Darkest Sin

by Ashton Blackthorne

  “But you saw her fuck Sasha?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you never had an inkling she was the woman we were searching for?” Ash fired questions at me as if he were conducting an investigation.

  “Not in the least. After we visited California and that woman, Estra showed us the picture of Amelia, I thought the eyes looked familiar to me, but still I didn’t know she was Lena.”

  He stared at me for a moment before lighting a cigarette. “What’s done is done. The question is do we help her with this crazy Egypt thing? I don’t know what to think about that. Seems like a wild goose chase.” He inhaled deeply.

  “You could probably use something stronger than that,” I mused thinking I could do with something stronger as well. My need to get high was strong at the moment.

  “I could, but I don’t have anything. You shouldn’t have anything like that here either.”

  “Don’t worry, but I bet Ava probably has something.” I had no doubt a woman like her had access to all sorts of illegal drugs.

  “Let’s go back in and rescue Amber. Ava looks as if she’s about to devour her.” He flicked the butt into the snow.

  “What about Egypt?”

  “She’s our sister. If she needs my help, I’ll do it.”

  I agreed.

  The warmth of the cabin was a welcome break from the icy cold of the storm. Ash and I removed our coats and hung them on the coat rack.

  As I brushed the snowflakes from my hair, Ava beamed at us.

  “So, are you guys in? We need to leave tomorrow if possible.”

  Ash nodded at her as Amber looked shocked. I watched as her body tensed at the thought.

  “I’m so glad. There’s one more thing. My best friend and former foster sister, Reese will be coming with us. I hope that’s not a problem.”

  “Why?” I asked pouring a cup of steaming hot coffee. It smelled so fresh and delicious. I wanted a stiff drink more than anything, but getting drunk just made me want to use more.

  Ava rolled her eyes. “She’s been staying with me ever since her husband was sent to prison. She’s had a hard time with it.”

  “What did he go to prison for?” I was imagining some type of drug charge.

  “Killing his ex-wife.”

  The small cabin fell silent as we all sat in shock.

  Ava continued to swing her foot rhythmically.

  “My God. Did Reese have anything to do with it?” Ash inquired putting his arm around Amber.

  “Yes and no. My girl was found innocent of all charges, but the ex-wife was quite the bitch. She made Reese’s life hell. I don’t want to get into the specifics of the crime because that happened several years ago. Thing is, Reese is really vulnerable right now. She needs time to heal.” Ava looked directly at me.

  I averted her eyes by staring down at my steaming cup of coffee. I noted that the time was well past midnight. They were all going to have to spend the night in the cabin as the roads would be impassable at least until dawn, but at the rate the snow was coming down it may be days before we could go anywhere. The thought of being locked in a cabin for days with Ava made me nervous to say the least. Something about her made me feel as though I were caught in a spider’s web and she was about to devour me.

  “Then why bring her?” Amber asked snuggling close to Ash.

  Ava lit another cigarette. “Because she’s my best friend. I’ve been watching out for since she was thirteen. Her husband just got locked up a few months ago. She needs me.”

  “That’s fine if you bring her, Ava.” The look on Ash’s face told me he was tired of the conversation. I racked my brain trying to remember where my old sleeping bag was. I figured that I would give Ash and Amber my bed, Ava could sleep on the couch, and I would sleep on the floor in the sleeping bag.

  “Good. She’s everything to me and I would fight to the death to protect her.” She warned still staring at me.

  Why the hell did she think I would want anything to do with this Reese woman? I wasn’t thinking about love or sex at the moment. I just wanted out of this cabin and back into the real world. “Duly noted,” I replied as I walked to the bedroom recalling that I had stashed my old sleeping bag beneath the bed.

  “You’re all going to have to spend the night here. The roads will be impassable at least until dawn.” I grabbed a stack of blankets and my sleeping bag.

  “I can get out of here.” Ava gazed out the window. “I have to get home to Reese and tell her to pack.”

  “Where do you live?” Amber asked looking doubtful.

  “I have a place in Manhattan.”

  “That’s nearly eight hours away. You won’t even make it back to the main road in that car in this weather,” Ash advised casting a glance at her sleek sports car.

  Indeed, that car wouldn’t make it. She had no snow tires on it nor was it equipped for such weather. I was surprised it even made it down the gravel road to the cabin.

  “Ava, you’re not leaving. You’ll get stuck. I’ve seen it before. I’ve been coming down to this cabin since I was a kid.” Ash warned her.

  Ava cast a quick glance out the door and noticed her car covered in a thick layer of ice then snow. “Maybe you’re right. I’ll call her.” She sighed falling back onto the recliner.

  “Where will we all sleep?” Amber knew the cabin only had one bed. There were two bedrooms, but only one was furnished.

  “You and Ash can take my bed, Ava can take the couch.”

  Ava cast a doubtful glance at the leather couch Amber and Ash were sitting on. “Does it fold out?”

  “No, but I’ve slept on it before. It’s comfortable. It’s just one night.”

  She laughed. “I’ve slept on worse. Give me a blanket.”

  As we all retired to bed, I wondered about this Reese. Why would Ava warn me away from her? Did she think I was some sort of player who would fuck her friend and then break her heart? Was it written on my face I was the worst kind of sinner? She’d only known me briefly. How could she possibly know?

  Maybe it was in our blood.

  I knew what Ash was thinking as we rode to the airport. I’d had the same thoughts myself. Ava was crazy. No one would just walk into your life and ask you to go to Egypt dig up someone’s tomb, and resurrect some ancient spiders. Not your everyday sort of problem.

  But that’s what happened to us.

  Great, our sister whom we had been searching for was certifiably insane. Then after talking with her, I knew she wasn’t. Ash knew it, too.

  But this was my chance to get out. If I could help discover something that cured cancer then perhaps the whole murder could be forgotten. I’d finally receive my redemption.

  This was my reasoning. Still, Ash and Amber had questioned me when Ava had left.

  “Why do you want to do this, Ayden? If we get caught, I may not be able to protect you.”

  “Because I’m done with being a fuck up. If I do this and we succeed, maybe all the wrongs of the past will be erased.”

  He’d sighed. Amber had sighed.

  So, days after the ice melted, we were heading to the airport. Ash had commandeered a private plane.

  The three of us had just boarded the luxury private airliner. It was the most exquisite plane I’d ever seen. There were private bedroom suites as well as two large bathrooms. I was impressed. I ran my hands over the leather seats as I sat down admiring the sumptuous breakfast buffet displayed. I took a piece of the lobster frittata and a mimosa. “Classy, Ash.”

  He laughed as he spun around in his chair. “Think Ava will be impressed?”

  Amber snorted holding her mimosa. “I don’t think anything we do will ever impress a woman like that. She’s cold steel for sure.”

  As if on cue, the plane door swung open. Ava’s familiar long dark hair appeared, but behind her stood a gorgeous blonde.

  My mouth fell open. She was stunning to say the least. Her long blonde hair was swept back from her beautiful face. Her high cheekbones were emp
hasized with a touch of pink blush. Her lips were full and sensual slicked wet and shining with gloss. She was shorter than Ava with high, full breasts and curvy hips. Instantly, I felt myself stiffen. This must have been Reese.

  “Hello, brothers. Oh, and dear sister-in-law to be. This is Reese.” Ava ran her hands lasciviously over the girl’s firm ass squeezing it. Ava’s face was glowing.

  So this was her former soulmate? I assumed they’d been lovers? I wondered. My cock pulsed as I thought of how hot Ava had been with my ex-fiancé, Sasha. “Wonderful to meet you, Reese. I’m Ayden.” I shoved my hand out to her. She smiled taking it.

  “Ava has told me so much about you all. I’m happy I could join in on this adventure.”

  My gaze shifted to her full breasts. They jiggled slightly each time she spoke.

  “So, you were Ava’s foster sister? What you all went through….” Amber let her words trail off shaking her head.

  Reese nodded stiffly taking a mimosa from the buffet.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re getting ready to depart. Please fasten your seatbelts.” The tall, attractive flight attendant wearing a badge reading ‘Melanie’ smiled at us gesturing for us to take our seats.

  The engines roared to life as the plane began its’ slow descent down the runway.

  “So, is this your plane, Ash?” Ava asked as she finished her drink. She took a delicate bite of the frittata which, by the way, was fantastic.

  “I chartered it. I used to own one, but I didn’t see the need to keep it. We haven’t been overseas for a year or so.”

  “Do you have the passport for Ayden?” Ash asked Ava.

  She reached into her purse and tossed him a packet of papers. “What do you think?” She laughed.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We’re all set to fly into London. Upon arrival, we will refuel then onto Cairo. Approximate flight time to London is 6 hours.”

  I watched as the plane began picking up speed down the runway.

  Reese’s face flushed pink as Ava gripped her hand.

  “So, Reese, what do you do? Ava told us you went to college,” I offered. It’d been so long, too long since I’d been in the company of such a stunning woman. I felt my cock getting so hard I could barely stand it. I would have to excuse myself to the bathroom as soon as the plane ascended.

  Her blue eyes looked into mine. She smiled sweetly as she traced her hand absently over her cleavage. “I majored in marketing. I worked for a major firm for several years before I met my husband, but he’s gone now.” She mentioned nothing about him being in prison.

  Ava’s warning echoed in my mind. The plane grew quiet. The only sound was the roar of the jet engines as the plane achieved cruising altitude.

  “Wow,” Amber whispered.

  Reese wasn’t shedding any tears.

  I wonder what had happened.

  Reese and I then exchanged small talk for the next few hours. She was quite intelligent and I understood why Ava liked her so much. Ava kept watching us intently as we talked. Reese seemed at peace with her ex-husband being in prison. I wondered if Ava’s warning had been premature. Perhaps Ava was afraid she’d lose her friend if she became involved with a man. But in the short time I’d known her, I’d come to believe that no one would ever know the real Ava. She was untouchable, unreadable.

  Unpredictable.

  Before retiring for the evening, Ava pulled me aside. “I see the way she’s looking at you. I’m warning you to leave her alone. Reese is not for you.” She glared at me.

  “I’m just talking to her. It’s a long flight and she’s good company. You underestimate your friend, Ava.” I smiled briefly at her.

  Ash stopped to watch us talking.

  “Just remember what I said.” Ava seethed as she closed the door to her sleeping area.

  “What was that all about?” Ash whispered as Reese sat across from us reading a magazine.

  “Ava being an overprotective mother, I guess.” I laughed nervously.

  “I think she’s right. Reese isn’t for you. She’s not as innocent as she seems.”

  “What?”

  “I’ve been watching her. I think she had a lot more to do with her ex-husband murdering his wife than you think. She’s clever and she learned from the best-Ava. Don’t underestimate her. You need to remember that.” Ash then slipped into his sleeping area with Amber by his side.

  The others had retired as dinner was being served. I gestured for Reese to join me.

  “This looks amazing,” Reese raved as she removed the silver domed lid off of her plate. The appetizer of Beluga caviar on toast points and smoked salmon set the stage for the main course of steamed lobster with truffle oil whipped potatoes.

  “Ash knows how to pick a chef. Every meal I’ve had with him has been beyond my expectations.”

  Reese blushed slightly as she smiled. “This whole trip has been beyond my wildest dreams. I can only imagine how fantastic Cairo will be!”

  A dark cloud of pain passed over her darkening her eyes. She looked down for a moment.

  “What’s wrong?” I placed my linen napkin to the side.

  She waved her hand before taking a sip of water. “It’s nothing. The last time I was on a private plane was with my husband…ex-husband.”

  “I’m sorry. What happened with him exactly?” I asked before I could stop myself. I knew he’d killed his ex-wife, but I didn’t want Reese to know I knew.

  Reese sighed as she motioned for the other flight attendant, Margaret, a petite, pretty brunette to pour another glass of wine. She took several gulps before replying. “My ex-husband was the love of my life. We fell in love under unfortunate circumstances.”

  I gazed at her curiously.

  “He was married.” She blushed again.

  “No judgement.” I waved my hand. Reese hadn’t seemed like the type who would fall for a married man, but who was I to judge? I laughed to myself. My past was so checkered someone could play chess on me.

  “Anyway, it was a very long and serious affair. When he became available, we married. I really don’t like going into details. My attorney strongly advised me not to.” Reese swirled the wine in her glass.

  Silence fell over us for a moment as I pondered her words. The soft whir of the jet engine purred in the background. “So he went to prison? Was it drugs?”

  “No, no. Nothing like that. He lived a pretty clean life in that regard. He was an attorney himself. He’d inherited a large sum of money from his parents. To make a sordid story short, he murdered someone,” she said in a hushed tone.

  My eyes widened. I had to act surprised. “My God,” I whispered. So had I. We had that in common. I wondered what she would think of me if she knew what I’d done.

  “I know. It was unthinkable. But still, he was my husband. I loved him.” Tears welled in her eyes.

  “Who…who did he—?”

  “—kill?” She finished her wine and motioned for more.

  “I don’t mean to pry.” Margaret returned to refill my glass as well. I had a feeling we were going to commission another bottle shortly.

  “It’s okay. It was his ex-wife.”

  I sucked in my breath. I’d known the answer, but to hear her say it was shocking. I had killed someone, but it had been a man, a very bad man. I don’t think I could ever do that to a woman. “Why? Were there any custody issues?”

  Reese pushed back from the table throwing down her napkin. “I’m sorry, Ayden. I can’t say anymore. It really upsets me to say the least. It was several years ago. He made some bad choices. I made some bad choices. He ended up in prison for it. I wanted to stay by his side, but he filed for divorce. He wanted to set me free. Ava, being the friend she is, saved me. She picked me up and brought me to live with her. So here I am.” She was openly crying now.

  My heart ached for her. I stood up and put my arm around her. I could smell the sweet scent of her perfume. It was more intoxicating than the wine. “I’m sorry. I didn
’t mean to make you cry. I’ve done a lot of terrible things in my own life. There’s nothing to hide from me. Believe me, I’ve done awful things…” I buried my face in her silky hair.

  She pulled away slightly. She bit her lower lip. “I know. Ava told me about Amber’s brother.”

  She knew! And yet, she wasn’t running from me. Forgetting Ava and Ash’s warnings, I felt a warm peace descend upon me as she moved closer to me. I wrapped my arm tightly around Reese’s waist pulling her against my body. The rest of the plane was quiet. I supposed the others had fallen asleep. I could hear the faint sound of music playing.

  “That was self-defense. He was going to hurt Ash and Amber. I couldn’t let that happen.”

  Reese stared up at me with her huge blue eyes. “It’s okay, Ayden. You’re Ava’s brother. I trust you.”

  My sister and brother’s warnings be damned. I needed this woman.

  Her hands roamed up my back sending shivers through my body. I wanted her dress off now, dammit. I needed to feel her flesh next to mine. It had been so long since I’d been with a woman.

  Impulsively, I swept her into my arms carrying her back to the private suite. The room was small, but it would do. Her breath was coming in gasps as I stripped the pink dress from her body. It fell to the floor revealing her glorious shape. My cock lurched as I felt pre-cum oozing from the tip.

  Reese spun around to slip her lacy bra from her full breasts. As it fell, I stared in awe of their round perfection. Her nipples were a rosy tan awaiting my touch. I found my fingertips caressing them. One fingernail scraping so gently against their velvety texture. She moaned loudly as she thrust her hand into her panties. I continued cupping her breasts squeezing them feeling their heated weight in my hands. She was shaped more generously than other women I’d been with and I adored her curves. She had the face and hair of Kate Upton, but the body of Ashley Graham. I’d always craved a curvy, voluptuous woman. I couldn’t stand those stick figure model thin types. I wanted a woman who had flesh I could caress, hold, and fondle. Feeling her generous hips beneath my fingertips was more than I could stand. I could imagine holding her fucking her from behind as I held onto those hips. My hand smacking her firm, yet curvaceous ass….