Sins (Havoc of Sins #3)

Chapter 9

Simon

“ Y ou got anything to drink?” Kurt slammed into the living room table with a curse. He reached for my best bottle of merlot, but I plucked it from his hand and replaced it with a bottle of J he’d done it.

He’s acting guilty as fuck. I’ve known him longer than you have.”

“I knew he was growing more and more frustrated with Grim, but I never dreamed he’d go to such extremes.” I looked away and rubbed my hands on my thighs. “And then to find out it was Leo.” I shook my head. “Fuck.”

He hiccupped. “Even I could see Grim was moving in on Kenna, but it was stupid reckless of him to do something like that.”

“Yeah, it was.” I saw him scowl as I inched my glasses up my face but didn’t say anything. He always let me know he hated my glasses.

“If the Gateses know Cameron’s behind their son's death, why aren’t they making a move?” He pulled at the collar of his shirt. “I feel like I’m looking over my shoulder waiting for the repercussions because of my association with him.”

“I suspect they know.” I huffed out a breath. “As far as why they’re not moving on it, if they do, I’ve no idea. Cameron told me he ran into Kenna, and things seemed normal. Claws out and lots of snapping back and forth. She didn’t seem nervous, but then again, Grim was right there when the doors opened, so…” I shrugged. “Apparently, they were spotted having dinner together at Secrets, so nothing seems to out of the ordinary.”

“I see.” He kicked his feet up on the table, and I cringed at my copy of Home and Hearth that was being crumpled by his shoes. “Do you think it’s just a front? The two of them?”

“No,” I hated the idea of that tainted man touching something as flawless as Kenna, “and I don’t think Sonny would have outed himself the way he did if he didn’t believe they were together either.”

“He’s such an asshole.” Kurt took another swig. “Sonny’s always been in love with her.”

“Yes, he has.” I didn’t blame him; Kenna was a whole different level of a woman.

He looked around the room, and his eyes became heavy. The scotch was clearly catching up to him. “The time is coming,” he murmured.

I watched as his eyes closed, and I took a deep breath, happy he’d passed out already and nothing had been broken or ruined. His ball hat slipped down over his eyes as a snore fell from deep inside. The bottle wobbled in his slack hand, and I lunged to grab it before it crashed on the floor. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d had to clean up after one of his visits.

I froze when I saw the black smudge on his little finger and side of his palm. I studied it further, and my blood started to boil. “What the hell?” The telltale sign of a permanent black marker smudge. It looked faded, like when someone tries to scrub the ink off, but you can never get it all. It was a dead giveaway. “Hey!” I smacked his cheek, and he jolted back to the living with a yelp. “What’s this from?”

“What are you talking about, for fuck’s sake? I dunno,” he muttered and shut his eyes again. I covered my mouth and was immediately hit with a memory.

“Hey, Wanda.” CM jumped off the table he sat on and nearly knocked over the books I was organizing. He ran up to the guard on duty. She eyed me uncomfortably, and I looked away. When I first met her, I thought she was nervous of me because I was in prison for murder, but I soon realized over the last few months it was because CM had become way too pushy with her. She’d made the mistake of crossing that line with an inmate, and I knew she regretted it. CM was charming, but she’d made a mistake when she flirted with him. She hadn’t banked on how much he wanted her to always be around.

He brushed her arm, and she quickly moved it back. He didn’t pick up on her hints that she was no longer interested. I knew there’d been more than a few female guards who moved quickly away from him when he was around. He would just wink at me and smile then walk off.

“God, she’s a beauty.” He sat down and leaned in. “We’re gonna meet up tonight.” He wiggled his eyebrows and made a rude gesture. I pushed the ratty spine of James and the Giant Peach into its rightful place and glanced over my shoulder at how uncomfortable Wanda seemed.

Suddenly, a letter was dropped on the table by another guard, and I caught the name on it. CM grinned at me and shrugged as he picked it up. “I guess we’re buddies now. Maybe it’s good you know my real name.” He held out his hand. “Kurt Moore. Pleased to officially meet you.” He smiled wide.

“Fuck.” I spun out of my memory and pulled out my phone. I looked at Kurt as he snored away in my chair. I tapped the screen to make a call then stopped myself and studied him a moment. “My old friend, you’ve gone too far this time.” I sighed deeply. The writing was on the wall, and I hated to see it. “Dammit! Okay, okay.” I tapped my temple and thought it might be the time. “All right.” I closed my eyes and centered myself as I sat back to hatch a plan.

By the time morning came, I knew what I needed to do. The place smelled of warm muffins, and I put two on a plate and set them on the table in front of Kurt along with a bottle of water and a couple of painkillers. I grabbed my keys and headed for the door. Kurt loved anything carb, and I knew from his past he wouldn’t be able to resist the painkillers and the smell from the Ativan-laced pastry. I was sure he’d be out for a while.