Lessons in Sin

He’d done all of this before we’d had sex. He’d done it because he cared about me.

Did he love me?

We hadn’t talked about that. We never said the words, even though I’d felt them every goddamn time I looked at him.

It was for the best.

But sitting here obsessing over him wasn’t for the best, so I decided to go on a hike. As I pulled on my boots, the sound of an approaching car reached my ears.

I froze, listening. Had Magnus returned?

My heart hurtled to my throat as I raced to the window.

A black luxury sedan emerged on the road amid the trees. Not Magnus.

I recognized the make and model. My mother always commissioned the same kind of car.

Blood pounded in my ears, and every ounce of warmth drained from my body.

My mother was here.

In Maine.

At the cabin that belonged to Magnus.

She knew.

She fucking knew.

My first instinct was to run. Hide. But I had to see who was in that car. Was my mother alone? Or had she sent someone in her place? My brothers? Her assistant?

As I waited for the car to park, I stood out of view of the window, my brain running on overdrive.

She was here to retrieve me. Of that I had no doubt. But how did she know where to find me? Who told her? Did she know Magnus was at the school? Or was she hoping to catch us here together?

I had to play this cool. I would tell her he’d given me the keys and let me stay here by myself during the break. Or I could just not open the door at all. I could pretend no one was here.

My head pounded with tension as the passenger door opened. My heart stopped as Ronan climbed out.

The henchman.

“No, no, no.” My muscles locked up, and everything inside me went numb.

Ronan only showed up when someone needed to be killed.

Thank fuck Magnus wasn’t here. But it would only take seconds for Ronan to learn that and head to the school to finish the job there.

Tremors started in my chest and worked their way to my legs.

Think, Tinsley. Think.

A second pair of shoes stepped out of the car. I didn’t breathe until I saw my brother’s face.

Keaton would’ve been my first choice, but he’d already flown back to Europe.

It was Perry. My second choice. He might’ve been a spoiled mama’s boy, but he was a thousand times more forgiving than my oldest brother, Winston. With Perry, I had a chance to plead my case. But first, I had to figure out what he knew.

I stayed out of view as he strode to the door with Ronan on his heels.

The Irish henchman rested a hand on his hip beneath his suit jacket, his fingers against the gun holster as his eyes probed the surrounding woods.

Perry pounded a fist on the door.

I didn’t move, didn’t breathe.

“Tinsley!” He knocked again. “I know you’re in there. Open up or we’re breaking in.”

Fucking shit.

I closed my eyes. Drew a deep breath. Then I crossed the room and let him in.

“Hey!” I hid my nerves beneath a smile. “What are you doing here?”

“You know why I’m here.” He pushed past me, his blue eyes flashing with a rare glimpse of rage as he scanned the room. “Where is that son of a bitch?”

“Who?”

Ronan breezed by and disappeared in the bedroom.

“The priest.” Perry spun toward me and cupped my face, his expression twisted in horror. “Tinsley. God. What has that motherfucker done to you?”

“If you’re talking about Father Magnus, he was kind enough to let me stay at his cabin.” I stepped back from his touch, arranging my features in a mask of confusion. “Why? What’s going on?”

“He’s not here.” Ronan emerged from the back room.

“Where did he go?” Perry squinted at me.

“How the fuck would I know? I’ve been hanging out here since Christmas.”

“Except you told us you were at the school, hanging out with friends.”

“I thought you would all freak the fuck out because I was staying out here in the woods alone.” I crossed my arms. “Guess I was right.”

“No, Tins. We freaked the fuck out because of this.” He tapped his phone screen and held it in front of my face.

My throat closed.

He had a photo of Magnus and me right outside the cabin door. It was taken yesterday after our morning hike. We hadn’t made it inside before we tore at each other’s clothes. He’d fucked me on the porch against the house in the freezing cold. Best outdoor winter sex ever.

And my brother had a picture of it on his phone.

It was captured from far enough away that our nude parts were blurry, but there was no mistaking where Magnus’s cock was buried.

“Who took that photo?” The question scraped past my dry lips.

“Where’s the priest?”

“I’m not telling you shit until I know who was spying on me and why.”