“I was so overwhelmed when I first looked at it that I ignored it for a while. There are so many fucking files. The man runs a business. There was everything from information on personnel to company reports, the whole enchilada. And then all the usual personal stuff, too. Photos and other information. I felt like a fucking creeper looking at it. Then, when I finally sucked it up and decided to have another look, it was the night of the murders. Right before the party.”
Fuck. Well, that explains the hold up. Chaos had ensued that day, from the mess with Royal and Davis to the awful images of Beckham to Echo’s spilled drink and a motherfucking double homicide. My head is suddenly full of mental images that I could do without. Blood. Death. Vomit. Flashing blue lights. I exhale heavily, and when I finally glance up to meet his gaze, he searches my eyes, asking without words for understanding. “I get it. I wish I had known, but I get why you’d keep quiet.”
With his jaw clenched, he nods. “I know. I feel like a complete dick for not saying something. Echo caught me scanning the files that night, so she knows about it, too.” Royal closes his eyes for a second, wetting his lips. “Right before she found me looking atit, I’d opened this one particular file, and it was full of folders, each labeled with a first initial and a last name. We each have one. But it’s not just us. All the SIN brothers are there. I assume some of the names I don’t recognize are actually the sisters that the Sin Keeper referred to. Or maybe files on other people he’s tracking? I don’t fucking know. But I think this mess is so much bigger than we first thought.”
I sit in stunned silence for a count of three, then glance around us to make sure no one is listening. “What the fuck? Well, what’s in the folders?” I begin to sweat, wondering if there’s incriminating evidence in my file. It’s possible. Totally fucking possible. I feel the blood drain out of my head, leaving me feeling dizzy.
“I don’t know. It’s all passcode protected. And Echo saw the E. Madden file, so she knows she’s being watched. But we knew that already, otherwise the Sin Keeper wouldn’t have invited her to stay.”
With my stomach churning, I raise my brows and quietly ask, “What about Beckham? Is he aware of this?”
Royal exhales. “No. We can tell him, or I can show you guys. I have no idea what else to do because someone has severely overestimated my computer skills if they think I’m able to crack files with passcode protection.”
I can only imagine what would be in Beckham’s file, and my heart squeezes painfully. The Sin Keeper knows so much, surely he knows about Megan, too. That entire debacle with her is how he landed here in the first place.
Shaking my head, I try to dispel the demons that creep ever closer. My brain ticks around, sorting through things for the thousandth time. We need to know what’s in those damn files. The possible solution hits me out of nowhere. “Shit, wait. I might have a guy who could help us. I’m in a class with him, and he’sreally fucking smart. A computer genius. Want me to have him take a look? We have class tomorrow.”
Royal’s eyes have gone wide, worry filling them. “You trust him?”
I shrug. “I mean, do we have a choice? If it makes you more comfortable, I could stay with him while he looks at it. Or we all could. Bring your laptop with you to campus tomorrow.”
He blows out a breath, gripping the back of his neck. Finally, he nods. “Yeah, okay. It’s worth a shot.”
There’s a thundering boom behind me as the door behind us slams shut. On edge, I turn around, but a wide grin spreads across my face as I climb to my feet.
“How’s it going, kid?” My coach from when I was younger—a big, burly guy—stands there with his hands on his hips, surveying us. “Long time no see.” His voice echoes through the mostly empty gym.
“Hey, Coach Carson. Good to see you. But I’m not really a kid anymore.” He grips my offered hand, then pulls me in, thumping his hand on my back.
Once he’s let me go, I gesture to Royal, who has come to stand by my side. “This is my friend, Royal, by the way. He’s at SIN, too. We needed a good sweat session, so I figured I’d show him where I learned how to fight.”
His eyes glitter with interest, but if there’s one thing I know about my coach, he doesn’t ask questions. “Nice to meet you, Royal.” He’s always let me bring things up in my own time, spill my guts when I’m ready. At this moment, I’m not ready. There’s just too fucking much. And Coach knows the worst of me already.
“What’ve you been up to?”
Carson chuckles. “You know me, kid. I like to blend in. They didn’t call me The Ghost back in the day for nothing. You never fuckin’ see me coming.” He snorts out another laugh, thenshoots me a wink. “I’ve been keeping track of you. Saw the fight last night. Lookin’ really fuckin’ good, honestly. Took down Bear Pierce. How the fuck did you manage that?”
I’m unsurprised he’s paid attention to what I’ve been up to, especially if it has to do with me being on the card for a fight against Bear. I shrug. “Got lucky, I guess.” I pat the four-leaf clover on my pec, the tattoo I got after winning my first fight. That time, I really had been lucky. This time, I feel like it was more than luck. Skill, definitely, and some odd extenuating circumstances for the other fighter. I’d actually like to have a beer with Gideon Pierce some day and ask him a couple questions.
Coach cocks his head to the side. “You know that program I was starting back when you headed off to KU?”
I do remember that. He specifically started a youth program for at-risk children after his dealings with me. Slowly, I nod. “I do. Trying to help out some of the troubled kids in the community.”
“Yep. The ones who would be getting themselves into trouble if they didn’t have anything better to do.” He pauses, squinting at me. At both of us, really. “Hey, maybe you should come down and help me train the little assholes. There’s this one kid who reminds me a lot of you.”
If that’s the case, I feel sorry for the kid. I used to show up at Carson’s gym at all hours to get away from what was happening in our house. I needed to be able to protect us, so I begged Carson to take me under his wing. And he had. I owe him everything. “Text me the details. I’ll see if I can work it into my schedule.”
“What the fuck are you doing here?” A semi-familiar voice rasps behind us, and Royal and I both turn to see who else has joined us. Surprise lights Royal’s face at the same time confusion clouds my head. It’s that Theo guy. His eyes are pinned on Royal,gaze moving swiftly over him. Assessing. “Holy shit, Royal, how’s your damn head? Tell me you haven’t been sparring. Wilder, you made sure he’s okay?”
“Of course, I did.” I shrug. “And I went easy on him today.”
Royal gives me a dirty look, and I laugh, but our eyes connect.I’d never fucking chance hurting you.I don’t know if he reads it in my eyes, but he winces before he answers Theo. “I’m good. Promise.”
Theo and Coach Carson exchange a glance. Carson booms, “Well, I’d do introductions, but it sounds like you already know Theo. He’s one of the other coaches helping me with the youth program.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
ECHO
