Page 173 of Sawyer

SIN

“Sawyer, huh?” Seraphina’s voice turns teasing over the secure line. She’s doing her best to avoid the bigger topic at hand—her sister. I don’t blame her. Not one bit. “I’m happy for you, Sin. You deserve this, even if you are a meddling asshole.”

I’ve been avoiding this call since the moment we brought Thea home. I adore Seraphina, and over the last several years, she moved into my heart like a deranged elf. Short, curvy, and full of fire, she will rule the world one day—or at least a small section of it.

“I’d never meddle.” I exhale the smoke from my cigarette. It’s been three days since Sawyer’s heat began. I’m tired, but I’m lost to her every time I walk into our nest and smell her arousal.

“You always meddle, brother.” She sighs in defeat, though when she addresses me as her brother, my heart warms. Sure, I may have a few siblings the world doesn’t know about—all of those being heirs, but Sera, however, is the only person I consider my family. “She’s broken, Sin.” Sera finally mentions Thea, her blood sister.

“I know.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Mila can’t help her?”

“No.” It’s one word, but it’s full of so much pain that I feel it in my soul. Once upon a time, I thought I loved Thea, and maybe, in my way, I did. She was everything I thought I wanted.

Sawyer is everything I actually need, and damn, I love her.

“There’s not much else we can do for her, Seraphina.” The truth in my words breaks my heart. She was once so lively and full of life. “We plan to ship her to the base, where she can be with Doc.”

“Is he talking?”

“Not a word.” I huff out a laugh. “Someone cursed him. It looks like someone knew he’d spill everything once we captured him.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t gut him.” There’s venom in her voice. She wants him eradicated. I don’t blame her, especially after everything he did to her sister. Sera is fierce, with a little bit of fire mixed in with her syrupy sweetness.

“Rumor wanted to.” I bite my lip, thinking about how he bent me over Sawyer and fucked my ass this morning. I’m still sore and excited for even more.

“Well, he should have gutted him.” She snorts, not giving up an ounce of her hatred. I wouldn’t even ask her to. “Anyway,” she sings, “tell me, am I expecting little babies in ten months?”

“I don’t even know, Seraphina,” I answer honestly and take another drag of my cigarette as I push on the ground to send the swing rocking. “We are just going to let life roll out and take things day by day.”

“Cool, cool, cool,” she says, but her tone is faraway.

“What’s going on?” I sit up, alert, and stub out my cigarette in the little ashtray Sawyer set out for me. Seraphina is my baby sister, and a fierce sense of protectiveness rushes through me at the possibility that there is something wrong.

“I’m turning twenty-one soon,” she whispers. “I came here to figure out why my sister died and find out what happened to her, and I don’t have that purpose anymore. Now I’m stuck here, and I’m about to go up for auction.”

Ah, that’s the issue. “Want me to break you out?” I will. I’ll sneak her out of there and hide her.

“No, it’s sweet of you to offer.” Another sigh gusts over the line. “I think I’ll see what this whole pack life is all about.”

“Really?” That doesn’t sound like Seraphina at all. “I’m not buying it.”

“You shouldn’t,” she hedges.

“What do you have up your sleeve?”

“Tricks, my dear brother. Tricks,” she replies with amusement in her voice. “I am a magician, after all.” The line goes dead, leaving me to stare at it in confusion.

No good can come of this. None at all.

A moan spills through the open window. Sawyer is awake. Hopping off the swing, I reach into my pocket and pull out the little chip that holds the memories of a night Sawyer often hinted at—one where Bryn and Rumor ravished her in the woods. My little exhibitionist princess.

I thought we’d watch it together since they left me out that night.

Rude, but the three of them are about to make up for not inviting me.

Taking the steps two at a time, I stroll over to the television and slip the disk inside, only to turn around and find three sets of eyes on me.

“What are you up to?” Rumor questions, squinting at me before his gaze trails over my bare chest. He should lick my tattoos and trace the lines with his tongue.

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