Page 22 of Sinful as They Come (Sinful Trilogy #1)

SAWYER

When me and Brodie got up to Alden Lake after a thirty-minute drive, the sun was on the brink of setting. The sky was a cast of orange and pink, the most beautiful kind of mixture.

My fingers gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, turning the sharp corners as we moved along the rocky road.

The road was pretty old, but it had a certain charm to it.

And I knew it would be worth it when we got to the cabin.

Alden Lake was always gorgeous. The water almost looked haunting at night – the crystal blue turning into a curtain of seemingly never-ending blackness.

It was a good way to spend the weekend, and I deserved a break.

“Ooh, I think I see the cabin.” Brodie sat up in his seat next to me. “Yeah, there’s Lucas’ car.”

I spotted Lucas’ SUV, the usually spotless vehicle speckled in some dirt.

It was parked outside the two-storey cabin.

It was a good old classic log cabin, probably built a few decades ago.

It sat in the middle of a sea of looming oak trees, the brown building looking inviting after the drive.

The ride was longer thanks to Brodie needing to make two pit stops.

Most of the lights inside were already on, including the porch light which showed off a couple of white chairs that sat out the front.

We got closer and closer, my truck coming to a slow halt when I saw another car parked on the far side of the cabin. The side I couldn’t make out earlier. The shiny vehicle looked far too pristine to be in the middle of the fucking woods. Wasn’t it supposed to be just us and Lucas?

“Is that Carter’s car?” Brodie suddenly asked.

I nearly hit the brakes then and there.

Fuck.

I squinted at the black car in the nearby distance. No wonder it looked so fucking out of place. It was a goddamn Porsche. And of course, it belonged to Carter fuckin’ Henderson.

“God fucking dammit,” I mumbled. It was supposed to be a fun weekend. Just me and my cousin and Lucas. A few beers, some steaks, some good old star gazing. And now that asshole was here? Had Carter even been in the fucking woods before? Dude should have been at home cheating on his girlfriend.

It hit me then.

If Carter was here, then was Holly here too?

“If that fuckin’ tiara wearing brat is here, then I’m going home,” I said quickly.

“There’s no way she’s here. I don’t think Holly likes the woods. She’s gotta be back—"

As if on cue, Holly Sutton walked out of the cabin doors, standing under the vibrant light that shone above her.

“Fuck it, we’re leaving.” I was about to turn the truck around, but Lucas appeared behind Holly, sending me a wave. “Fuck me.”

“Let’s, uh, just be polite and courteous,” Brodie said with an uncomfortable chuckle.

“Did you know about this?” I glared at him. “Is this why you had me drive out here? You tryna force us to be friends or something?”

“What? No. I didn’t know Carter and Holly were coming. Lucas said it was just gonna be him. I swear.” Brodie held his hands up, his eyes darting over to the others. “Let’s go talk to him.”

“Ugh, fuck.” My head rolled back, my eyes shutting as I heard Brodie open the door and jump out.

I didn’t feel like driving back. The idea of a campfire and a warm bed sounded so much more inviting than the trailer.

After school and work and the drive, I just wanted to relax.

A banging to my side forced me to open my eyes, and I saw Brodie sending me a look. Be nice . I could read his mind.

There was no point hiding away in my truck.

With a sigh I pushed the door open, letting it slam behind me as I avoided Holly completely and instead zeroed in on Lucas. I shook my head a little at him, and as he walked over to me and Brodie, I saw him mouth out a little “sorry”.

“Dude, what the hell?” was my greeting to the blond. “You didn’t say they were gonna be here.”

“I know. Sorry. Carter kinda overheard me talking about it and insisted on coming. Says he wants some alone time with Holly or something,” Lucas explained.

“That’s disgusting. Don’t tell me that shit.” I didn’t want that mental image in my head.

“Carter’s a romantic at heart, I guess.” Lucas shrugged.

Me and Brodie shared a knowing look before giving our attention back to Lucas. In the distance behind him stood Holly, who was busy tying her thick hair into a ponytail. Her pink shirt rose up a little, revealing a tiny bit of bronzed skin at her hips.

Memories of that dream hit me. Her tight pussy, her pretty whimpers, her round ass in my hands. I shut my eyes. Don’t fucking think about her. Don’t, don’t, don’t . Why the fuck did her and her dumb ass boyfriend have to tag along and ruin everything?

My eyes moved back to Lucas who was staring at me with an apologetic stare.

“We can still have a good night.” Lucas gave my shoulder a pat. “Still got the beers and the steaks. Oh, and Holly’s friend Annie is here too if you want another pretty girl to look at.”

“Guy’s night, huh?” I mumbled.

“Sorry, dude. Promise it’ll still be a good time. I gotta get the barbeque set up. But find yourself a room in the cabin and get comfortable.” Lucas walked backwards as he talked. “Beers are in the fridge if you wanna get started on those! ”

I let out a long sigh. I’d definitely be needing some beer to get through the night.

“Fuckin’ Holly.” I rolled my eyes. “Why’d she have to come? And her goddamn boyfriend too.”

Brodie shrugged. “Holly’s not that bad. It’s the other one I’m worried about.”

“You have no idea what she’s really like. You’ve known this girl for, like, one month.”

“Hey, in that one month, she’s never been anything but nice to me.”

“Funny. In the nine years I’ve known her, she’s never been anything other than a huge, stuck up—"

“Hey Holly!” Brodie practically yelled, his elbow roughly digging into my side. “I didn’t know you were coming to this thing.”

“Yeah, could have used a warning,” I muttered as I ran a hand through my hair. It was getting so long. I needed a cut.

She squinted her eyes at me. “Trust me. I’d much rather be far, far away from you, Sawyer.”

“Woods are that way, Holly.” I nodded to my right. The collection of looming trees would have been a perfect place for her to get lost. “Feel free to go and never come back.”

“Mhm, mhm. Look, I only came over here to tell you to please just leave Carter alone tonight. He surprised me with this trip this afternoon and failed to mention who else would be here. But… he’s not gonna get in your face unless you get in his, so how about you act mature for once in your life and try not to fight him?

” Holly asked, her voice sharp as she raised an eyebrow at me.

I had to laugh. I turned to Brodie, wondering how he was handling Holly and her fucking audacity.

She couldn’t be serious. I never started shit with Carter.

He was the one who liked to get in my face.

Even if it was just with words. If he said anything to me, she better fucking believe that I was gonna defend myself.

“You gotta be fucking kidding me, right?” I shook my head at her. “You tell him to back off and then we won’t have a problem. ”

“Just leave Carter alone. That’s all I’m asking.”

“Holly, Carter can kinda be an asshole,” Brodie chimed up, his voice at the lowest volume he could possibly manage. “I mean that as a friend. Maybe you should be telling him that.”

Holly gasped, brown eyes wide. “Brodie!”

“I’m sorry.” He held his hands up. “Just…”

“You’re supposed to be my friend.”

“I am! But I’m not his friend. And he’s… He’s…”

“He’s what?” Holly crossed her arms over her chest. “Whatever he’s been telling you, Brodie, I promise it’s not true.”

“Everything I told him has been right, actually,” I told her. “I’m not a liar.”

Brodie sighed loudly. Was he trying to tell her what had gone down? What he knew? What me and everyone else in the whole school knew? If he was, he was looking to put a target on his back. I nudged him just like he had nudged me earlier.

“I just meant that…” Brodie finally managed to say. “That I’m sure Sawyer will steer clear of him if he steers clear of Sawyer.”

Holly offered a tight-lipped smile. “That’s all I ask. Now, let’s all just relax and have a good night tonight. It should be fun. Carter is great on the barbeque.”

“Yeah, gonna be a real fuckin’ treat,” I grumbled.

Holly just rolled her eyes at me, then she sent Brodie a wave before walking off. My eyes instantly landed on her ass. So round, so peachy. The only good thing about her yapping her head off at me was seeing her walk away.

“She’s, like, the dumbest smart girl I’ve ever met.” Brodie threw his arms up. “That guy’s gonna break her heart. She can’t even see it coming.”

“She deserves it.”

“Does she? She’s not that bad. Someone’s gotta tell that girl what’s going on.”

“Have at it.” I gestured at her. She was skipping over to Carter who welcomed her in his arms, her head tucked under his chin.

I watched him as his hands lowered – getting closer and closer to what I had been fixated on a little earlier.

He grabbed at her ass, pulling her closer to him.

I could hear her giggle all the way from my truck.

I’d have to hear that noise all night. And watch her asshole boyfriend put his hands all over her – hands that had probably been all over a dozen other girls during the day. Stupid prick.

“I couldn’t do that,” sighed Brodie. “Wish he’d just admit it to her.”

Why would he? Carter was having his cake and eating it too. He had a girlfriend who worshipped the ground he walked on, and at the same time, he got to fuck every girl who threw themselves at him. Made no sense to me. If Holly was my girlfriend, I’d have no reason to even think about another girl.

My eyebrows furrowed at that thought. If Holly was my girlfriend .

Christ. What the hell was I thinking? The dream was to blame.

That stupid dream that had left my cock throbbing.

I shut my eyes, forcing the images of her away before they could invade my brain once again.

I wasn’t going to let that dream win. No.

I was busy, anyway. I’d have to get through the next forty-eight hours without wanting to rip someone’s head off.