This again. First that stupid text about the lingerie model, now this?
“What’s with the sudden interest in my love life?” I challenged.
“What love life?” Axel’s deadpan delivery made him laugh, but Ryker was preoccupied, and Jace, well … he didn’t date either. Presumably because of his dark past. His was far darker than mine, and that was saying something. With what Jace had been through, it was a wonder the guy hadn’t become a serial killer instead of a corporate savior.
“Anyone who’s in a committed relationship, raise your hand.” I glanced around the table. “Right. That’s what I thought.”
They’d notice something was wrong soon enough; they knew me too well not to. These were the only people besides Tessa I’d ever truly let in, and it hadn’t happened easily. Back in college, Ryker had been my only friend, dragging my antisocial ass to fraternity events despite my protests. Through him, I met Knox, Jace, and Axel. But what cemented our bond was tragedy. Watching Knox being led away in handcuffs, headed for prison.
Charged with murder.
The fraternity we’d belonged to preached brotherhood, but when those police lights painted Knox in red and blue, that brotherhood shattered. Innocent until proven guilty wasn’t their motto. Instead, they gave us an ultimatum: denounce Knox or get out.
That wasn’t brotherhood. Brotherhood was what came next: four of us united, standing guard over our fallen friend. We formed the Sinners and Saints Club that night, understanding that the line between the two wasn’t as clear as most people thought. Sometimes, good men did terrible things for the right reasons. Sometimes, the worst sinners were the ones hiding behind respectability.
Our mission was simple. Protect each other, especially if or when we’d get knocked down, and offer redemption should society, or our loved ones, ever write us off. We’d all been judged, condemned, or abandoned at some point. We knew what it was like to face the darkness alone.
Three sacred rules governed everything:
1) Absolute loyalty. We’d seen how fast the world turned its back on people who fell from grace. Each of us carried darkness, violence we were capable of when pushed too far. I’d proven that the night I saved my sister, Faith. Knox was living it now. But inthis club, we didn’t run from that darkness. We stood together in it, knowing that sometimes the most righteous acts looked like sins to the outside world. So, no judgment. No abandonment. Ever.
2) Protection. Attack one of us, you attack us all.
3) Unbreakable connection. This wasn’t just a club; it was our chosen family, our life sentence. Regular check-ins, no matter where life took us. No man left behind, no brother forgotten. In a world where people disappeared from each other’s lives so easily, we chose to anchor ourselves to each other.
Which made hiding these secrets about Tessa feel like betrayal.
“Earth to Blake.” Axel’s voice cut through my thoughts. “You going to play or just fondle those cards all night?”
My phone buzzed. Tessa’s name lit up the screen.
Tessa: You told me to confirm when I was all locked up and safe in my place for the night. Considered not doing it, just to prove you’re not the boss of me. But I figured I owe you for the whole saving-my-life situation. So, here I am, being a good little patient. Happy now, Dr. Control Freak? *eye roll emoji*
I smirked.
Ryker’s eyes narrowed on the phone, then snapped to my face. I tried to school my expression, but it was too late. He’d seen something there, something that made him set down his scotch with deliberate care.
“Who was that?” Ryker asked.
I met his gaze, saw the unwavering loyalty that would turn to fury if he knew the truth. That his sister was my secret patient, fighting a medical mystery I prayed I could solve before it was too late. That I was breaking the only promise Ryker had ever asked of me, to stay away from Tessa’s heart.
The promise was born from experience. Back in high school, Ryker had another close friend, Tuck. Tuck had a sister whoRyker fell for hard, and for a while, everything seemed perfect. Until it wasn’t. When the relationship crashed and burned, Tuck chose his sister’s side. Just like that, a friendship was fractured, leaving scars that never fully healed.
So, when it came to Tessa, Ryker’s rule was absolute: never date my sister. He couldn’t bear to lose either of us, wouldn’t risk our friendship imploding over something as preventable as romance.
“No one.” I shoved the phone in my pocket without responding to Tessa. “Who’s dealing?”
But from the way he studied me—really studied me now—I knew his radar was officially up.
25
TESSA
The late-spring breeze carried the sweet scent of blooming roses across the garden terrace, but all I could focus on was keeping my breakfast down. Wrought iron tables dotted the brick patio, their delicate scrollwork casting intricate shadows in the morning sun, which was the perfect setting for future wedding photos. If only I could appreciate it.
“Are you okay?” Shelly, my picture-perfect bride-to-be, leaned forward in her chair, her perfectly manicured fingers drumming against her designer handbag.
“Absolutely.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, mixing with the acid already creeping up my throat.
