Redemption: A Sin Series Standalone Novel

by Cates, Georgia

  “Lorna is going to survive and we’re going to be married. That’s the only thing that I know.”

  “Denial is a normal step in the grieving process.”

  “Shut your gob before I come over there and shut it for you,” my mum says.

  “I just think that everyone should be realistic about her chances and how slim they are. She wouldn’t want us to have false hope.”

  The smacking sound of my mum’s hand against Greer’s face is loud. And then the waiting room falls silent. “Leave. Now. You are not welcome here.”

  “Leith…”

  “You heard my mum. Get out.”

  “Everyone is under a lot of stress. I’ll step out and give you some space to absorb what’s happening.”

  Sin leans over after Greer leaves the waiting room. “Bleu and I have been talking about the kidnapping, and we feel that something is off about it.”

  “Like what?”

  “Gordon didn’t mention a word about kidnapping Greer. Why not? Having two of our women would have given him an even bigger advantage.”

  “Aye, it certainly would have.”

  “It’s been so long since you killed Gordon’s brothers. It doesn’t make sense that he waited all of this time to retaliate.”

  “I hadn’t considered that.”

  “Understandably; Lorna is the only thing on your mind at the moment. But I’ve decided that I’m going to take Greer by surprise with an impromptu debriefing about the kidnapping.”

  “When?”

  “Now. I think it’s better to do it when she isn’t expecting it.” Sin gestures toward Bleu across the room. “And the human lie detector is going to sit in on the questioning with me. I want her input on Greer’s responses and body language, whether it’s truthful or deceitful.”

  “She can tell if Greer is lying?”

  “Absolutely. That woman has mad skills.”

  “Greer was really pissed off about my engagement to Lorna. She threatened us right after we announced that we were getting married.”

  “I’m aware. Lorna told Bleu and she told me.”

  “I didn’t mention it because I saw it as an empty threat. I didn’t think that she had the power to touch us.”

  “She doesn’t have the power on her own, but it’s a different story if she had the aid of Order members.”

  I don’t want to think that Greer could have played a part in this. “Lorna was concerned about Greer’s threats, and I brushed them off as though they were nothing. I’ll never forgive myself if I find out that Greer was to blame for this.”

  “If she is responsible, you can’t blame yourself. You had no way of knowing that she could be capable of something like this. And we still don’t know that she was behind it. She could be a victim and innocent of any wrongdoing.”

  His face says something different. “Your gut tells you otherwise?”

  “Aye, but I place my trust in Bleu’s training more than my gut. We’ll get down to the bottom of it.”

  “What will happen if she’s to blame?”

  “Let’s not worry about that unless the time comes.”

  A woman wearing scrubs comes into the waiting room. “Frazier?”

  “That’s us.”

  “Dr. Stuart would like to speak to the immediate family.”

  “My mum and I… we are her family.”

  “You’re her husband?”

  “I would have been today. It’s our wedding day.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “How is she?”

  “That’s a question for the physician to answer. Come with me, please.”

  Mum and I follow the woman through the maze of halls until we reach the physician’s office. “This is Lorna Frazier’s family. Her fiancé and his mum.”

  “Aye, come in please and have a seat.”

  The doctor stands and reaches across his desk to shake my hand, but I’m not interested in introductions. I need to know how Lorna is. Now.

  “What is Lorna’s condition?”

  “It’s nothing short of a miracle but she made it through surgery.”

  I release the breath that I’m holding and I blink to clear the blur covering my eyes. “Oh thank God.”

  “I didn’t have high hopes going in. Most people don’t survive a gunshot wound like hers, but your lass was lucky. If her wound had been two inches closer to her heart, she would have died instantly.”

  Most people don’t survive.

  She would have died instantly.

  I lean forward and rub my face and eyes, wiping away the tears.

  “Do you need a minute, Mr. Duncan?”

  I shake my head from side to side. “I’m good. Keep going.”

  “All right. Let’s discuss prognosis.”

  Bullet fragments. Infection. Bleeding. Blood clots. Breathing problems. Pain. Scarring. Loss of nerve sensitivity.

  So many potential problems exist. Lorna isn’t in the clear but she is alive. And that’s all that matters right now. We’ll have to take it one step at a time.

  “When can I see her?”

  “I think we can get you in to visit her briefly after she leaves the recovery room and the nurses are finished admitting her to the critical care ward.”

  “How much longer will that be?” I need to see her as soon as possible.

  “Should be within the hour.”

  “Will she be out of it or will she be able to talk?”

  “You can expect some lingering sedation from the anesthesia, but she should be able to wake up for brief periods to talk.”

  “Can my mum see her?”

  “Let’s keep it at one visitor for now. We’ll get your mum in to see her a little later after she’s had time for the anesthesia to wear off.”

  My mum pats the top of my leg. “You’re the one she needs to see and hear.”

  I’ve paced a path in the floor of the waiting room, cracked my knuckles, and bitten my nails down to the nub.

  “Mr. Duncan. You can come back now.”

  A nurse wearing all white is standing at Lorna’s bedside, pecking on a laptop on a rolling stand. “Hello. I’m Bunnie and I’m going to be taking care of Lorna until the morning.”

  The first thing that I notice is that some of Lorna’s color has returned. There are at least several shades of difference in the color of her skin and the white sheets on her bed. “She was so white when we brought her in. She looks better. Still not like normal, but I can tell that there’s been improvement.”

  “She received blood while she was in surgery. That helps the skin to look pinker.”

  The nurse closes the laptop. “I’m going to step out, but I’ll be back to check on her in a few minutes. Feel free to hold her hand, talk to her. Whatever you’re comfortable doing.”

  “Leith.” Lorna’s voice is low and hoarse.

  “Hey, baby. How are you feeling?”

  Her eyes squeeze shut and lines form on her beautiful face when she coughs. “I’m hurting. What happened to me?”

  I don’t want to have that conversation while she’s like this. “You had surgery.”

  “Why? What kind of surgery?”

  “Let’s not talk about that right now. You need lots of rest so you can heal.”

  Her eyes open, but barely. “What day is it?”

  “Saturday.”

  Her eyes widen. “Saturday? Our wedding day?”

  “Aye.”

  “Did we get married?”

  “No, baby.”

  “Why not?”

  “Something happened.”

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t want you to worry about it. We’re still going to get married. It just isn’t going to happen today.”

  She breathes in deeply. “My chest hurts.”

  “You’re getting medicine through your IV, but it probably won’t take away all of the pain.”

  “I’m so sleepy.”

  “You should close your eyes and rest.” I lean
down and kiss the top of her head. “I love you so much.”

  “Love you too.”

  Lorna closes her eyes and her respiration becomes regular and steady. I watch her chest rise and fall, and I realize just how very grateful that I am for every breath that she takes.

  Every breath, every beat of her heart. Each one is so very precious.

  I learned something tonight. A man can think that he loves a woman, but he doesn’t truly know the depth of that love until he believes that he’s lost her forever.

  Being parted while we’re living is different than being parted by death. I didn’t know how much I truly loved her until I faced losing her forever. I got a taste of what living without her would feel like, and I never want to know what the real thing feels like.

  “You can’t leave me in this world without you, Lorna. I won’t make it without you.”

  I watch Lorna sleeping, and the rhythm of the air moving in and out of her lungs is soothing like a living lullaby. Until she gasps and her eyes pop open, sending my heart into a tailspin.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Greer.”

  “What about her?”

  Lorna’s hand comes up and touches the dressing on her chest. “Greer… she shot me.”

  “You’re sure that it was Greer and not Gordon?”

  “It was Greer. And she took my ring. She wants me dead because she’s obsessed with you.”

  “Who killed Gordon?”

  “Greer did.” Lorna inhales deeply and releases the breath slowly. “He was backing out on her plan to kill me.”

  “We only found Gordon’s body in the cottage. Was anyone else there?”

  Gordon couldn’t have pulled off Lorna’s kidnapping alone. Someone had to drive the getaway car and another someone had to be available to help subdue her in the event that she fought and got away.

  “Two brothers from The Order were helping Gordon and Greer, but they ran off when you got to the cottage.”

  “That’s very good, baby. I’m so proud of you for being able to remember and tell me those kinds of details.”

  Greer is counting on Lorna dying. Her survival is a wrinkle in her plan—a wrinkle that she’s going to be eager to iron out as soon as possible so she doesn’t get caught. And she’s proven that she isn’t one to be underestimated. The woman is clever, manipulative, and evil. And that is a very dangerous combination.

  “I’m here and I’m not going to leave your side. You’re safe. Rest now.”

  * * *

  I enter the waiting room, and our family and closest friends are waiting for an update on Lorna’s condition. And Greer is there playing the role of concerned friend.

  “Lorna is awake and talking. There are some complications that could arise over the next few days, but the doctor expects her to make a full recovery.”

  “What does she remember about last night?” Sin asks.

  “Nothing. It’s as though her memory beyond leaving the restaurant has been wiped clean. The kidnapping, the shooting… it’s all gone.”

  Greer needs to feel safe and secure.

  “It’s okay if she doesn’t; I can tell you everything that happened,” Greer says.

  “That’s good because Sin will be depending on you for answers.”

  “We’ve already had a debriefing, and I gave him all of the information that he needs.”

  “Greer confirmed what you thought you already knew?” That she was involved?

  “The pieces of the puzzle fit together perfectly. Her story corroborated exactly what you and Sin discussed earlier,” Bleu says.

  Fucking crazy bitch.

  “That’s really good news since Lorna’s memories of last night are gone.”

  “I’m glad that I was able to help.”

  “It’s been a long night and you’ve been to hell and back. You should go home and get some rest,” Sin tells her.

  “Oh, I couldn’t think of leaving Lorna at a time like this.”

  “You’re a good friend to want to support her, but Lorna is fine and resting.” I almost choke on the words.

  “And your leader isn’t suggesting—he’s telling you to go home and rest.” Sin’s voice takes on a deeper tone.

  “Yes, I suppose I should. It’s been a long night.”

  Sin gestures to Sterling. “Sterling will drive you.”

  “Oh, it’s all right. I can take a taxi.”

  “He will drive you. Again, not a suggestion.”

  “Yes, of course. Thank you.”

  The three of us watch Greer leave the waiting room with Sterling.

  Bleu’s hands are in clenched fists. “That bitch is lying.”

  “My wife is right, but it doesn’t take any kind of FBI special-agent skills to detect that.”

  Greer isn’t a skilled liar. I could see the deception all over her face and hear it in her voice.

  “Lorna’s memory isn’t gone. I was only saying that so Greer wouldn’t feel threatened. I was afraid that she’d make an attempt on Lorna’s life to prevent her from telling the truth about last night.”

  “Wise move.”

  “I want her to feel safe so she doesn’t try to run.” I want her to pay for what she’s done.

  “What did Lorna say about last night?”

  “Gordon and two other Order members were working with Greer. The plan was to kidnap and kill Lorna. Her murder was twofold: revenge for Gordon against me for killing his brothers while getting Lorna out of the way for Greer and I to be together.”

  “That clearly didn’t happen.”

  “The two Order members ran off when we arrived at the cottage, and Gordon backed out of their plan at the last minute. So Greer killed him and then shot Lorna, making it appear as though Gordon had done it. Plan B would have worked perfectly for Greer if her aim hadn’t been off by two inches.”

  “What’s going to happen to her?” Bleu asks Sin.

  “I don’t know. I’ve never had this situation happen before.”

  Because Fellowship women don’t go around plotting and carrying out murder.

  “How would a man be punished for the same crime against a brother?”

  “Death.”

  “Would you forgo the same penalty because she’s a woman?”

  “I can’t answer that question without discussing it with Dad.”

  “I’m your wife. Discuss it with me.”

  Sin and Bleu hashing this one out—should be interesting.

  “What would you do with her, Bonnie?”

  “I’d kill her.”

  That answer doesn’t surprise me. Bleu may not have been raised Fellowship but she is one of us through and through.

  “Just like that? Don’t even have to think about it?”

  “Not even for a minute.”

  “Would you kill her because she plotted against Lorna, one of your best friends?”

  “I would kill her because she can never be trusted again.”

  “You wouldn’t consider exile?”

  “Absolutely not. Exile doesn’t work, as Abram proved when he was spared and then threatened to come back and kill our children.”

  “Abram is a different story than Greer.”

  “Exile is like counting to three with a child when he misbehaves. Instead of correcting the bad behavior immediately, you’re giving the kid three seconds to continue behaving badly before there are consequences. You’ll just be giving her the opportunity to do this again. And she could be successful next time.”

  “Fair point.”

  “There were two Order members who fled when we arrived. Do you want to speak with them?” I ask Sin.

  “I think we have to. Because without doubt, Greer is going to claim that Lorna was injured and therefore her account of the events isn’t accurate. Some may tend to agree with Greer if there’s no proof.”

  I never saw the two Order members. I have no idea who they are.” How will we identify them?

  “Kieran keeps a registry of members with a
ll of their pertinent info. It’s a new system Maddock is creating. I’ll have him bring the log to Lorna so she can go through it and identify the men,” Sin says.

  “We’ve established that Greer is clever. Until she is dealt with, Lorna can’t be left alone for any reason. Can you make sure that someone is with her at all times?” Bleu is right.

  “I won’t leave her side unless my mum is there to stay with her. She’s aware of the circumstances.”

  Sin places his hand on my back. “I know that Jenny will do whatever it takes to protect Lorna.”

  “Without question.”

  And so will I.

  Chapter 16

  Lorna Frazier

  That bitch.

  She thought she killed me.

  She thought she had Leith all to herself.

  She thought wrong.

  Leith won’t leave my side. When he does, Jenny is here to replace him. I love how they want to protect me, but I secretly hope that the bitch comes for me. I have a little something for her.

  She isn’t the only one who will kill for Leith.

  And I have a wrong to right.

  But it’ll never happen. Leith, Sin, Thane… not one of them will go along with it. They see me as a delicate woman with a fresh gunshot wound in my chest. They’re only partially right.

  But I know who will help me.

  “I want Bleu to come back.”

  Leith looks at me for a moment before replying. “I’ll ask her to come back after the nurse removes your dressing.”

  “I want Bleu to be with me.”

  I don’t want to hurt Leith, but I need to talk with my friend in private.

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know what my wound is going to look like. I’m not ready for you to see it.”

  “Baby, please. I don’t want you to hide from me.”

  “I’m not hiding. I just want to see it first and have a little time to absorb the changes in my body before you see it.”

  “I would really like to be the one here with you.”

  “I know, and I appreciate that more than you can imagine, but this is what I need right now.”

  “All right, if that’s what you want.”

  “It is.”

  Bleu enters my hospital room and comes over to kiss my forehead. “Leith says the bandage is about to come off and you want me to be with you.”