Page 30 of The Bane of a Sinner
The room hung in a tense stalemate, the air thick with the promise of violence.
I felt a surge of fear for Shame; Sinclair’s composure hinted at a depth of power that Shame might not be able to match.
Sinclair’s eyes flicked to me, his expression softening momentarily. “I apologize for the theatrics, my dear. It was not my intention to put you in harm’s way. But sometimes, the truth is a necessary weapon.” His gaze shifted back to Shame. “You know I speak the truth. When Bane learns the truth, he will stop at nothing to protect his son. Whether you like it or not, their fates are now intertwined.”
Chapter Sixteen
Diana
I couldn’t do this. I left Texas because of backstabbing club drama and instead of studying and preparing for my future, I allowed myself to be sucked into another club, all because I fell in love with a Soulless Sinner. Shaking my head, I stood. “I can’t do this.”
“What?” Shame turned to look at me. “Can’t do what?”
Waving my arms around the room, I snapped, “This! I’m a college student who is five months pregnant. Instead of being with the father and preparing for the birth of our child, I’m here in some stranger’s house listening to the two of you go at each other’s throats, talking as if I’m not even in the room. If I wanted to be ignored, I would go home!”
“Diana...”
“No, Shame,” I said. “I’m done. I just want to go back to my dorm room and forget this day ever happened.”
“But it did happen, my dear,” Sinclair stated.
Narrowing my eyes, I glared at the pompous asshole. “Call memy dearone more time, Sinclair, and I won’t hesitate to shove Shame’s gun down your throat and pull the trigger. You see, my dad taught me many things, and one of those things was how to shoot a gun and never to point it at someone unless I intended to pull the trigger.”
Shame’s eyes widened at my outburst, and for a moment, the anger between them faded as they both regarded me with surprise. I stood there, my heart pounding, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air. Sinclair was the first to recover,his icy composure returning as he leaned back in his chair, a slight smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “It seems, Shame, that your companion has more spirit than you give her credit for. A trait I’m sure Bane finds... enchanting.”
Shame’s jaw clenched, his gaze flicking between us, the unspoken tension between them thickening the air. “You know nothing of Bane or his interests,” Shame bit out, as his eyes narrowed. “And you know nothing of Diana. She is not a player in one of your games, Sinclair. Leave her out of this.”
Sinclair’s smirk faltered, just a fraction, but it was enough to show that Shame’s words had struck a chord. “I have no intention of involving her any further,” he replied, his tone measured. “But the fact remains that she carries Bane’s child. Their paths are now connected, whether we like it or not.”
I shook my head, my hands balling into fists at my sides. “I won’t be a pawn in this,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil within me. “I refuse to be dragged into some dangerous game, used as a bargaining chip, or put in harm’s way because of some twisted club politics. My child will not grow up in that world.” I took a step back, my eyes flashing between the two men. “This ends here and now. I’m leaving, and you will not involve me or my child in your affairs. Am I understood?”
Sinclair’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, his icy composure cracked, as a flicker of something akin to respect flashed in their glacial depths. “And where would you go, Ms. Cooper? My apologies. But your leaving changes nothing. Your family will still come looking for you, and when they do, they will find Bane. Your child ensures his safety, and by extension, yours.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but Sinclair held up a hand, silencing me. “I do not make the rules of this world; I only navigate them. And sometimes, those rules demand sacrifice.” His gaze softened, just a fraction, as he added, “But I give you myword, no harm will come to you or your child because of me or mine.”
Shame’s eyes blazed, his posture rigid with anger. “You can’t make that promise, Sinclair. You know how these things work. You’re playing with fire.”
Sinclair’s expression remained impassive, his eyes steady on Shame. “Then perhaps it’s time someone challenged the rules of this game. Perhaps it’s time for a new order.” His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.
I felt a chill as I realized the magnitude of what was unfolding.
This was more than just club politics; it was a potential power play, a reshuffling of the deck that could change everything.
“You’re mad,” Shame hissed. “You have no idea what you’re stirring up. This isn’t some game, and Diana and Bane are not pawns; this is their lives.”
Sinclair’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, a shadow passed over his features, a fleeting glimpse of some hidden pain. “I am well aware of the stakes, Shame. But sometimes, great risk is necessary for great gain. And make no mistake, I always play to win.”
The silence that followed was suffocating. Shame turned away, his shoulders tense, while Sinclair stared through me, as if he could calculate a future none of us could yet see. I refused to let fear claim me, even as doubt gnawed at the edges of my resolve.
After leaving Sinclair’s, I didn’t know what to think. I knew I didn’t trust that man. Not one bit, but he did seem to understandthe gravity of my situation. The fact of the matter was, I was damned if I did and damned if I didn’t. I couldn’t go home without starting a war, and I couldn’t disappear without starting a war. There was another option, but I quickly dismissed it, refusing even to go there.
I wanted this baby.
He was a part of me and August.
“There is another way,” Shame whispered as he parked his bike in front of my dorm building at NYU. I was tired and wanted to sleep.
“What?” I said, stepping off the bike as I stretched my back.
