Sins of Mine - Mary E. Twomey Page 0,51

at his eyes, muscling through the “ick” factor as I dig. My nails know more than just how to look pretty after a manicure.

I shouldn’t know how to get out of this hold, but thanks to him, I do. The fact that he’s the one I have to escape from hurts my heart in ways that might never heal.

Rafe howls, but finally, I manage to get my father’s smoldering grip to go lax.

I stumble off to the side, my hands on my knees as I keel over and try to catch my breath in the smoky abyss.

The fire roars as if it understands my pain, and finally climbs toward the back entrance. Still, above the din, I hear Paxton shout a firm, “Arlanna, close your eyes!”

I don’t obey fast enough.

My gaze hits Paxton, who shouldn’t know how to hold a gun. But he’s seen too many guards use too many weapons to be ignorant of the basics.

The sound echoes through the woods, slamming into my heart with too much finality.

My father falls onto the wood floor, and blood blooms through his shirt.

Fire warns me to run, but I can’t feel my feet. I’m not sure I can feel much of anything.

My father is dead.

Maybe part of me is dead now, too.

17

Gray’s Pain

Arlanna

I don’t remember much of our escape. Just flashes of Paxton scooping me in his arms because I couldn’t command my legs to move. I was set down in the passenger’s seat, and then Paxton helped Rafe into the back after folding down the row.

Rafe sniffles and whines, spread out across the entire back and trunk.

Paxton must be more rattled than his determined demeanor lets on, because for the longest time, he can’t figure out how to get the car started, or how to put it into gear. Finally, we roll down the road, away from the cabin that has an unmerciful conflagration bursting through the shattered front window.

Paxton tries to keep his eyes on the road, and also on us.

I haven’t been able to muster a word.

Rafe is taking up the entire backseat so much that Paxton can’t see out the rearview mirror. Rafe heals faster as a wolf, otherwise I’m sure Paxton would ask him to shift into his man form. Hopefully the car can carry his weight.

“Talk to me, darlyss. Tell me you don’t hate me for what I’ve done. Maybe there was another way, but I can’t see it. Your father locked you in the dark! He stole you away from us. If I would have turned him in, there’s a good chance you would have gone to jail for him abducting you. The Sins of the Father bill is still in effect.”

I don’t respond because I can’t form words yet.

Then, it’s as if a light shines on his actions. “But I’ll be king, now that my father is dead. I’ll be able to overturn that bill, so Conan would have gone to jail, like a proper criminal! Oh, Arlanna! I’m sorry! I didn’t think it through. It was all happening so fast. I didn’t realize!”

Paxton is truly the worst driver I’ve ever encountered. He is dangerously close to riding directly over the lane, straddling the yellow dotted line as if that’s the way the road was meant to be travelled.

Finally, I find my voice. “Pull over. I’ll drive. You’re too distraught to be behind the wheel.”

Paxton jerks the car so violently, Rafe growls in response. My heart pounds until Paxton finally figures out how to put the car into park, giving relief to us both. “You sure you’re okay to drive?” he asks.

I want to laugh, which clearly means I’ve crossed some line from sanity over into absurdity. “I can drive better than that! I think you’re a little more shaken than you counted on.” I hold up my hands. “You got me out; I’ll get us home.”

With the tension freshly broken, I take the driver’s seat and get us back on the road. I make sure to drive at exactly the speed limit, so as not to cause errant eyes to track us as we flee the scene of too many crimes.

There are loads of things we could talk about, but neither of us are willing to unpack the damage from which we’re racing away. I want to apologize for taking matters into my own hands. I want to beg Paxton to forgive me, but perhaps that’s selfish.

Paxton doesn’t say a word. He simply sets his forearm on the console between us, holding