The Sinners - Ruby Vincent Page 0,20

to Rio. When he shot Hiro, it was written all over your face how you truly felt about him. Turn him in,” I pleaded. “Then this can be over.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why?”

“Rio’s not a good guy, but what he’s after isn’t all wrong. The Horsemen help a lot of people in the OB. Especially after your parents took most of them for everything they’ve got. One of the leaders gives loans and he has kept folks from losing their homes.

“We track dealers and shut them down. Last year, the Horsemen found that pimp that was turning out fourteen-year-old girls and put an end to that shit quick. No one else is going to step up for my neighborhood the way the Horsemen do. There are consequences to us being around. But there are consequences without us too.”

I chose my words carefully. “Royal, I know people in the OB are struggling. I also know that you’ve done good and seen good done by the Horsemen,” I said, thinking of the triplets. “But when the consequence is people dying, the alternative is always the right choice.”

He scoffed. “There’s that absolute certainty. I’ve seen the cost, Em. I see it every single night when I close my eyes. But taking down the Horsemen won’t turn the OB into a gang-free paradise. All the gangs we’ve put down will rise up and claim the free territory, and I promise you, they’re not looking to help the OB.”

“Why do you keep making excuses for them?!” I burst out.

“Because I’m no fucking saint!” Royal pulled my pants up and me with it. “I’ve done worse than most of the boys I’d be sending to jail. If I even got that far. I don’t know as much as you think. The people Rio’s got on the force, slipping him information about your parents’ case. I don’t know who they are. The contacts he moves his goods through. Can’t name them. And the full list of people who’ll hunt me down if I turn on the leaders, I don’t have that. I’m taking over for him, Em. There’s no changing that plan.”

I splayed my fingers over his chest. Royal’s heart was forever racing a mile a minute.

It’s why he runs from me. A heart like this can’t slow long enough to trust.

“We can change that plan,” I said. “I’ll find a way.”

A harsh noise strangled his throat. “It’s not your job to save me, princess.”

I softly pecked his lips. “Someone has to.”

I was first out of the room. Cassius and Clay were knocked out on the pullout bed. Low, breathy noises leaked through Clay’s parted lips, proving he snored despite his denials to his sister. I couldn’t resist that sound. I listened to it as I lay awake in Cassius’s arms, spent and sated from our sex, and turned on from Clay watching.

His soft snores were cute. A word not often associated with a tattooed, bruise-knuckled gangbanger.

Trying not to wake him, my kiss gently swallowed his breath. I moved around and kissed Cassius too.

Royal came out and jerked his head toward the door. Time to go.

“Should we bring Hiro anything?” I asked as we climbed in his car. “Food. Change of clothes.”

“We’re not going to Hiro,” he said. “I’ll text the triplets to stock my place up. Doc is going to bring him here to ride it out until he can go back to the academy.”

“We’re not? Why? Where are we going? And why is he staying here?”

“Hiro’s parents are dead. He’s got nowhere else to go.”

That shocked me so much we were ten minutes into our drive before I noticed he didn’t answer my other questions.

“If we’re not going to Hiro, where are we going, Royal?”

Royal eased into the next lane. “Your parents’ note... Did you ever do it? Leave flowers for your sister?”

One question and memories crashed into me. The music box splintering. The squeal of brakes. My mother screaming.

I didn’t notice I was crying until Royal wiped a tear from my cheek.

“No,” I rasped. “I didn’t.”

“Do you want to?”

Ten seconds passed.

Then thirty.

Then a minute.

Then five.

I nodded.

“Then that’s where we’re going.”

Royal stopped by the florist. He went inside to buy the bouquet of carnations and peonies because I couldn’t get out of the car.

“Raven River Cemetery?” he asked as he placed the flowers on my lap.

“Yes.”

“We’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

“Okay.”

Royal fell silent. He wasn’t pushing me to talk about Rory. Maybe that’s why I did.

“There was nothing for me,” I said so softly he might