Page 94 of When Sinners Rise

“You’re cute when you’re aggravated. Much better than scared.” She huffs. I sigh and look back out to the view. “Believe it or not, Miri, I just want my brother. He doesn’t need to come home, but he does need to know he’s loved. I don’t blame him for anything. If he’s happy, I’m happy.”

“He is happy.”

I look over her shoulder at him pacing around inside. “He isn’t. Not entirely. Even something as pretty as you can’t replace the feeling of an entire brotherhood being cut off, let alone a twin. Be sensible, Miri. Let him have a choice. Learn to accept us.”

She stares away from me, maybe hoping London’s dismal outlook will help her decide all our fates. “Accept you?” She shakes her head at me. “But if you really just want him to know he’s loved?”

“Yes. Nothing has to change here other than him knowing he’s welcome if he chooses that. We miss him. I miss him.” I do. I miss him right down in my damned bones. “But you should know I’m not going anywhere. He’ll understand, by the time I leave this apartment, that we’re all here for him again. That he can come home, if he wants to. He’ll know that much. You aren’t all he has anymore.”

“Are you threatening me?”

I shrug. Perhaps. I can’t help that, either. I am threatening, and nothing’s ever going to change that. “It’s up to you, Miri. You’re the one who will make it hard or easy for him. As long as you’re together, you’re as welcome as he is.” Her jaw tenses, and she frowns before looking back at him, still pacing around inside. I expect she didn’t want any of this, let alone mecoming here and offering her a place in our family. Tough. You fall for a Cortez, you better be damn sure you’re ready to accept all of us. “Go, speak to him.”

She edges away, and it doesn’t take long before he’s out on the deck with me. I smile and wait, unsure what the outcome will be. He cut us off once because he thought he had no choice. This time, he could choose to stay away regardless. I’m not sure I’d blame him for that, either, considering the woman he’s chosen and their beginning.

“It’s all forgotten?” he asks, still several feet away.

“You think I’m gonna forget you shooting me? Hurt like a bitch.” He scowls. “Felt good, though, didn’t it? To beat me?”

His hands find his pockets, and he keeps his eyes directed at mine. “Yeah. It did.”

I walk over, still smiling, and stand a foot out from him. “You know, I thought I came here to apologise for forcing you into something you weren’t. It’s not that, though. You’re who you are because of that, and you’re a damn fine man for it, Shaw. You hear me? I’m proud of you. Doesn’t matter if you’re like us or not. Or like me or not. I’m still proud.”

“You are?”

“Yeah. And I still love you. We all do.” He nods, but it’s a cautious acceptance of the facts. “I mean it. You come back anytime you want. Even your sister misses you.” He smiles and laughs lightly. “I miss you. We all do. It’s wrong without you there. Come back. We’ll have a cook-out and play ball, and your girl can get herself introduced to everyone properly.”

He frowns. “Yeah, not sure that’s gonna happen. She doesn’t like you much.”

I smirk. “No one likes me much. They still end up loving me. I’m good at charming people when I need to. You’re not the only one with that skill.” He moves around me to the railings around the drop, body leaning over it like he’s thinking thingsover. “Whenever you’re ready, Shaw. No rush. Just know you can.”

Turning away from him, I start heading for the inside.

“You’re leaving?” he says.

I look back. “Yeah. Gotta go see Landon about something Cane related.”

“Cane? Logan? What do you mean?” I smirk and keep moving, listening to his footsteps following me. “Abel?”

The door pulls back in my hand, and I keep smiling all the way to the elevator. “What are you doing for work these days?” I ask as I turn to face him. I know exactly what he’s doing – nothing. Knox has been tracking him ever since he left. “Looks like you’ve put on a few pounds.” Shame, he was good at killing people. Good at being nasty as hell when needed. I could do with some of that for new ventures in Europe. “We’re in the Savoy for three nights. Call. We’ll have dinner before we leave.”

The doors close on his confused face, and I chuckle the entire way back to Lexi. No way is any Cortez happy doing nothing with their life. They need purpose, drive, a sense of fucking direction despite happy ever afters.

We’re not built for nothing.

We’re built to rule.

We’re built for sin.

The End