Reveling in Sin Read online

  “What about Sylvia?”

  Jackie’s expression turns hard. “I told you, she was making plans. She was talking to Maren about how she would take your place as soon as you were out of the way. Sylvia was never going to let you be with Lincoln. I slipped her the drugs in her tea. I would do it again. She would’ve never let you live happy, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, Whit. Just for you to live happy.”

  “Too . . . bad . . . you . . . have to die now too.”

  Harrison’s strangled voice comes from below us, and Jackie screams as he knocks her off her feet and she crashes to the floor.

  “No!” I shout, lunging forward only to be caught by the handcuff where he locked it on the rail.

  On the floor, Harrison hammers at Jackie’s face with his one good hand and his bloody stump before slamming her head into the floor over and over.

  “Let her go!”

  I grab the gun off the end of the bed, but there’s no way I can shoot Harrison without hitting my aunt, so I do something else completely and utterly stupid.

  I shoot my handcuff instead, shutting my eyes as I squeeze the trigger.

  The percussion of the shot deafens me, but through some miracle, the metal chain connecting the bracelet to the frame snaps free. I vault toward the hallway where Jackie tries to crawl away from Harrison.

  “Whitney?”

  My brother’s voice roars down the hallway as Harrison lashes out, catching me in the ankle. My feet go out from under me, and my head connects with the floor.

  The last thing I hear before everything goes black is the sound of pounding footsteps and my brother’s bellow as he drags Harrison away from us.

  52

  Lincoln

  Asa Gable comes out of the front of the hospital cradling two blood-spattered bodies against him, both with jet-black hair. When he lowers their dead weight to the ground, my heart practically stops.

  “No!”

  I run toward them, and the sight of Whitney’s pale face sends fear like I’ve never known ripping through me.

  I drop to my knees beside her. “What happened?”

  When Whitney’s brother meets my gaze, the gravity of his expression hits me even harder. “Your brother’s dead. He tried to kill them both.” Asa pauses. “I did what I had to do to save my family, and I won’t apologize for it.”

  The thundering beat of a chopper’s rotors almost drowns him out as it lands on the helipad, but I hear him clearly enough. My stomach drops to the ground beneath my feet.

  This isn’t how things were supposed to go. Waves of regret wash over me, but I pull myself together. I can grieve later.

  “Where?”

  “Back hallway on the first floor. Past radiology”

  Someone speaks over a bullhorn before I respond. “We need to evacuate the area as quickly as possible. We’re down to one road, and it won’t stay open long. Everyone must go now.”

  Whitney stirs in the grass, her lids fluttering open to reveal her beautiful blue eyes. “Jackie? Where’s Jackie?”

  “She’s right beside you, Whit,” Asa says, crouching down to try to wake up their aunt.

  “Where’s Lincoln?”

  “Right here.”

  Her blue gaze finds mine. “Harrison . . . he . . . he was going to kill us both. Jackie saved me. I’m so sorry. She had to shoot him.”

  I pull her against my body, and her shivers tear through me. “It’s not your fault, Blue. It’s not your fault.”

  “But I—”

  “Stop. Not right now. Everything can wait. We have to get you somewhere safe.”

  “No. Not everything . . .”

  Jackie Gable’s voice, rough and ragged, interrupts as she regains consciousness. “I’m . . . I’m sorry. For everything I’ve done. I’m so sorry. I . . . I only wanted to protect my family . . .”

  “Jackie, no!” Whitney cries as her aunt’s body goes limp. Blood mats her hair, and her face is swelling from taking a beating. I don’t have to ask to know that my brother did that to her. And now he’s dead.

  “No!” Whitney screams. “Someone help her!”

  I lock down everything I’m feeling as I wrap Whitney in my arms and hold her as she sobs.

  A doctor rushes over to Asa. “What’s happening here?”

  “I don’t know, but we need help.”

  The doctor feels for a pulse. “She’s still with us. We have one bus left. Bring her with me. Come on.”

  Asa lifts an unconscious Jackie into his arms and carries her to the last ambulance while I help Whitney to her feet.

  “What about Karma? Where’s Karma?” Whitney asks, coughing on the smoke that fills the air.

  “Chopper took her to Rock Hollow. Surgical team went with her. The pilot’s taking two more critical patients right now.”

  “Thank God.”

  “Asa and I split up to find you and Jackie, but he found you first.”

  Whitney’s blue gaze stares up at me. “We have to go get your brother. We can’t leave him here.”

  Pain and grief tears through me. “You’re going in the ambulance with your aunt. I’ll get my brother. I’ll find you—”

  “No,” Whitney says, wrapping a hand around my arm. “I’m not leaving without you. Not now. Not ever.”

  Asa returns and drops to a knee next to his sister. “We gotta go now. You heard what they said. One road out; that’s it. We need to move fast. Let’s get your brother’s body and get the fuck out of here.”

  53

  Whitney

  Two weeks later

  There’s been too much death. Too much loss. The wildfire consumed Commodore and Magnus’s cabins, then jumped the river to destroy half the town of Gable before rain poured down in a deluge and helped put it out. Asa, Lincoln, and I were lucky to make it out alive with Harrison’s body. The road was completely blocked by the time we tried to leave, but Lincoln’s chopper pilot managed to come back for one last pickup.

  If not for that, we all would have died that day. Instead, we escaped with nothing more than bruises that are already healing.

  Now we stand on the charred grass of the cemetery, in front of headstones scorched by the flames, while we lay Sylvia, Jackie, and Harrison to their final rest.

  One funeral. Two families. Something no one would have ever believed could happen.

  Magnus and Commodore sit side by side, and we all watch as our family members are interred. Sylvia’s ashes and Harrison’s casket in the Riscoff mausoleum, even though he wasn’t a Riscoff by blood, and Jackie in the plot beside my parents—who she left in the river that night.

  Everything my aunt said to me in the hospital has haunted me for the last two weeks. I still can’t make sense of it. Can’t process it.

  How could she have done all of it?

  Jackie passed away a week and a half ago after slipping into a coma on the ambulance ride to Rock Hollow. They said it was a bleed in her brain. She never woke up again. Now we’ll never know the rest of what happened, because she can’t answer any more of our questions.

  Karma sits beside Cricket with her girls, who we now know are definitely Hunter’s. Karma was actually the one who insisted on the paternity test, and the results came back positive a few days ago. Hunter sits on Cricket’s other side, holding her hand. He’s been a rock for her and the girls as they navigate this new reality.

  Karma’s surgery was largely a success, despite its hasty completion. She’s going through chemo now, but the doctors seem confident she’ll recover. The Riscoff Memorial Hospital didn’t survive the fire, but Lincoln has arranged for her to be treated in Rock Hollow by a team of specialists.

  Her attitude has changed so much in the last two weeks that I barely recognize her anymore. There’s humility and sorrow, where before there was bitterness and anger. Telling her and Cricket everything Jackie had told me was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

  Tears dripped down Karma’s cheeks then, just like they do now as we say our
good-byes.

  Karma knew exactly what I was talking about when I relayed what had happened that night after Roosevelt hit on her at the bar. She told Cricket and me everything, including how, in her twenty-year-old idiocy, she’d been so proud and wanted to tell her mom. She cried even harder when she told us that Jackie had been livid, and she’d accused her mom of being jealous. Jackie had told her to find someone her own age before storming out, and Karma was too blinded by her anger to put things together about that night—that what happened in the bar had unleashed a chain reaction that ended with the deaths of my parents and Roosevelt. Instead, when Ricky came home, Karma clung to him when I didn’t, and that’s when her obsession started.

  She apologized to me. She apologized to Cricket. She apologized to Hunter. Every single apology was completely sincere, even though all three of us stared at her like she might have been abducted by aliens and someone else was returned to earth in her body.

  Lincoln stands when the preacher goes quiet, and I realize I’ve completely checked out of the ceremony. He leads me forward, and we both lay flowers in front of the mausoleum and the grave.

  “This ends the Riscoff-Gable feud permanently. We’ve all lost too much. There’s no more room for hate when it’s time to build anew.” Lincoln’s voice rings out, and everyone in the small crowd gathered at the cemetery nods in agreement.

  Cricket rests her hand over her belly, and I send up a prayer of thanks. At least there is one new miracle we can celebrate in about seven months.

  From death comes new life.

  54

  Lincoln

  Three months later

  By some miracle, my home, my family’s estate, and The Gables survived the fire. We’ve spent the last three months working on rebuilding everything on the side of town that wasn’t quite so fortunate.

  Riscoff Holdings donated every board we had to the construction efforts. The thousands of acres of timber we lost, while small in the grand scheme of things, made it even more imperative to me that we diversify. The deal that I’m closing right now will be one of my most important contributions to the next generation.

  I scrawl my name across the bottom of the last document and look up at the two men who are now my partners in a new business opportunity.

  “I look forward to what comes next, gentlemen.”

  Creighton Karas, the friend who was gracious enough to let us use his glass beach, stands up from his chair at the head of the conference room table. “I think we have a very profitable venture in our future.”

  Jericho Forge, the man who came through when Riscoff Holdings’ bid wasn’t submitted on time due to Harrison’s delay, rises from his seat across the table. “I wouldn’t have signed on if we weren’t going to make a hell of a lot of money.”

  They’re both self-made billionaires, men who have earned my respect, especially after negotiating with them to form this partnership. Karas’s expertise comes from the financial side, and Forge is a shipping magnate.

  Jericho Forge owns the world’s largest commercial fleet, which is astounding considering he’s close to my age and supposedly lived on the streets at one point as a kid. Rumor has it that he joined the merchant marines and somehow worked his way up to captaining freighters traveling highly dangerous routes around Africa before he started his own fleet. To look at him, I can believe every single bit of it. He’s built like a longshoreman, but now instead of wearing a captain’s uniform, he wears thirty-thousand-dollar suits and looks almost civilized.

  Almost. Something about Jericho Forge will always remind me of standing in the presence of an untamed beast, which is great when he’s on your side of the negotiating table.

  “If you’d like to stay for tomorrow, we’d be more than happy to have you join us.”

  Forge shakes his head, and his long black hair brushes his collar. “Weddings aren’t my thing, but I appreciate the offer. Best wishes to you and the future Mrs. Riscoff.”

  Karas grins. “Holly is thrilled that it’s happening here. I’ve made her promise that she won’t corner Whitney to talk about buying her songs until your next visit, however.”

  “I’m sure Whitney would be happy to talk to her anytime she wants. She’s been writing a lot, and I know she wants to hear another voice on the radio singing her words.”

  “I think it’s safe to say that she definitely will,” Karas says.

  The sound of a chopper interrupts our conversation, and we all look out the picture window of the conference room overlooking the ocean.

  “That’s mine,” Forge says. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you both. Time for me to get out of here.”

  Beyond the approaching chopper, at least a mile out from the glass beach below us, a mega yacht is moored, waiting for him. I suppose the rumors of him being more pirate than CEO could be true.

  Forge rounds the table and extends a hand to me. “Congratulations, Riscoff. Enjoy the wedding.”

  I shake it, and he moves on to Karas.

  “Still smug as hell about staying single, aren’t you, Forge? Watch out, that just might be your downfall,” Karas tells him.

  The shipping tycoon booms out a laugh, his broad shoulders shaking. “No woman will be my downfall.”

  “Famous last words,” I say, and he gives me a chin jerk before he leaves the room.

  Karas turns to me as soon as Forge is gone. “How long before he eats those words? I’m willing to put money on it.”

  I consider the enigma of a man who strides toward the chopper beyond the window. “Inside of a year.”

  “I say six months, and we’ll be watching him walk down the aisle,” Karas says with a smug grin of his own.

  “I’ll take that bet.” We shake on it. “Now, my beautiful bride should be arriving any minute with her family, and I don’t want to miss the surprise on her face when she realizes where we’re getting married. I appreciate the hell out of you letting us use the beach again.”

  Karas smiles. “It’s our pleasure. Holly would’ve never let me say anything but yes.”

  “We appreciate it, and I’m sure Whitney will be thrilled to meet her.”

  55

  Whitney

  I should have known that it would be perfect. Absolutely and completely perfect. Lincoln wouldn’t allow anything else for our wedding.

  Correction, our double wedding.

  The rainbow of glass shimmers like multicolored gems beneath our feet as Cricket and I each hold Asa by the arm and walk toward the men we love.

  My simple white dress blows in the breeze, and I’m overwhelmed with pure joy as I stare at Lincoln’s smiling face waiting a few yards away.

  When we stop before the grooms, Asa kisses Cricket on the forehead first, and Hunter takes her hand. If not for Lincoln’s wide grin, I would have said Hunter looked to be the most excited groom on the planet.

  Then Asa turns to me and squeezes both my hands. “I know when to admit that I was wrong, and I hope you’ll forgive me. I just want you to be happy, Whit. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

  “There’s nothing to be forgiven. Not anymore. I love you, Asa.”

  My brother kisses my forehead and then looks to Lincoln. “This is how it was always supposed to be. Take care of her.”

  “Until my dying breath,” Lincoln replies.

  Asa gives us both a nod and steps back to join the small group of guests standing on the beach watching our wedding. McKinley Riscoff shifts nervously next to him.

  Interesting . . .

  Instead of the huge affair that Mrs. Havalin had pushed for, Cricket and I agreed that we wanted something very intimate and private, and no one was going to bulldoze us.

  Asa, Commodore, McKinley, Magnus, Karma and the girls, as well as Hunter’s parents and our hosts—Creighton and Holly Karas—stand witness to the ceremony, and it’s absolutely perfect.

  We say our vows as the sun goes down, and Lincoln freezes when the preacher asks if anyone has any objections.

  Eve
ryone laughs.

  “No objections to this union. Not from a single one of us,” Commodore says, his voice booming over the crashing of the waves. “This is the beginning of a new era for both our families. The best is yet to come.”

  And it is a beautiful new beginning. When Lincoln’s lips brush mine to seal our vows with a kiss, I feel lighter and more at peace than I ever have in my entire life.

  This is everything.

  When he pulls back, he looks down at me. “Just wait until you see what we’re having to eat for the reception. Then you’ll really be impressed.”

  “What?”

  “Torchy’s Tacos. We flew them in, just for you.”

  My cheeks already ache from smiling, but my lips curve up even harder.

  “Best. Wedding. Ever. And not just because of the tacos.”

  Epilogue

  Two years later

  The lawn of the Riscoff estate is packed with people—friends, family, business acquaintances, and everyone in between. We started a new tradition last Fourth of July, and I think it’s safe to say that it’ll continue for many years to come. Kids run by with sparklers, and I look for my wife.

  I find her on a blanket on the lawn where our little boy, Carter, crawls around while his cousin, River, toddles. Cricket and Whitney laugh as River tries to help Carter stand.

  This is how it’s supposed to be.

  The next generation of Gables and Riscoffs are being raised together as family and will never know what it’s like to be enemies.

  Commodore and Magnus sit in their chairs behind them, watching the kids and tipping back their own drinks.

  Whitney stands as I approach and rushes forward to throw her arms around me. “I just sold more songs!”