Reckless Karma (Sinners & Saints #2) (16 page)

           
“May
I help you?” A woman in a blue cocktail dress, who I assume is the hostess,
approaches me.

           
“Yes,
I’m looking for a blonde evil bitch in heels and red lipstick?”

           
The
girl looks at me confused but suddenly points to the outside area of the
lounge, and there she is wearing her black and white sunglasses, sipping wine
and looking at her phone.

           
I
sit in the seat across from her wearing my own pair of shades.

           
“Juliet.
I’m so pleased you could join me.”

           
“I
don’t even know why I’m here.”

           
“Yes,
you do. I texted you that I needed to talk to you about Karlie, and something
tells me you don’t trust her.”

           
“I
don’t trust her any less than I trust you. I thought you could fill me in on
the past. You know, from the time you got her raped and ruined her life. Even
going as far as killing Gabriel.”

           
“Is
that what Karlie thinks?” She giggles as she takes a sip of her wine. “That I
killed Gabriel?”

           
“I
wouldn’t be shocked if it was.”

           
“Poor
Karlie, still hoping that love was strong enough to save the poor soul. Did I
destroy their relationship and her innocence? Yes.”

           
“The
fact that you can say that without blinking still amazes me.”

           
“I
aim to amaze. As for killing Gabriel? No. Gabriel was sick. Karlie knew that or
maybe she didn’t. She likes to think she knew him better than me, just like you
like to think you know Hugo better than me.”

           
“Maybe
she did. Maybe I do.”

           
“No.
See that’s what you and Karlie have in common. You are still unsure of your
connection to the Mandrake boys. If it’s as strong as you would like to believe
it is.”

           
“Hugo
hates you.”

           
“Maybe
so, but his hate for me is sure stepping on that love of yours’ toes, isn’t
it?”

           
“You
framed him for rape.”

           
“I
did no such thing,” she smirks. “But weren’t the charges dropped? Isn’t he in
the clear? Patrick is still out to get him, but that’s neither here or there.
So why isn’t he getting on with his life? Starting on his new path of happiness
with you?”

           
“And
let you continue to destroy others?”

           
“Yes.”
She shrugs. “I’m marrying Patrick soon. Here comes Karlie Dale with her
vendetta all because she can’t get over the fact that she was stupid enough to
trust us and that her boyfriend was a dumbass. She hasn’t let go, just like
Hugo hasn’t.”

           
“So
what is it that you want to talk to me about?”

           
“I
decided to do my research on Karlie Dale. She says that all that money William
Fairchild left was entitled to her. No it wasn’t. Turns out William Fairchild
has bastard children lurking around.”

           
“Why
should I believe you?” Of course she pulls out a document and of course it is
proof that William Fairchild left a fair share of his fortune to children that
are obviously hidden, given that their names are deemed classified. “So what
does this have to do with anything?”

           
“Well,
if she could steal an inheritance from two children who probably grew up in
rough circumstances, then she could keep anything.”

           
“Are
you serious? You called me here for this?”

           
“No.
I called you here as a test. To see if my assumptions were right.”

           
“And
what is that?”

           
“That
I am not the only woman in Hugo’s life you’re threatened by.”

           
I
lean on the table and take off my sunglasses, chest tight, and courage
awakened.

“Let
me be clear. Yeah, there is something about Karlie that is off… but get this,
she has my respect while you have nothing. She has Hugo’s respect while you
have nothing. This doesn’t help you, putting a doubt that was already there in
my head. If anything, this proves my assumption. I’m not the only woman in
Hugo’s life you’re threatened by… in fact, I think you fear her. That’s why you
had a problem with me. You make a joke about the connection she had with
Gabriel, and I with Hugo, but the truth is you saw it before any of us and that
is your fear. That love is something you could never truly succeed in obtaining
in that black, wretched heart of yours stepping on your fucking toes.”

           
“The
game isn’t over yet. Hugo is still who he is and soon he’s gonna do something
that will give you so much disdain in your eyes that you won’t be able to love
him in the dark.”

           
“When
are you gonna get it? It’s not a game. It’s just karma.”

           
I
leave the table before she can respond. I even leave the evidence she has against
Karlie. I know I got to her, but I admit she got to me too.

ANIKA

“Ms.
Dale.” Clara, our maid that comes to clean our home three times a week, comes
into my room. “There is a young man to see you.”

           
I
try not to hurry into the living room. I know its Cody, and I don’t show it,
but I am glad he’s here waiting nervously with his hand stuffed in his cargo
shorts and grey Princeton t-shirt.

           
“Hey,”
I say.

           
“Hi.”
He holds out a gold watch with a brown belt.

           
“What
is that?”

           
“It’s
my grandfather’s watch.”

           
“Okay.”

           
“He
told me once that to ask my grandmother to go steady with him, he gave her
this. It was the most valuable thing he had. It was the first thing he ever
bought with his own money that was expensive, and to prove to my grandmother
just how much she meant to him, he gave it to her and told her that it would
remain hers until he put a ring on her finger. He passed it down to my dad, he
did the same thing with my mom, and now I’m doing it… with you.”

           
“Cody…”
Nerves get the best of me, making me unable to finish the sentence.

           
“I’m
not saying I’m planning marriage here or anything but… if there is one thing I
know about you, it’s your heart. The loyalty you have for the people you care
for. I want to do the same thing. I’ve been an asshole. Yeah, I had a right to
be pissed, but not as pissed as I was. Not so pissed where I had to completely
diminish the person I know you truly are. I want to start over. I want you to
be my girlfriend and I don’t know what we’re gonna do after the summer’s over
but… I know I want something great with you. Something of our own. Something
that doesn’t have to do with your sister or anyone else.”

           
I
smile and walk over to him. Proudly I accept the watch. “A thing of our own?”

           
“Yeah…
and I would really like to have more sex.” He winks at me.

           
“Don’t
wink.”

           
“I
was trying to be smooth.”

           
I
wrap my arms around his waist and he wraps his around mine. “I don’t want
smooth. I want you.”

           
It’s
something to care for someone for exactly who they are. It gives that person a
sense of relief and content. I see that in Cody as I convince him.

“Good,”
he says.

           
“Yeah.
Real good.”

           
He
brings his head down to mine and kisses me.

           
“We
should probably go to my room and get back to having sex now,” I whisper and
his eyes light up. “I got a lot of things to teach you.”

           
“Yes,
Headmaster.” I go to kiss him but pause, giving him a look. “What? Ever since
boarding school, I have had that fantasy. You got a ruler?”

           
“No…
But I got a plaid skirt and a blazer.”

           
“Nice.”

           
I
laugh and drag him to my bedroom.

10

KARLIE

I
wait in the living room staring at the picture of Scarlett, Chad, Noel, August,
and Gabriel. I look at the smile on Gabriel’s face. A smile I’m too familiar
with now.

           
“Hello,
Karlie.” I turn around and Juliet is looking at me with the usual disapproving
stare, except this time there is no smile.

           
“I
guess there is another reason why you don’t like me.”

           
“I
liked you before. Now it’s only an utter disdain moment. It’ll pass.”

           
“Meaning
Hugo told you.”

           
“Bingo.”

           
“Look…
I’m sorry. I don’t have any interest in Hugo. I was just…”

           
“Your
heart’s just broken.”

           
“Damn.
Hugo said you’re good at that.”

           
“I
may not be fond of it, but I get it that I don’t understand and I get that it
must hurt more than anything.”

I
don’t protest. I don’t try to mask it with something else. I just provide
gratitude. “Thanks.”

           
She
gives a light smile. “So you’re staying for dinner?”

           
“Yeah,
Hugo invited Anika and I. She texted, said she’ll come later. I didn’t have
anything else to do.”

           
“Good.
Hugo cares for you. I think it’s like… he’s inherited you or something. You get
what I’m saying?”

           
“Yeah,
I get it. I guess we inherited each other.”

           
“Can
I tell you something without you getting pissed off or telling Hugo?”

           
“Sure.”

           
“Scarlett
contacted me and told me she had information on you.”

           
I
scoff. “Of course she did.” I hope it’s just the information I allow her to
have.

           
“It
was the original will of William Fairchild’s. He left money to his children.”

           
My
heart begins to drop, but still I keep pushing the wall. “William didn’t have
children.”

           
She
narrows her eyes at me. “That no one knew of apparently. There were no names on
the document though. That had been blacked out with a marker in the copy.”

           
I
just smile.

           
“You
don’t need to tell me and I’m not telling Hugo. I just wanted you to know that
Scarlett is creating a few chess pieces of her own.”

           
“As
I predicted.”

           
“You’re
not worried?” Of course I’m worried. She wasn’t supposed to find that. I’m just
thankful that the original document had the kids’ names crossed out. Something
I asked after it was written up just in case someone found the copy in the
files.

           
“No,”
I tell her. “I have made certain sacrifices. In the end, everyone will gain
what they deserve… including those kids.”

           
“I
believe you.”

           
“Thank
you again.”

           
We’re
interrupted by August walking in the room. I smile and he clings on to Juliet.
It kind of hurts that August is scared of me.

           
“She’s
not bad, mate,” Juliet says to him and he shakes his head.

           
“August,
you remember the first time we met?” I suddenly ask.

           
He
doesn’t look my way but nods.

           
“It
was one the best days because… Gabriel introduced two important people to him
to each other. That’s when I really knew he loved me.”

           
Scratching
his head, he looks my way. “Gabriel said we needed to forget about you. After
all the bad stuff happened.”

           
My
heart that has already cracked a million times does it some more. Just
remembering that night gives me chills.

           
“Yeah,
I’m not surprised.”

           
“When
he turned you away.”

           
“Yeah.”

           
“Sometimes
I heard Gabriel’s heart crying for you,” August says. “Especially before he
talked to Scarlett and shot himself.”

           
I
am about to say something until I realize what he just said. So does Juliet.

           
“Wait,
August,” Juliet says to him. “Are you saying Scarlett was there right when
Gabriel died?”

           
“He
should’ve known. He should’ve known that monsters always lose… except her. She
doesn’t lose.”

           
I
approach August, my heart racing. “August, did Scarlett kill Gabriel?”

           
He
starts to smack his head. Tears form in his eyes as he begins to panic.

           
“Okay,
calm down.” Juliet rubs her hands on his shoulders. “Calm down. You don’t have
to go back.”

           
“I
don’t wanna go back!” he screams and hits the wall.

           
“What
the hell is going on?” Hugo asks coming in.

           
“August
was there when Gabriel died and so was Scarlett. He knows she killed him,” I
answer.

           
“He
didn’t say that,” Juliet says to me and my dislike for her is coming back. “She
was there, but he didn’t say that. I’m not saying you’re not right, but let’s
be patient.”

           
“Ahhh!”
August screams, hitting on the wall again. Hugo grabs him and makes him face
him.

           
“Calm
down. Calm down,” Hugo says and August begins to take a deep breath. “Calm
down.” He combs his fingers through his hair. “Now, August, I want you to tell
me. Did she hurt Gabriel? Did Scarlett physically hurt Gabriel?”

           
“I
didn’t see. I couldn’t see. I just words.” He hugs himself, staring at his
feet. Rocking back and forth. “You did this. You made me like this. You made
yourself like this. Love, pain, kill. I killed someone because of you.”

           
“Wait,
what?” Hugo’s eyes widen. “Who said that? Who said they killed someone?”

           
The
panic in August’s eyes and body is just like Gabriel described them to be. I
had only known him in his good moments.

           
“Gabriel.
He cried out and cried out and… BANG!”

GABRIEL

“I
want to do something,” I say to Karlie.

           
“I
figured since you invited me here.” She’s referring to my current living
arrangements at Ms. Eleanor’s.
 
A
place I haven’t been since… never.”

           
“You
know why.”

           
“You
want to protect your reputation.”

           
“No.
I want to protect you from them.”

           
She
eyes the family photo of us. Ms. Eleanor loves to take family photos.
“Especially from her?”
 
Her eyes
narrow on the blond locks of Scarlett.

           
“Yes.
You don’t want Scarlett any more your enemy than she already is.”

           
“When
you first started talking to me, I figured she had something to do with it. She
always used to look at me with the creepy ass smile that loudly screamed ‘I’m
coming for you.’”

           
“Yeah,
unfortunately most people are too stupid to notice it.”

           
I
grab her hand. “Follow me.”

           
No
one is here except the people I want to be here. Everyone is gone for the
weekend. Ms. Eleanor in Paris with the lover of the week. Chad in rehab. He
won’t stay more than two weeks, as always. Noel in Nantucket for his
grandfather’s 90
^th
birthday, meaning he should be kicking the bucket
in a year. I’m sure his mother is happy about that. It ensures Noel and her as
the sole owners of their fortune. Scarlett, I don’t know. I did hear her
scheduling a doctor’s appointment a few days ago. It’s rare when she schedules
those. For a moment I was even worried, but then it slipped my mind once she
told me she was leaving town. I really just figure she has a new secret lover
and she’s planning to seduce herself into his will. I truly believe Scarlett is
in a lot of wills.

“That’s my room.” I point
to my door once we get upstairs. “We will be going in there soon.” I sneak in a
smile and she rolls her eyes. Sex with Karlie is, as I imagined, great. I never
used the term sweet before when sleeping with a woman, but with her it is. That
first time was that sweet perfection, and then the second time was passionate.
Then passion continued and now it’s getting hot and heavy. I love teaching her.
How to please. How to communicate about what she wants and what she doesn’t
want. I love the way she brightens up when I make her come, and I love the way
she smiles when I tell her I love her. That’s the best part. Sex is just
physical. There is no true way to prove to someone you love them by that, and
keeping us a secret doesn’t help the situation either. I want to really let her
know that I love her.

I
look at the door across from mine.

           
“Who
stays in there?” she asks.

           
“My
brother.”

           
A
smile appears. No one’s ever excited to meet August.

“I
felt that it is the time to introduce you both.” I softly squeeze her hand
before knocking on August’s door. I only knock to let him know I’m coming in.
We step inside and see him in his usual state. In his own world. Drawings of
mazes surrounding him as he sits in the middle of the floor, wearing matching
racecar pajamas, staring at them.

           
“August.”
I snap my fingers and he looks up. “I want you to meet someone.”

           
August
stares at our legs, his fingers twiddling, his eyes blinking.

           
“This
is Karlie, the one I’ve been telling you about.”

           
She
smiles and squats down as I sit down in a chair. “Hi, August.” He moves back a
little.

           
“Don’t
be offended. He’s not good with people.”

           
“That’s
alright. He moves to his own beat. I can respect that.”

           
“Moving
to my own beat is the only way to go. I have to say fuck!” August yells and
flinches. “Everyone else. That’s what Hugo tells me.”

           
Karlie
laughs and so does August.

           
“Yes,
Hugo always gives him wisdom over the phone apparently.”

           
“You
still don’t talk to him?” she stands up and asks me.

           
“No.”
I sit down in a chair. “I don’t really know how to start.”

           
“Uh,”
she spins on her heel and walks over to me, “how about a ‘hey how ya doin?
How’s life?’ He’s your brother, Gabriel. You don’t need anything other than
that to start you off.”

           
Her
knees come against mine and I grab her hands, sitting back as she stares down
at me.

           
“Then
maybe I’ll take your advice.”

           
“Well,
maybe you should.” I laugh with her and grab hold of her waist, wiggling my
eyebrows.

           
“Uh…
children are present.”

           
“Then
we should go somewhere they’re aren’t.”

           
“You
are a mess.”

           
She
means it as a joke, but she has no idea how true that is. “Yes. I am.”

JULIET

The
scream from his lungs and red covering his face frightens us all. August falls
to his knees and Hugo follows him. His eyes begin to tear up. “I don’t want to
think about it anymore, Hugo.”

           
“It’s…
it’s okay.” Hugo wraps his arms around him hugging him. “It’s okay. You just…
you should’ve told me that. Why didn’t tell me that before?”