Guilty As Sin (Sin Trilogy#2)

“It damn well is. She’s my girl. Always has been and always will be. Doesn’t matter if we hit a few bumps in the road. Whitney and I are for life.”

I controlled my temper because all I wanted to do was sink my fist into this asshole’s face. “You fucked around on her, she dumped your ass and then fell for me . . . and you’re calling it a bump in the road?”

His nostrils flared.

Good, now we’re equally pissed off.

“She didn’t fucking fall for you. She’s been in love with me since she was a kid.”

I forced a smile onto my face. “I hate to break it to you, asshole, but she’s not a kid anymore, and she’s too smart to ever give you another chance.”

A car pulled into the driveway behind me and the doors slammed. I whipped around to see Asa Gable. Fucking great.

“I told you to stay the fuck away from here.” Whitney’s brother came toward me, his face stamped with the urge to kill.

“Asa, don’t you dare touch him,” Jackie said as she walked toward us.

“Why? Because his family would make sure I’m shipped off somewhere and killed by friendly fire?”

I took a step down the driveway. “I don’t know who the fuck fed you all these lies about my family, but we don’t give two shits about you, Gable.”

“Both of you, stop.” Whitney’s aunt waved an arm between us, then looked at me. “You should go.”

“I need to see her. Please. Just let me talk to her for two fucking minutes.”

Something that looked a lot like sympathy flashed across Jackie’s face, but she shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. She’s . . . not coping well.”

The anguish leeching into Jackie’s expression and the rough edge of her voice sent a slash of pain through my insides with enough intensity to double me over. I stayed standing because there was no way I was going to take a hit to my pride in front of these people.

I met Jackie Gable’s gaze. “Can you at least tell her I’ve been here twice?”

Her expression softened, but Rango jumped back into the conversation.

“Twice? What the fuck?” He bolted toward me, his fists clenched.

I kept my attention on Jackie. She was my only potential ally here and knew how Whitney felt about me before. Hopefully still feels about me. And she was the only person here who would give me a single fucking chance to see Whitney.

“Please tell her I was here, and that I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

Jackie squeezed her eyes shut, and she was a moment away from giving in. I could feel it. But Asa responded for her instead.

“My sister has a double funeral to worry about, Riscoff. She’s not gonna give a single shit what you have to say, now or ever.”

I spun toward him, anger filling my gut. They think they’re the only ones who’ve lost someone?

“I’ve got a fucking funeral to attend too, and I’d care if she came to my house and had a single word to say to me.”

“But she hasn’t come to your house, and she won’t.” Rango’s voice might as well have been gasoline tossed on the fire of my rage. “Because she doesn’t want a damn thing from you. She’s got her family and me, and she doesn’t need you.”

I moved toward him, ready to fight, not caring how it would end.

“Please, Lincoln. If you care about her . . . just go.” Jackie’s tone, begging and defeated, stopped me cold.

Not now. Not like this. I raised my hands in front of me like I was giving up, but that’s one thing I’d never do when it came to Whitney.

“I’ll go, but I’ll keep coming back until I finally get to see her. Talk to her. Apologize to her. I owe her that much.”

From the expressions on their faces—rage and sadness—I knew they’d never let it happen.

That just meant I’d have to find another way.





17





WHITNEY





THEY THOUGHT I couldn’t hear them, but the yelling outside was impossible to drown out, even with my humming.

I sneaked to the windows in the living room but stayed pressed against the wall beside the panes. I couldn’t let Lincoln see me, because I knew if I went outside, they’d tear me apart like jackals.

I couldn’t handle seeing him with an audience. What we’d had wasn’t for public consumption, even if he thought it should be.

We were better off as a secret. Something that was just ours and no one else’s.

As I listened to them argue, I realized how naive he and I had been, thinking that anyone would accept us. Maybe in a world where no one knew our names, but here in Gable? We’d been cursed from the start.

I finally heard a car door slam, and my heart was so torn as to what to think or feel in that moment, I barely reacted in time to run back to the kitchen before they stomped into the house.

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me he was here before?” Ricky barked the question at Asa.

“Because I handled it. She’s my sister, asshole. I don’t need to explain myself to you.”

“She’s my girl.”

“Which means I’ll fucking kill you—in more painful ways than I’d kill him—if you ever think about cheating on her again. Do you fucking hear me?”

“It was a mistake, man. I swear. I got caught up in all the LA bullshit. It showed me what really mattered. She’s the only girl who wants me for me and not because of my song on the radio, and I didn’t realize what I had until I fucked it up. I’m going to do everything to make it right. I swear I’ll never hurt her again.”

“You’ve been my best friend for twenty fucking years, Ricky. I don’t make idle threats, so don’t make me kill you. Now, go fucking try to get her to stop crying so damn much.”

I sat back down at the kitchen table and wrote until my hand cramped.



* * *



We were destined to go down in flames

Because every sin begets a sin.

Maybe someday I’ll forget your name,

But until then . . . I never want to see you again.



* * *



THE WORDS SPILLED out of me, but I knew I was lying to myself. I’d never be able to move on without seeing Lincoln at least one more time.





18





WHITNEY





Present day

LIGHT STREAMS in through the window, and I open my eyes to see the most incredible sunrise over the gorge. Nothing, not even remembering the reason I’m here, can detract from the beauty of this moment.



Because I’m looking for the good.

Maybe Magnus was right. Maybe I’ve been focusing on the clouds instead of the beauty of everything else.

But this morning, even after a night filled with dreams of Lincoln, things look brighter and more vivid. Even the clouds are stunning, washed in orange, pink, and red. It’s one of those moments that you can’t help but be glad you’re alive to see.

I wait for the sky to change colors before I pick up the phone on my nightstand. My majordomo answers immediately.

“Good morning, Ms. Gable. Can we bring you a latte or coffee before breakfast?”

“Coffee would be great.”

He goes on to ask me what I’d like for breakfast, and I decide to indulge with a strawberry crepe. He returns with the coffee within minutes.



It’s a different kind of luxury than I’m used to. At least, it feels different. Before, I was always part of the Ricky Rango entourage, where his needs came first and everyone else was an afterthought, especially me. I wasn’t part of the band, and no one was ever allowed to know what my true role was. Ricky went out of his way to give the impression that I was just along for the ride and contributed nothing.

For some reason, that always made me feel like I had to prove that I was earning my keep. I went above and beyond, busting my ass to make sure every part of his life went smoothly, so people knew I was pulling my weight.

As his popularity grew, things spiraled out of control. Ricky pushed me harder, always wanting more. Different. Bigger. Better. It was never enough. If a single didn’t hit number one, it was always my fault.

And I let him make me feel like that.

I let him walk all over me.

I let him bully me into keeping his secret.

Until the moment I found out he had gone back on his one promise to me and cheated.