Page 93 of When Sinners Rise
I just don’t like telling her that.
The car stops, and I open my eyes and get out.
“Do you want me to come?” she calls.
Ducking back in, I take her hand and kiss it. “No.”
I start walking, heading up the steps into the place, and am met by one security guard trying to stop me and then a concierge. I stare at both of them and eventually concede the fact that unless I’m going to kill both of them, I’ll have to be polite.
“Call the penthouse. Tell him his brother’s here.”
The guy gets on the desk phone and calls up, then looks at me. “He asks which one? Which brother?” I keep staring, so he goes back to talking. “He won’t answer, sir. Yes. Of course. I’ll send him up now.” He puts the phone down and comes around the desk, opening his arm to direct me to an elevator. “Just press the P, sir.”
I move in and watch the doors close, and then wait for them to open again. The eventual space that welcomes me is full of no one waiting and one door. It opens as I’m about to knock, and familiar blue eyes stare at me. They’re not shocked, not frightened, either. They do seem older, though. Wiser maybe.
“Abel?”
“Shaw.”
He pauses and looks back inside, like there’s something to be wary of. There isn’t. I didn’t fly all the way to London for more anger or animosity. “Who died?”
“No one. Is she in there?” He nods. I smirk. “Does she hate me?”
“Yes.”
I move forward, pushing him backwards because he wasn’t expecting it. He tries moving to get in front of me again, but it’s too late for that, and, like it or not, we’re family. She needs to get used to that. “Nice place.”
“Abel,” he snarls, as I turn into a main area. “Stop.”
“No.”
A feisty-looking Miri turns into my path, eyes like slits. “No. Not here. You can fuck off.” She plants herself in my way, chin high and defiance all over her. “Or are we fighting again?”
I look back at Shaw and chuckle. “I can see why you like her. Not sure it was worth shooting me for, though.”
“You were in my damn way.”
“Lexi said that. I’ve realised you’re both right.”
He walks past me, getting himself in front of Miri as I look back at her. “I didn’t ask you to come here, Abel.”
“Would you ever have?”
He frowns and glances back at Miri. “I doubt it.” He looks back at me. “Besides, I didn’t think you’d give a damn.”
“You were wrong.” I move around them both, heading for what looks like a deck area outside. She hisses at him as I go. Probably about me. “Miri,” I call. “Come out here. Without him.”
Nothing happens for a few minutes. It’s just me on a deck, feeling the wind skim over me this high up. I stare down at the people and traffic below, wondering if she’s got the balls to face me on her own. Seemed to have in there.
“I don’t want you here,” eventually spits at me. I smile and wait for her to get closer. “Neither of us do.”
Turning, I lean on the rail and take her in. “You know that’s a lie as far as Shaw’s concerned. He wouldn’t have asked you to follow me out here if he didn’t want some part of us back. He might have left us, and maybe it was for you, but family is family, and I’m here to rectify mistakes that were made. I can do that with or without your help.”
“Are you still stealing women?”
“Yes.” She sneers and crosses her arms like that answered all her questions.
“You’re not getting my help then.”
