Reckless Karma (Sinners & Saints #2) (34 page)

           
“Least
I could do. I’m gonna make sure first that they are getting proper care or…
that they’re happy, I don’t know.”

           
“You’re
amazing, you know that?”

           
“No,
I’m not. But you are. You changed everything, Juliet. Everything.”

           
She
smiles and tilts her head. “I only influenced change. You did it all yourself.”

           
I
don’t argue with her. I just brush the strands of hair behind her ear and sigh
annoyingly loving at her.

           
“So,”
I say. “What happens now? You are psychic.”

           
“Oh
yeah, well…” She clears her throat and stands up straight, closing her eyes for
a moment. Her green eyes come back in view and they have this brightness to
them. As if she really can see the future.

           
“Well…
Cody will get dumped a couple times by Anika because Cody can be a bit much and
Anika will go through a phase of being unsure and besides you have to go
through heartbreak at some point at your life. But Cody will marry her. I can
see it. He will marry her and they will be like the bloody Obamas most likely.
Poppy and Jaz will journey through the world. At some point they will probably
get separated through random circumstances, like literally Poppy will probably
see a bird fly and follow it to the ring street corner or something. They won’t
marry, but they will be together for a very long time. If they do break up…
they’ll still shag for the rest of their bloody lives. Jordana and Margaret
Jacobs will make it. I don’t see marriage for Jordana, but because that might
matter to Margaret, she’ll do it just for her. Margaret’s father will never
come around, poor girl. He’ll die not speaking to her and in that moment he
will realize what a bastard he was. Mostly because he’s going to hell. Her mum
will come along though for her.” She thinks again for a moment. “August’s mazes
will be shown all over the world. Literally they will. We didn’t want to tell
you yet, but someone called from a museum in London. I may have spread
information about the most amazing mazes I’ve ever seen drawn. They want us to
email them photos of them next week. And before you fall more in love with me
for that, let me finish my prediction. Us. You and I… well… we’ll go through
our shit. I mean I’m always right and you’re always stubborn and I talk too
much and you talk not enough, so we will clash, but fuck it if we won’t love
each other for it. We will literally love each other till the ends of the
earth. We will need our love for when Scarlett comes back and shut up, don’t
say anything. The bitch is mad. Don’t know when or how, but she will be back…
but we’ll be ready because you and I, we’re it. We’re love and happiness and
torture and trouble. The only people who we’ll love as much as we love each
other is August, or families and friends… and our three kids.”

           
“Three?”
She finally lets me get a word in. “I can barely stand two.”

           
“It
doesn’t matter, Hugo Mandrake. Your heart is gonna love so hard… That’s your
karma. Love for the devil. That’s what’s worse than death for him. For you.”

I.
Fucking. Love. Her.
 

“So,”
she shrugs as if she didn’t just say all this nonsense yet frightening and
possible truth. “Anything else?”

           
Nothing.
There is nothing else, so I don’t say anything. I just smile at Juliet before
grabbing her and kissing her, loving her. Karma has never been so sensational.

The End

Epilogue

SCARLETT

“Scarlett,
you can’t go back to New York,” my lawyer says to me. We’re sitting at a table
at one of my favorite French restaurants… in Paris. “They won’t really have a
case against you. The Club is going down. They’ve arrested everyone, including
people who covered it up, but they won’t be able to come for you. You’ve done
well with covering your tracks. Still you need to stay put. Out of sight. Out
of mind. At least for the investigation into Rebecca Townsend’s assault. Most
likely will be dropped due to Chad Michelson’s death.”

           
“I
know,” I say staring at a happy family at the table near us.

           
“We
need to discuss your accounts. You may need to move them elsewhere in case
there is an investigation made by the IRS.”

           
“Already
done.” I’m still staring at the happy family. A man and woman who look to be in
their thirties with their two kids. A boy and a girl who look to be the same
age as those bastard children of Gabriel’s.

           
“Your
mother has contacted me and…”

           
“Let
me guess… I am a disgrace and she never wants to see me again.”

           
“In
better terms.”

           
“So
what are they saying about me in the states?”

           
“Truth?”

           
“I
do pay you to tell me truth, David. The only lies you should be telling is to
your wife and the judge and jury.”

           
“Well,
they are saying that you are a pariah. That you are evil, psychotic… and
pathetic.”

           
“That’s
the thing… I feel pathetic.” I finally face him and he sits back a little,
frightened by my scorned stare. “I am a pariah. I am evil. I am psychotic. But
never should I be pathetic.”

           
“Listen.
I know you’re angry…”

           
“I’m
not angry… I’m heartbroken… it will turn into anger… and then it will turn into
strength and that is what I need.”

           
“You
need to lay low.”

           
“Oh,
I will. I will as long as I need to. Frankly, for what I have planned, I think
it’s well worth the wait. Can you see if I know anyone in Chicago?”

           
He
looks at me confused.

           
“Chicago?
Why Chicago?”

           
“That’s
where they’ll be. That’s where they’ll make a home and be happy. Karlie Dale
and her adorable children.”

           
“Scarlett.”

           
“Don’t
throw a fuss, David. I won’t be heading back to the states for quite some time,
but until I do I would like to be updated. On everyone.”

           
“Fine.”
He groans in frustration, knowing better than to talk me out of it.

           
“How’s
my daughter?”

           
His
eyes widen at me and he has to pick his jaw off the table before speaking.

           
“She’s…
well she’s in a home. Where you wanted her.”

           
“I
want her back,” I say adamantly.

           
“Excuse
me, what?”

           
“The
last thing I whispered in Chad’s ear before he died was that he had a daughter
and mentioning her ignited something… motherly in me.” I grin.

           
“Scarlett,
are you sure you want to do this?”

           
“Yes,
I am. I want Stella here. Soon. She should be seven now, right?”

           
“She’s…
I think she’s eight.”

           
“Perfect.
Perfect age to begin.”

           
“Begin
what?”

           
“Her
purpose.” I place my sunglasses back on my face and stand up from my seat. “I
expect results by the end of the month. Don’t let me down.”

           
I
leave the restaurant and walk through the crowds of the city of love. That fire
in me that Hugo and Karlie almost burned out, it’s still in me. It’s timid, but
still there and soon it will grow back and when it does… the bitch will make a
comeback. I love a good comeback story.

STELLA

My life has been planned out for me
ever since she got me back. My mother gave me up for adoption… then changed her
mind after nine years. She shaped me to become cold, cunning, calculated. The
three Cs, I call them. They are what I live by. I am not capable of anything
else. Although at times my emotions will sneak up on me, but then I always hear
my mother’s words.

           
“I
won’t coddle you. A man won’t coddle you. So stop the tears and learn the
tricks of the trade. Nothing in this world is without payment and everyone can
be bought. Everyone can be played. Everyone can be weak, but you won’t be.”

           
I
am her daughter. She is my mother. Scarlett Brayson. She wants me to get
justice for her. She wants me to ruin the son and daughter of Karlie Fairchild.
The richest woman in Chicago. Some say her children are as wealthy as her. They
are the grandchildren of Voncliffs. Adopted children of a Fairchild. Their
father was a Mandrake. Oliver and Suzannah Mandrake are my targets. I will
befriend the sweet Suzannah and I will make the brave and over-zealous Oliver
fall in love with me… and then I will break their hearts while my mother plans
something bigger. My work is just child’s play and it shouldn’t be hard. I am
my mother’s daughter after all.

SPAWNS OF GOLD

COMING SOON

Acknowledgment

Thank you to God for my gift.
Thank you to my mom for being a huge supportive person in my dreams. Thank you,
Krystal. This book would not have been finished without your awesome editing!
Thank you to my family and friends who support and love me. Most importantly,
thank you to my readers who inspire me to keep on writing. I write not only for
me but also for you too.

About the Author

Chelsea
Ballinger has been creating stories in her mind since she was old enough to
know how to walk, talk, and dream. She graduated from Kentucky State University
with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Minor in Human Services. She loves
films, music, books, and good people. Now Chelsea focuses on living her life in
Chicago with her family and continuing her passion for writing great stories
that readers can fall in love with.

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