Page 55 of Protected By the Sinner

I pull out a stack of photos, but the first one alone is enough to explain why he wanted me to see them before we talked.

“She’s meeting with the Sicilians? When was this taken?”

“A week before she showed up at the Hazard opening in Dallas.”

Cold fury spreads through me as I flip through the images.

Amber, inside a car with my enemy.

“How did you get these?”

“I had Angelo Brambilla under surveillance, just in case. The guy assigned to the job took a while to hand them over. He thought they weren’t relevant.”

Now I have confirmation that nothing between us happened by chance. She was sent by the Sicilians from New Orleans[4]—whose capo[5] just happens to be the uncle of my biggest enemy.

Chapter 24

Boston

Earlier that day

I feel ridiculous in these clothes, but I couldn’t come up with a better plan.

To get away from Beau’s men—my assigned bodyguards—and finally do what Elodie asked me to do, which was spy from a distance on the man she believes is our brother, I had to go undercover as a nerd.

It’s not the first time I’ve played a character. In the early years of running from the monsters who raised us, we dressed as boys—and once I even disguised myself as an old lady to escape Houston.

But now, carrying these heavy books in my arms, I wonder if I overdid it. And I still have the bag with my real clothes slung over my shoulder.

Forensic Medicine?Why couldn’t I just buy a paperback?

I shake my head and wonder if I’m starting to lose it after telling so many lies for so long.

I glance over my shoulder, checking if I’m being followed. My paranoia is fully activated. It’s hard to shake the fear—it’s practically coded into my DNA by now.

I told Beau’s men I wanted to go to the mall, and somewhere between the stores, I ditched them—which, for me, is the easiest thing in the world. Pure muscle memory.

Then I changed clothes. I bought jeans and an oversized sweatshirt—way too big but perfect for hiding my curves from any casual observer. I tied up my hair in a way that makes it look much shorter than it actually is.

I could’ve stopped there, right? But no. I had to go one step further and walk into a bookstore to buy these damn books.

With Phase A of my plan complete, I turned off both of my phones—the one I use to talk to Elodie and the one Beau gave me—just in case someone tried to track me. Then I moved on to Phase B: camping out in front of the house—well, mansion—where Amos lives, and waiting.

Except, after an hour of waiting, the one who came out wasn’t him. It was a blonde woman with almost white hair, who I figured must be his wife.

Call me a coward, but I went for the easier—probably dumber—option and decided to follow the wife instead of waiting to talk to my supposed brother.

Not that I’d have the guts to talk to him anyway. I saw a photo—he looks pretty damn intimidating.

The woman I assume is my sister-in-law heads to an outdoor shopping center, and I follow from a distance, convinced I’m going unnoticed.

But little by little, I start to feel like a kid staring into a candy store. While trailing Lilly, I think about what Elodie said: Amos has kids.

So if he really is our brother—and judging by the photo she sent, the resemblance is there—then Elodie and I are no longer alone in the world. We have a family.

The idea hits me harder than I expected. I get emotional, and that distraction makes me slip up.

Instead of staying hidden, I stop in front of the lingerie store Lilly went into, and while I’m standing there like an idiot, I don’t notice she’s coming right toward me.