back,” Wesley said after a moment of silence.

  “Wait—what?” I said. “You can’t go back to them, Wes! You hate it there, and they’ll kill you for helping me.”

  “You hated it there, Bree. I never once said I did, too.” Wesley looked me right in the eyes. “I’m good at what I do. It’s all I know.”

  “No! We always talked about leaving! I won’t let you go back to that.”

  “You talked about leaving,” Wesley said quietly. “And when I realized how much you hated not just our lives, but the Irish, I made it happen. You wanted me to come with you, but I couldn’t. I don’t belong in this world, Bree. I never have. You’ve always been soft. I haven’t. It only makes sense for me to go back. I can tell them that you killed Bradley and your father, but I killed you. They will believe me. You and Reid will be free.”

  “No! They’ll kill you!” I cried.

  He shook his head. “They won’t. Whether you realize it or not, your fath
er and Nico respected me. You were always too busy being afraid of them to notice it. The other men respect me as well. If I go back and tell them you’re dead, they’ll believe me. You’ll be free to start over. Both of you will be free.”

  “At the cost of you!” I spit out.

  “Damn it, Bree. Listen to me! Going back is the only option I have. It’ll protect you. The mansion is home to me. The things we do—they’re what I know, what I’m good at.”

  “He’s right, Bree,” Reid finally spoke up. “For us to have any chance of being free, he has to go back. He has to tell them you’re dead. They hunted you before you killed your father. What do you think they’ll do once they discover that your father was killed?”

  “They won’t find him! Wes burned the cabin down.”

  “We told them where we were going. When we found you, we let them know that we’d be back in a few days. Do you really think we saw you sitting on the front step and walked up to you, Bree? We’d watched you for two days before that, so we could learn about your routine. When they don’t hear from your father or me, they will come.”

  “You’re a fool if you go back.” I stood abruptly and walked to the door. “I want to be alone. Don’t come for me unless you feel like fighting.”

  With that, I flung the door open and stomped out.

  I wandered the streets of Amarillo with no destination in mind. All I could think about was the fact that Wesley was going back to London, back to a house filled with murderers. When we’d agreed to make a plan, I’d never expected him to do that.

  You hated it there, Bree. I never once said I did, too.

  I thought back through the years, trying to remember when Wesley had openly said he hated staying in the mansion. I couldn’t think of a single time. That floored me. All those years, I’d thought that Wesley felt as trapped as I did. I’d thought he hated killing as much as me.

  The realization that he didn’t scared me a bit. I held so much pain and regret over the things I’d done. Knowing Wesley felt the same way had helped in some strange fucked-up way. Now, I wasn’t sure what to think of my best friend.