The Next Sin (The Sin Trilogy 2)

They finish and lift the head of the bed so Harold is almost in a sitting position. “Here’s your call light. Buzz me if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Marge,” Ellison says.

Bleu’s sister waits until the nurse is gone to address me. “You’re him.”

She recognizes me? How? I was under the impression Ellison knew nothing of me.

“You need to go, Elli,” Harold tells his daughter. Apparently, he recognizes me as well.

“Hello, Mr. MacAllister.” I nod in Ellison’s direction. “Miss MacAllister.”

“Don’t be rude, Dad. This is Bleu’s friend she met while she was in Scotland on assignment.” Oh. She knows more than I expected.

“Leave now, Ellison.”

Bleu’s sister is clearly shocked by her father’s reaction. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”

I wait until Ellison is gone to introduce myself. “I’m Sinclair Breckenridge. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“You’ve come for her.” He puts his hand to his chest and is gasping for air.

I’m scaring the shit out of the poor man. “I have but not for the reason you think.” I pass him the cup of water from his bedside table. “Have a drink.”

He does as I suggest but he’s working hard to catch his breath. “Slow your breathing. You’re working yourself into being short of air.” Bleu will be very displeased with me if I send her father into some sort of attack.

“Why have you come?”

I gesture toward the bedside chair. “May I?”

He nods and appears to be calming a little. Maybe.

Everything I rehearsed in my head is a blur. “Please, bear with me. I had all of this planned out—everything I wanted to say to you—but I’m suddenly at a loss.” This doesn’t happen to me. I never lose control. I’m a total mess.

“Mr. MacAllister. I’m not sure what Bleu has told you. I’m probably rewinding a little too far but I’m doing so because I don’t want there to be any confusion.”

“Go ahead,” he says.

“You’re aware Bonny infiltrated The Fellowship through me with the goal of killing my father?” Dammit. That sounded horrid, as though I’ve come to avenge him. “I’m sorry. That came out all wrong.” I’m doing a terrible job.

“Please don’t hurt my daughter,” Harold pleas.

“I’m not here to harm Bonny.”

“Bonny?”

I laugh. “That’s my special name for Bleu.”

I get up to pace the room as I talk. Walking always seems to calm me. “Anyway, she wasn’t successful. But I’m sure you know this already.”

“She decided she couldn’t go through with it.” Okay. We may be getting closer to being on the same page.

“Aye. But do you know why she couldn’t go through with it?”

“Her conscience got the better of her.” That’s a half-truth.

“That much is true but what she hasn’t told you is why she developed a conscience about killing my father.”

His brow wrinkles, his eyes squinted, as though he’s trying to put the pieces together. “What are you saying?”

“She couldn’t go through with it because we fell in love.”

He’s shaking his head in denial. “No.”

“Trust me. I didn’t want to love her, but I do—with all my heart. It’s not what she wanted or planned, either, but still, she loves me all the same.”

“I don’t believe you.” Harold raises his voice as much as he’s able. “This is one of your crafty tricks.”

“My uncle discovered Bleu’s deception. I was supposed to kill her but I couldn’t do it because I love her. I let her escape with a promise—I’d find a way to erase her grievance with The Fellowship.”

“Let’s assume I believe you’re in love with one another. How do you suppose you’re going to fix a problem of this magnitude? The Fellowship doesn’t forgive and forget.”

“Abram’s men are in the US right now. They’re on a mission to hunt and execute Bleu. She could probably run and avoid them but she refuses to leave you. Even if she did, it puts Ellison at risk. My uncle wouldn’t hesitate in using your other daughter as a way to draw Bleu out.”

I see the terror in his eyes. “No. Not both of my daughters.”

“Mr. MacAllister. I can protect Bleu. And Ellison.”

“In exchange for what?” He’s suspicious of my motives, as he should be.

“Bleu’s hand in marriage.”

“Never!”

“I’m pledging my life to your daughter’s safety and happiness. You know who I am so I’m certain you understand that as my wife, no one can harm Bleu. It’s Fellowship code—something none of us dare violate. The grace of safety our marriage will provide also blankets Ellison because she’s Bleu’s family. My uncle will be forced to call off his order to execute Bleu the moment I tell him we’ve married.”

“Are you here to ask for my blessing?”

“Yes, sir. That’s exactly why I’ve come.”

“You’re asking me to be okay with my daughter marrying the leader of a criminal organization. How does a father give his blessing for something like that?” he asks.

“You give it because you love your daughter and want her to be safe and happy.”

“And you believe being married to you will make her happy?”

He’s not convinced so I need to change his mind. “I proposed to Bleu two days ago and she said yes. We spent all day yesterday preparing for our wedding tomorrow.”

He’s hurt. I see it in his eyes. “She’s going to marry you tomorrow without telling me?”

“Yes. But only because she believes you won’t approve. She doesn’t want you to be disappointed with her for marrying me.”

“I will never be all right with her marrying into a family of criminals.”

I must make him understand how things will be for Bleu as my wife. “Bleu will never be tainted by my business or The Fellowship. I swear this to you.”

“She’ll live among you. It’s not possible for her to not be touched by your criminal activities.”

He may need reminding that Bleu isn’t coming into our marriage untainted. She’s no angel. “Bleu came into my life because she had made the decision to commit murder. She came to kill my dad for a crime he didn’t commit.”

“And what has become of that? Your father—the leader of The Fellowship—couldn’t have possibly forgotten her motive for infiltrating your organization. He must be as eager as your uncle to get rid of her.”

He’s wrong. “Not at all. Bleu

was mistaken about Dad being her mother’s killer. He loved Amanda Lawrence very much so Bleu holds a dear place in his heart. He wants to protect her. She’s in good standing with my father.”

“She would have Thane’s protection as well?”

“Yes. My parents are quite fond of Bleu, as are the other members of The Fellowship.” With the exception of Abram. “She was initiated into the brotherhood months ago. They welcomed her with open arms. None of the members, not even my uncle, know about her plot to kill my father. I’ve told no one.”

“You would keep that secret from your family and the people you are most loyal to so she would remain safe?”

“Absolutely. I’ll always do what I must to protect her.”

“Do you know who killed Amanda?”

“Not yet. But I promised Bleu I would help her find out.” It’s a promise she’ll hold me to.

“There’s no way it wasn’t one of your people or someone tied to you.”

I don’t like his theory but it holds water. “I agree.”

“She’s a good detective. She isn’t going to stop until she finds out who he is.”

“Aye. You’re right.”

“I know my daughter well. When she figures out which Fellowship member is her mother’s killer, she’ll go after him. She won’t stop until he’s dead. That puts her in danger, regardless of her position as your wife.” Again, he’s right. The Fellowship won’t let the death of one of our own go unpunished.

“They won’t hesitate to kill her.” He stares at me intently. “But they’d never consider killing you—their leader.”

I understand where he’s going with this.

“You’re asking me to approve of your union with my daughter. There’s only one way that’ll happen. Give me your word as a Fellowship member that you’ll be the one to take out the man who killed her mother. I’ll give you my blessing to marry my daughter, that is if marriage is what she wants.”

This is a good move for Harold MacAllister. He sees my marriage to Bleu for what it is—something completely out of his control. It’s going to happen with or without his approval so he’s making the most of it. He’s a dying man preying upon my code of honor to ensure his daughter’s safety. I respect that.