Page 56 of The Lies Of Omission (Without Limits #3)

SIN

T he living room was quiet except for the low hum of the TV, the news anchor’s voice sharp against the soft, plush calm of Theo’s mother’s new home.

Sunlight poured through the tall windows, catching dust motes in golden beams. It was surreal—the calm, the normalcy, the comfort —all while the world on screen cracked open.

Theo sat beside me, rigid but quiet, elbows on his knees. His mother was perched at the edge of the sofa across from us, fingers clutched tightly in her lap. Richard, ever her shadow these days, stood behind her, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. Protective. Reassuring.

The headline scrolled beneath the anchor’s voice:

Breaking: Timothy Carrington Implicated In Ongoing Investigation into Washington Astor.

Immunity Deals Granted to Key Witnesses.

There was no sound in the room for a long moment. Just our combined breathing and the gentle breeze coming in through the open French door wrestling the curtains. As we all sat, eyes glued to the TV as the truth was finally dragged into the light of day.

I leaned in, brushing my shoulder against Theo’s. I didn’t need to whisper, but I did anyway—something about the secrecy felt sacred. Ours . “I told you there was something going on there,” I murmured.

Theo huffed out something between a breath and a laugh. “You didn’t just tell me. You dragged me kicking and screaming through every suspicion you had for the past six months.”

“I was right though,” I taunted.

He turned his head toward me. The corners of his mouth tugged upward, soft and bitter. “You’re always right.”

“I like it when you say that,” I smirked, nudging him lightly.

The anchor went on, reading out statements from the DA’s office, confirming what we already knew: Theo’s father wasn’t going down alone.

Not this time. He was dragging everyone who played a part in his empire of shadows down with him—including Timothy, who turned out to be his backup heir from a string of affairs he had over the years.

Theo’s mom finally broke the silence, her voice brittle. “He always thought he was invincible…”

Richard leaned down and whispered something into her ear, and she nodded, blinking away the sheen in her eyes.

Theo ran a hand through my curls, letting out a sigh that sounded like it had been lodged in his lungs for a decade. “It’s almost over.”

“Not yet, but soon,” I replied, watching the screen fade into talking heads. “But it’s ending. And that’s enough for now.”

He leaned back, head dropping against the couch, arm stretching along the top behind me. I shifted closer, letting my fingers find his. There was no more pretending. No more hiding. Not from the world and definitely not from each other.

“Are you boys all set for your trip?” Richard asked, settling beside Theo’s mom and lacing his fingers through hers like it was second nature now. That simple gesture was strange to watch—but in the kind of way that made something loosen in my chest.

“We are,” Theo said, with an easy confidence that made my stomach flip. “The yacht’s docked and the crew will be ready once tonight’s over. I can’t wait to show Sin the world.”

Emotion prickled the backs of my eyes. Theo could be an insufferable romantic asshole when he wanted to be—but sometimes he said shit like that, and I had to remind myself how to breathe.

I cleared my throat, trying not to sound like I was short-circuiting. “Does it come with a magic carpet too, Aladdin?”

He grinned, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Not sure, Princess, but we could probably pick up a monkey.”

“Just stay in touch, okay?” Theo’s mom interrupted gently before our snark spiral could get going. She gave us both that look—the one that said she knew what we were doing and found it kind of endearing, even if she wouldn’t admit it.

“Or better yet,” she added, “maybe we could join you wherever you are for the holidays?”

Theo’s smile twitched, not quite reaching his eyes. “That sounds like a lovely idea, Mom.”

Richard chuckled lowly, more amused than offended. “Then we’ll make it happen. We’ll crash your holiday paradise. I’m not used to being retired yet, so it’ll be nice to have something to look forward to.”

“I don’t know,” I muttered under my breath, unable to stop the bitterness from leaking through. “I can’t promise to be on my best behavior, I’ve never had a real family Christmas before.”

The room stilled for half a beat. Theo’s hand gripped the back of my neck, warm and grounding, thumb stroking along my skin.

They’d come a long way, Theo and his mom. Rebuilding something from the wreckage Washington had left behind. A new foundation. Honest and raw and fragile—but solid. Every time I saw the two of them in the same room without knives drawn, and guards down, I felt a weird sort of secondhand pride.

I didn’t have that.

Elizabeth hadn’t said more than ten words to me since they kicked me out, and Maddox… I was pretty sure he still wished I’d disappeared the moment I stepped into their world.

But I didn’t need them anymore. I had Theo. And that was enough.

Theo shifted beside me, magnetic as always. He didn’t say anything, just slid his arm around my waist and pulled me closer until I was half on his lap. Like he knew what I needed before I did.

After a beat, he leaned in and whispered, “You okay?”

I hesitated for a second, then nodded. “Yeah. I just… this whole ‘people caring’ thing still short-circuits my system sometimes.”

He nudged his shoulder. “Same. But you’re doing good, you know that?”

My mouth twitched like it didn’t quite believe him. “I’m trying.”

“You’re doing it right,” he told me, his voice thick.

Theo’s mom raised her glass. “To new beginnings,” she said gently.

Richard raised his. “And chosen families.”

We all clinked glasses, the sound a quiet exhale of something hopeful.

The late afternoon sun shimmered over the pool when we stepped into the garden. Heat hung in the air, fragrant with grilled meat and citrus. Claire stood by the barbecue with a skewer in one hand and a fire extinguisher within arm’s reach—just in case.

Thalia was already there, barefoot on the grass, clipboard in hand, her dark curls twisted into a chaotic bun that screamed: functional and fabulous . Her lips moved around a pen cap as she scanned whatever color-coded plan she’d constructed for the next season’s events at the country club.

“You’re actually taking this country club job seriously?” I teased, strolling over and snatching the pen from her mouth. “What happened to lazy Thalia, who drank tequila for breakfast and threatened to punch men in white polos?”

She threw a baby carrot at my face with impressive accuracy. “Don’t be a dick, Sin. This is my dream job. I get to boss rich people around and drink margaritas on the job.”

“You were already doing that,” I deadpanned.

“Exactly,” she grinned, cocking her hip. “Now I get paid more and don’t have to sneak around or seduce the board president’s son for key access to the wine cellar.”

“That was a different country club,” I assured Theo, who snorted and swallowed down his beer. My eyes were drawn to the way his lips wrapped around the bottle, wishing it was my cock between them instead.

Claire handed her a cocktail garnished with an overly dramatic pineapple slice and umbrella. “To Thalia: manager of the new and improved Brookhaven Ridge Country Club. Long may she reign.”

“To Thalia!” we all echoed, raising our drinks—some real, some just fizzy water masquerading as sophistication.

Theo leaned into Thalia with that rare, tender softness he reserved only for those he trusted. “I meant what I said earlier. If you ever want to get away for a bit… if it gets to be too much…”

Thalia’s eyes dipped, her usual snark dialed down. “Thanks,” she said, her voice rougher than usual. “But I think I’ve spent my whole life running. That place, this opportunity—it’s the first time I’ve felt like I could build something.”

Claire slid beside her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and kissed her nose. “You already are.”

The thing none of our friends knew yet was that Theo was the owner of the club. He’d toyed with the idea of selling it when he’d found out the deeds had been in his name, but after long discussions with his mom, he’d decided to keep it to be able to offer our friends a safe environment to work in.

He really did have a heart of gold and went the extra mile for those he let in. It just took me melting the walls of ice he’d surrounded himself with for it to become clear.

My throat tightened, emotion pushing against my ribs. “God, you’re all getting sentimental.”

“No,” Theo murmured, sliding his hand into mine. “You’re getting sentimental.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s your fault. You infected me.”

“And I can get away with it,” he replied with a smug smile, “because you love me.”

His lips brushed mine—soft, insistent, and maddeningly perfect. My free hand sunk into his dark hair and I pulled him in closer until his body was flush with mine. I deepened the kiss like I didn’t need oxygen, just the taste of him in my mouth.

“Oh my god ,” Claire moaned. “There are two of them now!”

“Fuck off!” I grinned, releasing his face and glaring at her over Theo’s shoulder. “He’s mine and I think he’s perfect.”

Clutching her stomach, Thalia made a gagging sound. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Shit, are you okay?” I half-jumped forward, knocking Theo off balance.

“Yup,” she cackled. “But that… was… too much, Sin. Tone it the fuck down with your lovey-dovey crap. I want to eat, not choke on secondhand feelings.”

I flipped her off with both hands and followed Theo into the kitchen to help carry out the bowls of salads, cold cuts, and enough bread to build a fort.

The smell of herbs and citrus clung to Theo’s shirt, and I couldn’t stop brushing up against him—his arm, his back, his hip.

He just smirked and leaned into every touch like we were gravity-bound.