Page 18 of Echoes of Sin

“Came to see my favorite girl.”

I didn’t have to look to know his smile was as big as hers. Despite our strained relationship, Ryan loved Karina and he doted on her like a good uncle should.

“Want some pizza?” Karina offered. “It was really good and extra cheesy!”

He laughed and then he was sitting at my kitchen table. “Lara,” he said in that stiff tone meant to make her feel unwelcome.

“Officer. Trample anyone’s rights lately?”

He frowned. “Get any criminals off lately?”

“Tons,” she shot back with a wide grin. “Because I’m damn good at my job.”

“Excuse me.” I jumped up from the table and rushed to the bathroom before my tears fell. I hated that Ryan and Ilya both made me feel like that insecure girl I used to be. They both took me back to that time and I hated it. Sometimes I hated them.

A knock sounded on the bathroom door, and though I hoped it was Lara, the knocks had a distinct sound of law enforcement. “Brooke, open up. I’m sorry.”

I yanked the door open and glared at my brother. “Are you sorry, Ryan? Because you said something close to that eight years ago, so I’m pretty sure that’s not what you think.” I shook my head. “I’m tired of arguing with you. Maybe you should just come by to see Karina when I’m not home.”

“That’s not what I want, Brooke. With Dad off in Texas with Sandra, and Mom gone, we’re all we have.”

“You mean you’re stuck with me. Well, guess what? I don’t need you to look out for me. You’ve never been very good at it anyway, but you are good with Karina, so thanks for that.”

He frowned. “Are you kidding? She’s great. I love that girl to pieces.”

“I know. That’s why I put up with the constant jabs, but I’m sick of it.”

“So, what, we’re just not going to talk at all?”

“We don’t talk now. We argue and we bicker, and we play nice for Karina. Let’s just skip to that part.”

He clenched his jaw tight, his anger closer to the surface than usual. “I just want you to be careful, Brooke. Ilya isn’t the person you knew back at college.”

I detected the warning in his tone. I know that some of Ruben’s clients were borderline shady, but I’d not found anything amiss in Ilya’s accounts. If anything, his business appeared squeaky clean. I wasn’t about to run to his defense though, “Our relationship is strictly professional. It’s my job and you don’t need to worry about anything else. I’m pretty sure he was never the person I knew.”

Ryan sighed. “He’s missing out, Brooke. Karina is an incredible little girl, and he doesn’t know that, and it’s his own damn fault. Remember that.”

“Yeah, thanks,” I said, as I headed back to the kitchen. Karina was eating her pizza oblivious to the fact I’d rushed out in tears. I was thankful for that, I didn’t want my little girl worrying.

“Oh, before I go, Ella and I are planning on taking the kids to her parents’ house at the Hamptons, the month after next. We wondered if Karina wanted to join us?”

“Mommy, please?” Karina squealed as she rushed over. “They have a boat, we can play pirates. Please Mommy, please?”

“I’ll think about it,” I answered noncommittedly. Maybe I was turning into one of those overprotective moms. Karina was all I had, and the thought of her leaving me, even for a weekend, made my heart sink.

“You know she’d be safe with me,” Ryan said, as my daughter danced around us.

He pressed a fierce kiss to my forehead and gave me one of those big brother stares before he took off. “Duty calls. See you Wednesday, Karina.”

“Wednesday date night,” she called out. “I’ll be there, Uncle Ry.” She was so excited about it, and that was what mattered.

Chapter Eleven

Ilya

Fridays tended to come around quickly over the past month and I found that I looked forward to the day more and more. I woke up each Friday with a smile and a surge of excitement at the thought of seeing Brooke again.

She still hadn’t warmed up to me, but I knew it was just a matter of time. If I closed my eyes, I could still feel the way she clamped down around my cock, and that was enough for me to know that things weren’t over for us yet. While she may have a problem with my past actions, it was clear that her body had forgiven me. I just needed to wait for her mind to get the memo.

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