Guilty As Sin (Sin Trilogy#2)

“You’ve been using your heart condition to manipulate us for years. It’s not going to work anymore.”

She gasps. “See! She’s turning you against me. That’s exactly what she wants. She wants to drive a wedge into the heart of this family and tear us apart.”

Whitney sucks in a breath, and I press her tighter to my side. “No, Mother. You’ve managed to do that all by yourself.”

My mother’s eyes narrow. “It’s time to choose. Her, or your family.” Her gaze cuts to Whitney. “I hope you’re happy about what you’ve done. You couldn’t stay away. You had to tear us all apart, just like your mother.”

Whitney tries to pull away from me, but I keep my arm locked around her. I’m not letting her go again.

“You want me to choose, Mother? I will.”





43





WHITNEY





MRS. RISCOFF’S words are shredding my soul. Somehow, I knew it would come to this. I knew she would make it an either-or situation. She could never let Lincoln and me be together.

I can’t let him choose between us. I can’t be the reason a family is torn apart. My mother already did that, and I refuse to do the same.

“Stop. Both of you.” I jerk away from Lincoln’s side so I can turn and see his face.

“Whitney.”

“No, just listen to me for a minute.” I hate how my voice shakes, but that doesn’t stop me from saying what I need to say. “You only get one mother. Maybe you don’t appreciate her now, and maybe you have differences, but you only get one.” Tears fill my eyes. “I would do anything to have another day with my mom. Anything. I didn’t realize how important she was before I lost her, and I won’t let you do this. I won’t be the one who comes between you.”

“Blue—”

Lincoln’s brow creases with the same pain that’s tearing me apart, but I know I’m doing the right thing. There is no other alternative.



“No. I won’t let you choose between us, Lincoln. I can’t be responsible for that decision.”

I shake my head as tears track down my face. I was doing so great at being positive and looking at the future with hope, but I should have known better. That’s not how things work for me.

I swallow, finding the strength to say this last part, and meet Lincoln’s anguished hazel gaze. “I’ll leave before I’ll let you choose. I never should have come back. All I’ve done is cause pain for the people I care about. I’m done. I’m gone.”

“Whitney, no. You can’t—” He reaches out to grasp my wrist, but I snatch it back.

“I’m sorry. You should take your mom home. Spend time with your family. That’s what matters. Not me.”

He reaches for me again, but I shake off his hold and turn to walk away, trying to keep my head high as my tears fall faster and faster. Lincoln calls out my name and I break into a run, not stopping until I’m in my room with both doors locked.

I drop onto the sofa and curl into a ball. I knew I shouldn’t have come back to Gable. I knew I shouldn’t have ever looked at Lincoln Riscoff again. I knew I shouldn’t let myself imagine any kind of happily ever after. All I’ve done is destroy more lives.

But I’m done with that. I’m done with all of it.





44





LINCOLN





AS I STARE in the direction Whitney ran, my heart cracks open in my chest.

“You have your answer. She doesn’t want you, Lincoln. She’s never actually wanted you. It’s always been about what you could do for her.”

I whip around to face my mother. “You don’t know that.”

“Then why did she marry that boy? Because she knew he was the heir, and she thought he’d inherit everything. She never loved you. She never wanted you. If she did, she would’ve walked away from him and stayed with you, even if it meant you got nothing. But she didn’t. Those Gable whores only want the man that comes with the money. Why do you think she came back now?”



My mother’s poisonous words seep into the part of me that always wondered how Whitney could have walked down the aisle to another man if she loved me.

“Are you willing to throw away your family for someone like that?”

With every jab, my mother thinks she’s turning me to her way of thinking, but all she’s doing is making me question her.

“What do you mean she would’ve stayed, even though she knew it would mean I inherited nothing if I chose her?”

My mother lifts her chin but doesn’t answer.

“You got to her then years ago, didn’t you? What did you say to her, Mother?”

Her jaw tightens, and I know my suspicions are right. My mother did something to push Whitney down the aisle to Rango, and I need to know exactly what the hell she did.



“Mother, you’ll answer my question, or I’ll make sure Commodore cuts you off without a dime.”

Instead of replying, my mother turns on her heel and stalks down the hall.

Oh, fuck no. I’m going to get my answers.

But first—I need to talk to Whitney.





45





WHITNEY





The past

CRICKET WOULDN’T TAKE no for an answer this time. She was determined to get me out of the house and back into the land of the living. Finally, she resorted to playing dirty—she bribed me with passion-fruit gelato from Tutti Frutti, and the fact that the owner told her she was almost out and wouldn’t be making more for months.

I didn’t even know what passion fruit actually looked like, but the gelato was pretty much the best thing I’d ever tasted in my entire life.

“Can’t you bring some home to me?”

“It’ll start melting, and then I’ll have to lick up the drips, and before you know it, the whole thing will be in my belly.”

I narrowed my gaze at my cousin. “And why can’t you get it in a cup so it’s not a big deal if it drips?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not bringing it to you. You have to leave the house. You’re starting to blend into the furniture, and it’s not healthy. Go take a shower. Wash your ass, put on some clean clothes, and at least pretend you’re still a functioning human being. You never know what’ll happen—you might actually start functioning again.”

The cracked pieces inside me threatened to shatter. Over gelato.

“I just buried both of my parents. Can’t you bring me some freaking ice cream?” My voice rose until it was nearly a shriek at the end.

Cricket rushed toward me and wrapped me in a hug. “Jesus. Finally. Scream at me. Yell at me. Do something other than sit there like a mute.”

Tears streaked down my face as my shoulders shook. “Why?”

“Because you’re trying to bury yourself with them, and I can’t let you do that.” She sniffled. “I’m sorry, Whit. I don’t want to make you cry, but I need you to stop staring through me like I’m not even here. I just want my cousin back, even if it’s just a little. I need you to try to live again.”

I knew what Cricket was doing, and I couldn’t hate her for it. I let my tears soak her shoulder. But it was her sniffles and the tears sliding down her cheeks that made my decision easy.

“Fine. You win. I’ll take a shower, and we can go get gelato.”

She pulled back, blinking her bloodshot eyes. “Thank you, Whit. I know you won’t regret it.”

I hoped she was right.



AN HOUR LATER, Cricket and I were in Aunt Jackie’s car heading downtown.

We parked on the street and climbed out. She didn’t lie to me about the gelato, because I could see the owner waving and pointing at it through the front window of Tutti Frutti as soon as she caught sight of us.

Once I had a cone in hand, Cricket and I walked outside and wandered down Bridge Street toward the city square where there were benches in an area near all the little shops that seemed to be springing up one after another.



“Oh, do you see that dress? How cute is that?” She pointed at a blousy off-the-shoulder dress in the window. It was definitely her style.

“Super cute,” I said, finding it easier than I’d expected to fall back into our old patterns.

“I’m going to go try it on. Want to come?”

“I think I’ll wait out here. I’m enjoying the sunshine.”