Reckless Karma (Sinners & Saints #2) (17 page)

           
“Y-yo-you
always said to block out the bad. Block out the bad. That was bad, Hugo.”

           
“Yeah…
that was bad.” The fear and hurt in Hugo’s eyes form into something I’ve never
seen before in him. Those eyes reveal the lost boy he used to be openly and now
I know. Now I even fear. Hugo himself is close to breaking.

           
“Hey
guys.” Cody and Anika come in. They look around at us, not knowing what to make
of the scene displayed. They are holding hands, which means they made up, but
that quickly slips my mind once I see who is behind them. Cody and Anika look
confused until they turn around, realizing the person who followed them in. A
frail and feeble looking Rebecca Townsend.

           
“What
are you doing here?” Hugo asks, his expression cold and his eyes red.

           
“I…”
Rebecca’s tone is low and raspy. “I wanted to talk to you?”

           
“Why
don’t we leave you guys alone then?” Cody says and I begin to follow him and
Anika out as Hugo and Karlie give each other a look.

           
“No,”
Hugo says. “August, you can go to your room now.” August runs while we stay.

           
“I
think we should go, Hugo,” I say and he holds his hand up, which is a bit
offensive.

           
“What
do you need to say to me?”

           
Rebecca,
who is covered in a long sleeve sweatshirt and jeans in ninety-six degree
weather, twiddles with her fingers, biting her lip, looking at us all until her
eyes fall back on Hugo.

           
“I…
I wanted to talk about that night. Um… I wanted to tell you that I don’t
remember and they say you said nothing happened and…” She shuts her eyes and
practically pulls out her stringy hair as she runs her fingers through it. “I
just…”

           
“You
don’t even know why you’re here,” Karlie says in a harsh tone that is
unnecessary.

           
“I
—
”

           
“No,
she doesn’t,” Hugo interrupts. “She’s just a girl.” This sly grin appears on
his face. “A weak and shallow girl.” He steps closer to her. “You want to know
what happened that night?” She nods her head. “You got drunk and you had the
audacity to believe that I had interest in you. You trusted someone blindly,
seeking their approval. Just a little girl desperate for attention. What
happened is what you wanted to happen. Whether you remember that night or not…
it doesn’t matter. I do suggest, though, to ask Scarlett again. She was, of
course, the other person there. It does not make sense that she would leave her
fiancé’s stupid little sister alone with the big bad wolf. You know where to
find me when you have more desperate attempts at forgiveness in you.”

           
The
tears stream down Rebecca’s face and quickly she backs away and runs out.

           
“What
the hell was that?” Cody asks.

           
“He’s
using her,” Karlie answers.

           
“Hugo,
what are you doing?” I ask.

           
“She’s
the pawn,” he answers still staring at the space she had just stood at.

           
“Pawn?
Hugo, this isn’t one of your chess games now. This is a girl who was raped. A
girl who thinks you raped her. Why didn’t you just tell her the bloody truth?”

           
“Because
Scarlett likes games.” He looks at me. “I instilled in Rebecca that everything
is not what it seems. Now she will be going to Scarlett… prying her with
questions. When Scarlett enjoys things, she doesn’t realize the seriousness of
a situation, causing her to slip. She used to have this box filled with USBs.
Pandora’s box she called it. It was black. Four numbers to unlock it. I’m sure
it’s not simple, but we need that box. I’m sure it has information on the Black
Card Club and videos of people. Even the recording of Karlie, maybe even a
recording of Rebecca.”

           
“She
is that arrogant. Of course she would keep a box of keepsakes for her own
enjoyment,” Karlie scoffs.

           
“And
you have that private investigator that follows her every move.”

           
“Yeah,
but I must admit Scarlett doesn’t really do much but go to the spa and brunch.
Even when she goes to see someone, it’s nothing incriminating.”

           
“Yes,
but if she feels like Rebecca is getting too annoying and curious, she will go
to that box.”

           
“And
what makes you think she doesn’t have that box with her already at her place?”
Anika asks.

           
“This
is Scarlett. That box is practically her bible. Her religion. The thing she
holds precious.” He smirks. “She won’t leave that there around Patrick or
anyone else. Have that investigator track every move after this tonight. She
will go somewhere different. We get that box, we get her.”

           
“And
Rebecca?” I ask. “What about her? You saw the girl. She’s practically one crack
away from completely breaking.”

           
“A
casualty,” Hugo says simply.

           
“Are
you hearing yourself right now?” I ask him. “The girl is already damaged. Don’t
damage her anymore.”

           
“Juliet’s
right,” Anika agrees. “Karlie, you should talk to the girl, tell her about your
story, and then get the stupid box.”

           
“I
like this way better,” Karlie says coldly.

           
“Of
course, because you are so damn clear-headed,” I say.

           
“Excuse
me?” She steps to me. “This is nothing but good ol karma.”

           
“Karma?
Your rage and hatred and pain have completely made you as mad as the rest of
us. This is reckless karma, Karlie. The kind of karma that will destroy you
too.” I face Hugo again. “You said you wanted it to be different.”

           
“And
I also said I will be doing something reckless. Something you wouldn’t approve
of and you basically said you were all in.”

           
“All
in, but not this. Not to a victim. She’s more of a victim than anyone else in
this room. You know I’m right, Hugo.”

           
“Well,
then it’s a good thing I have trouble admitting that.” He leaves out the room.
“We should forgive our enemies… but not before they are hanged.”

           
“Oh
don’t quote Heinrich Heine to me. It’s bullshit and Rebecca isn’t your enemy.”

           
“No,
but she is one of the keys to taking the enemy down.”

           
“Karlie,”
Anika says to her sister, “Karlie you are going too far. After everything. You
even promised Ma that you
—
”

           
“Anika!”
Karlie snaps. “I suggest you remember that I’m your sister and when it comes to
this, you remember your part.”

           
“My
part?” Anika’s neck rolls back. “My part in this is that I know the truth. And
the truth is that you are just as lost as you were before.”

           
Karlie
looks like she wants to slap the mess out of Anika but holds back.

           
“I
guess dinner is off the table. I’ll go.” Karlie grabs her purse and leaves.

SCARLETT

“Scarlett?”
I’m applying the finishing touches of my makeup when Rebecca comes in.

           
“Yeah,
tell Patrick I’ll be ready in a minute,” I tell her. She appears in view of the
mirror on the vanity.

           
“Patrick
went to the car with mother.”

           
“You
sure you don’t want to go to this boring dinner?” I smile and wink at her, but
she doesn’t smile back. “What’s wrong?”

           
“Hugo
was there that night, right?”

           
My
hands still on the lipstick. Slowly I put the cap on and address her. “Yes.” I
stand up from the vanity. I take off my robe and she looks away as I slip on my
dress. “Why are you asking me that, Rebecca?”

           
“I
just… I just don’t understand how I could forget that he was there and… even if
I was drugged… I should still remember when he arrived, right?”

           
“It
was a hazy night for all of us. Zip me.” She walks over to me and her fingers
tremble as she zips up my dress. I turn around facing her, rubbing her
shoulders.

           
“Hugo
was there.”

           
I
search her eyes and I almost want to laugh. She went to see Hugo and instead of
just telling her the truth, the bastard fucked with her head some more. It’s a
game and he knows I love games.

           
“Hugo
was there. You remember that… even if you don’t. Probably is best if you leave
it be. Move on. Maybe I can introduce you to young, suitable gentlemen that can
get your mind off of it.” She stares at me with disbelief but also trust still.
She’s so desperate to escape that she’s willing to consider it.

           
“Just
maybe… maybe it will take time and soon I’ll remember.”

           
I
agree, nodding my head and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

           
I’m
gonna need to bring some leverage into this one. Get her to shut up if she
continues with this. I will play this pawn with Hugo. Good thing I have my
little black box.

JULIET

I’m
not sleeping in the same bed as Hugo tonight. I figured since Jaz and Poppy are
locked away in her pink paradise I could get my room back. I’m angry. I’m
worried. I’m fed up with the ridiculous scheme before it has truly even begun.
I can’t sleep and a part of me wants to go to his room. I want to see if he
can’t sleep either, but instead I head down to the kitchen.
   

           
I
know we have a carton of Oreo ice cream in the freezer, so I grab a spoon and
bowl and replace angry sex with ice cream. It’s a very good substitute.

           
“Looks
like you couldn’t sleep either.” I’m startled by Anika, who enters the kitchen
in Cody’s sweatshirt and boxers.

           
“Yeah.”
I gesture towards the seat across from me. “Grab a spoon and join.”

           
She
does and we both eat in silence. Both sneaking glances at one another, hoping
for someone to start. Probably her more than me. She wants to break sister code
but needs a push, and I want to push but Hugo will kill me and I promised I wouldn’t.

           
“So
I take it you don’t agree with your sister’s methods.” It’s like I’m just prone
to punishing myself.

           
Anika
sighs. “I sometimes wish Karlie had never even met Gabriel Mandrake.”

           
“Moments
can lead to great impacts.”

           
“This
impact was nuclear.”

           
“I
guess there hasn’t been anything good to come out of your sister falling in
love with a Mandrake.”

           
“No…
there was something good. Amazing, in fact.”

           
“Then
I have hopes for Hugo and I.” I stop and look into Anika’s eyes. Holy shit.
“So… Scarlett came to me with another copy of William Fairchild’s will.”

           
Her
eyes give away everything. “How the hell did she get a copy of that?”

           
“Scarlett
is basically the fucking government, if you haven’t noticed.”

           
“I
need to tell Karlie.”

           
“I
already told her. So it’s true. She stole the fortune from his children.”

           
“It’s
not what you think.”

           
“Well,
what I think is Karlie and Hugo are heading for a very dark turn, and it’s not
because of Rebecca. It’s because I have the feeling. It’s a horrible feeling in
my gut that tells me this is going to shit and that Karlie is keeping something
big from Hugo.” Her eyes linger on mine. “Something I think… could change a
lot. Something I think you want to bring to light.”

           
“My…
my sister is everything to me.” She frowns. “This whole thing though… I do
think it is bigger than all of us. You rich people have some fucked up secrets
and… and it’s only fitting that my sister does too. But this… this shouldn’t be
a secret any longer.”