Sin (The Stone Society Book 8)

by Faith Gibson

  Chapter Four

  Sin knew the others had felt sick upon coming in contact with their mates, but what was he going to do? Walk around the room accosting each patron until he found the one who made him want to vomit?

  His shifter felt it too. There is that smell again. Is the human male here?

  Before he could answer, a young human came to wait on him. “Name’s Derek. What can I get you?”

  “I’ll take whatever ale you have on tap.” He preferred liquor, but he doubted a bar of this caliber would have the expensive Scotch he drank at home.

  “You got it. Would you like a menu, or are you just drinking?”

  “Just drinking.”

  “No problem. I’ll go put your drink order in at the bar.” Derek’s smile was forced and his heartbeat erratic. Sin had that effect on most everyone. He was a large male, and dressed as he was, he didn’t fit in. While Derek had been talking, Sin’s shifter had been berating him mentally.

  Get up and find him.

  I’m pretty sure our mate is not going to be a him. Landon’s here. Settle the fuck down so I can discuss business. His shifter left him alone, but he wasn’t happy about it. He continued to grumble in Sin’s head, making it hard to concentrate.

  Landon strolled up to the table as the waiter returned with his beer. “Landon, what would you like to drink?”

  “Whatever he’s having,” Landon told Derek as he took the stool across from Sin. Even with the loud voices, they would be able to hear each other without yelling.

  When Landon was seated, Sin didn’t make the Goyle wait. “Thank you for meeting me. I mentioned on the phone we are in need of your computer skills. Julian is overwhelmed with his mate having been arrested. He is trying to keep the Clan safe while figuring out how Katherine was framed.” Sin stopped talking when Derek came back to the table.

  “Will there be anything else?”

  “No, thank you,” Sin told him. When the waiter was out of earshot, Sin continued. “I know you relocated to California recently, but we need you to head to New Atlanta and help man the computers.”

  “No problem. When do you want me to leave?”

  “Can you be ready in about 5 hours? The Clan jet is already in the air headed this way.”

  “Absolutely. As a matter of fact, I’m looking forward to it. I’m ready for a challenge. I’ve been bored lately. It’s why I moved.”

  “I don’t think you will have that problem any longer. There is a lot going on behind the scenes we have kept quiet.” Sin filled Landon in on the hacker and what he’d done to sabotage Julian at every turn. “Maybe between the two of you, you can find out who he is and take him down.”

  Landon chugged his beer and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. When Derek noticed the empty glass, he returned, and this time Landon ordered two shots of Patron. Sin still had half a glass of his ale left, so he told the waiter he was fine. He was anything but fine considering the way his stomach was roiling, but he couldn’t pinpoint the reason.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Landon asked.

  “Not really. I’ve felt off all day. When the others have found their mates, the feeling they’ve described is the same thing I’ve been subjected to all day. My mate could be in this room, or she could have been here earlier. I am going to take a walk to the restroom and see if it gets worse.” Sin left Landon at the table and headed to the rear of the building. The feeling worsened as he passed by the bar. Sin took a good look at everyone sitting there, but nobody stood out to him. After taking a piss and washing his hands, Sin splashed water on his face. As he was drying off, female voices drifted through from the next room. He didn’t intend to eavesdrop, but the conversation called for it.

  “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to spit it out. I’ve decided to sell the bar. Instead of struggling to make ends meet and cutting hours, I’m going to bring in someone who can make this place what it was three years ago.”

  “What about the rest of us?”

  “I have a stipulation in the contract stating all of you are to retain your jobs. I will be meeting with the prospective buyers myself, and I’d like you to sit in on the meetings with anyone I feel might be well-suited. I want you to be comfortable with the new owner.”

  “Isn’t there any other way?”

  “Yes, but I refuse to go back to that life.”

  Sinclair was looking to buy, and this woman was looking to sell. He liked the atmosphere, and the little tavern had potential. He would pay more attention to his surroundings when he returned to his seat. The feeling in his gut wasn’t better, and on his way back from the bathroom, Sin noticed the man who’d been at the gym earlier. No fucking way was his mate a male. Something had to be going on, or the fates were fucking with him.

  As soon as he got back to their table, Sin grabbed one of the small glasses of tequila and knocked it back. He motioned for Derek, and when the young man finally got there after stopping to check on several other guests, Sin pulled a hundred out of his wallet and said, “Keep them coming.” He would have asked for the bottle, but he knew that was against the rules, so he would order them one at a time. The clear liquor might not ease his nausea, but it would help take his mind off of it.

  “Anything?” Landon asked when they were alone.

  Sin shook his head no. He wouldn’t admit a male was causing his unease, not until he got to the bottom of what was going on. “So, tell me where all you have been and what you have done.” Sin wanted to learn more about the Goyle he was sending to help not only his cousin, but their Clan. Landon did as Sin asked, and by the time the bottle of Patron was empty and the bar was closing down, Sinclair felt good about the male he was entrusting with the Clan’s secrets. He did not, however, have a lock on whoever was making him feel sick at his stomach.

  Rocky had been behind the bar for less than an hour when Blake showed up, so she ended up spending the night locked in her office, hoping the bastard would finally get the hint and leave. Instead, he nursed a drink until it was watered down then ordered another. He wasn’t breaking any laws or harassing anyone, so they couldn’t kick him out. As she hid herself away, Rocky debated on gathering her employees together after the bar closed for a short meeting but decided against it. She would tell Bridget first when they were alone since the woman had the most to lose. Together, they would have a mandatory staff meeting when all the employees were present. Rocky had never felt hate in her heart until now. Now, she hated Blake Stansbury with every fiber of her being for getting her hooked on drugs. She hated herself almost as much for not listening to her gut instinct when he continued to ask her out.

  Bridget was the only one of her workers who knew the extent of her drug use. Rocky had confided in her manager when she’d gone into rehab. She had turned the business over to Bridget, and they’d told everyone else she was going away on an extended vacation. If any of her employees had realized her “vacation” saved her life, no one let on. The only thing Bridget wasn’t aware of was what Rocky had done to keep the bar afloat while being entrenched in her drug-induced stupor. Blake’s business had turned out to be a strip club. When Rocky needed more drugs, Blake convinced her to dance in exchange for her next fix. He’d paid for her to have breast surgery, saying she’d make double the tips with larger tits. Now, every time she caught sight of herself in the mirror naked, she wanted to cut her boobs open and remove the liquid bags.

  Every piece of clothing she’d bought with her dancing money had been donated to charity. All her wigs and costumes were still at the club as far as she knew. The last time she walked out of the club, Rocky had done so with nothing but her street clothes. Somehow, Vivian had found a way into the back of the building after one of Rocky’s numbers and practically dragged her out the back door. Vivian hadn’t let Rocky go home, despite her protests. On the long drive to the out-of-town rehab clinic, Vivian convinced her to get clean and forget about Blake. Rocky still to this day didn’t remember what her best friend said to con
vince her to go, but she would forever be grateful to Vivian for saving her life.

  Blake had come calling regularly while Rocky was in rehab. For months after Rocky got straightened out, the man made himself a fixture at her bar. He didn’t cause trouble, so she couldn’t file a restraining order, but he made her uncomfortable. Gone were the large tips, and in their place were notes of regret. Sweet words of love. Rocky didn’t buy into it. She knew the only thing he missed about her was the money she’d made him. She might have been high when she took to the stage, but if there was one thing Rocky was good at, it was making grown men lose their shit merely by taking her clothes off. After she got her boob job, Rocky raked in enough tips to live off of for months, but somehow, Blake managed to take most of it from her, saying she owed him.

  It took every bit of nerve she could muster, but whenever Blake came into RC’s, Rocky ignored him. The more she ignored him, the less often he came around. For about a year, Rocky thought she was free from him. Then, for whatever reason, Blake started coming in RC’s again. Tonight was one of those nights, and Rocky opted to hide out instead of having to deal with him.

  When Bridget came into the office to take her break, Rocky asked her to close the door.

  “This can’t be good. We never have closed door chats.”

  Rocky crushed out the cigarette she’d been smoking and smiled at her friend, doing her best not to cry. “It is and it isn’t. I’m sorry to do this on your break, but I need to talk to you. You have been the best manager I could have ever had to run RC’s. You’ve also been an invaluable friend. There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to spit it out. I’ve decided to sell the bar. Instead of struggling to make ends meet and cutting hours, I’m going to bring in someone who can make this place what it was three years ago.”

  Bridget’s face didn’t offer any clues as to how she felt when she asked, “What about the rest of us?”

  “I have a stipulation in the contract stating all of you are to retain your jobs. I will be meeting with the prospective buyers myself, and I’d like you to sit in on the meetings with anyone I feel might be well-suited. I want you to be comfortable with the new owner.”

  “Isn’t there any other way?”

  “Yes, but I refuse to go back to that life.” Rocky didn’t tell Bridget what that life had been, and the woman didn’t pry.

  “I love this bar. It’s been my home for almost ten years. Your uncle gave me a chance when I was barely out of college. I’ve never thought about going somewhere else,” Bridget told her.

  “And you won’t have to. I promise you I won’t allow some douchebag to come in and take over.” Rocky would take Joel up on his offer of a loan so she could keep her promise. “I want to call everyone in before the listing goes live. I don’t want them to think I’m hiding anything.”

  “Okay. I’ll schedule a meeting Friday morning an hour before we open. That’ll give us enough time to break the news and answer any questions they may have,” Bridget said.

  As soon as Bridget was out the door, the tears Rocky had been fighting couldn’t be held back any longer. She should have known the woman would have her back. Bridget had been a good friend these last three years, and Rocky owed almost as much to her as she did Vivian. Thinking of her best friend, Rocky couldn’t wait to hear the details of her wild night with Finley. Usually when they played, it was only three of them. She was curious as to how it worked with four – if Vivian invited someone else.

  Rocky dried her tears, and made sure everyone was gone before she let herself up to her apartment. Before she’d so carelessly given all her money to Blake, Rocky had dipped into her savings and had the apartment stairs enclosed so she could access them from inside the bar, and no unwanted visitors could surprise her from the outside. She could still come in from behind the building, but she liked knowing she didn’t have to. When she reached the top of the stairs, her cell phone rang. Thinking it was Vivian, she answered without looking. “So, how was your night?”

  A familiar voice answered, and chill bumps formed on Rocky’s arms. “It would have been better if my girl hadn’t avoided me for three hours.”

  After all this time, Blake still considered Rocky his. “How did you get this number?” She had blocked him several times and even got a new phone. He never failed to find out what it was. The only people she gave it to were Bridget and Vivian, and she was pretty sure neither woman would share the number with the man who ruined her life.

  “Oh, my sweet Raquel. You should know by now I always get what I want.” His voice made her want to throw up. It was the same, sugary tone he used to woo her in the beginning. It might have worked back then, but it sure as hell didn’t work now.

  Without responding, Rocky hung up and immediately blocked him from calling back. She let out a long sigh and tossed her phone on the counter. It slid off and hit the floor on the other side. Thank goodness she’d been smart enough to purchase a protective case. She couldn’t afford a new phone right now. She retrieved the wayward phone and placed it gently on the counter. Blake’s words haunted her, bringing back memories of him getting what he wanted. He wanted her. He’d made that clear from the first time he took her out, and he never let her forget she belonged to him. Even now.

  Earlier when she’d gone to the gym, Rocky had gotten nervous waiting on someone to come talk to her. Several men glanced her way, and Rocky didn’t like being the object of their attention. While she was standing there, she noticed there were self-defense classes offered along with the other fitness sessions. Now that Blake was coming around again, and a lot more often, Rocky either needed to enroll in the classes or learn to shoot her gun. Maybe both. There was no way in hell she would succumb to him willingly. Not this time. Instead of waiting around, Rocky picked up several flyers and decided to go back the next day.

  Urijah needed to fly. He needed to let his beast loose before his emotions got the better of him. Seeing Finley on his knees sucking Sin’s cock had infuriated him. Seeing Sin’s long, veiny dick slide in and out of Fin’s mouth excited him. He didn’t understand how he could be so godsdamn angry and so fucking hard at the same time. For a split second he thought about joining them. Wasn’t that why Sinclair invited him over in the first place? Hell, he didn’t know why Sin had asked him to come over. But there was no way he was joining in as a third wheel. Or a fifth, considering there had been two females there.

  When he realized the needle was pushing one-eighty, Uri slowed the vehicle to an almost normal speed of one hundred and hit the call button on his steering wheel. He knew this was a mistake, but he needed information.

  “Urijah, to what do I owe this pleasure?” Banyan’s slick voice echoed throughout the vehicle. His cock automatically came back to life. His shifter stirred inside, the same way it had for the last eight hundred years. Every single time he was around Banyan. Motherfucker. Yeah, this was a bad idea.

  “I need to know where I can go to fly that I won’t be seen.”

  “The training area is secure, but you would need to stay below the trees.”

  “I’m thinking of somewhere more wide open. I need…” Uri stopped himself before he divulged too much information. Not that Banyan didn’t already know what Uri needed. Or wanted. The Goyle could read him like an open fucking book from a thousand miles away.

  “The desert is where I go when I need to fly off some tension. Driving the speed limit, you can get to Joshua Tree in about two hours. Knowing how you drive? Less than sixty minutes.” Banyan’s tone wasn’t smug, just honest. “Want me to go with?”

  “No!” Uri took a deep breath. “No, thank you. I need to get rid of tension, not add to it. I appreciate the information.” He disconnected the call but not before a chuckle reached his ear. Bastard. Uri refused to dwell on the male any more than he already did. Urijah had left Banyan behind in New Orleans. He should have known the Goyle would find him again. Actually, you found him. That much was true. Banyan had kept his distance as promised. He mov
ed to the West Coast while Urijah took up residence on the East Coast. It was Uri who had come to California to work. In the weeks Uri had been there, Banyan hadn’t sought him out. Not once. Banyan didn’t miss any opportunity to fuck with him, but he only did it when Uri contacted him. Fucker.

  Uri pulled over to the side of the road so he could input the destination into his GPS. The hour-long drive would do him good, but not as much good as taking to the air. Maybe phasing would calm both his libido as well as his anger. Then what? He would go back to the house he was sharing with Finley, only to be reminded of the scene that played out on a continuous loop in his brain. Maybe it was time to move back in with Sixx. No, he and Desirae were getting to know one another, and Desi and Simone had moved into the guest house. All around him, Goyles were having sex.

  Uri’s shifter, who rarely spoke to him, decided it was time for a chat. You could always call…

  No! We are not going there. Ever again.

  He’s our mate.

  He will never be my mate.

  Stubborn fucker. The beast within was angry. Angrier than Urijah had encountered in a long time.

  Let’s go fly. It’ll make us both feel better. Uri didn’t wait for an answer. He knew his beast was ready to fight, and that never turned out well. He pulled back onto the road and, with the radio blaring, headed east.

  Chapter Five

  Julian paced back and forth behind the bank of computer monitors that were currently the bane of his existence. Sin was right; until Julian went and spoke with Katherine, he’d never be able to concentrate. He needed to concentrate. Julian had to find a way to get the Feds off his mate’s back. They were already pissed she’d been moved to the Pen. They were looking at the evidence they had against her, but the last he’d heard from both Dane and Victoria, his mate was really close to being taken into Federal custody. He couldn’t allow that. At least with her being with Gregor, they could keep her comfortable. She had asked Isabelle a million questions, but Izzy hadn’t told her anything other than they were doing this for her own safety.