“We were supposed to hand over the files after we stole them, but I didn’t trust Randall not to screw us over. The deal was we would have protection for life. That any and all future charges would be buried. We would be free to build our empire with police protection and support at the highest level, but I only had his word for it. My plan was to hold the files ransom until the deal was put in writing.” He slams his bottle down on the table. “Then Trey fucking Westbrook stole them from us, and everything turned to shit.”
“Who’s Randall?” Galen asks.
“The head of VERO,” Sinner confirms.
My brows pucker. “I thought you said you were hired by Homeland?”
“We were, but it was via Randall, because VERO does this kind of shit for the government and private corporations all the time. Randall was the one who reached out to me.”
“What happened after my dad stole the files?”
“We didn’t know who had taken them although, after Homeland had Trey murdered, I suspected it was him.”
“That’s why you wanted me back,” Mom says. “So you could find those files before Homeland did.”
Sinner nods, smirking. “Making you pay for leaving me was an added bonus.”
“I fucking hate you,” Mom snaps.
He slaps her, and I’m losing control of the tenuous hold on my emotions. “Not as much as I hate you.” He rips the front of her dress, exposing the swells of her breasts to the carnivores in the room.
I’ve no doubt, when story time is over, he fully intends on starting the orgy part of the night. I’ve zero plans to participate, and hell will freeze over before I let them touch Mom or Alisha or any of those girls trapped underneath this room.
“Anyway, the gloves were off when we failed to deliver the files,” Sinner continues, needing little encouragement now.
The psycho loves the sound of his own voice, and he loves the adoring attention from the captive audience.
“Randall went apeshit. A couple of our shipments were seized by the authorities in a clear warning, and I knew it was only a matter of time before they found something to pin on us, so we needed leverage.”
“Daphne Leydon,” I say, and he nods.
“How exactly does the commissioner fit into all this?” Saint asks.
“The commissioner was Randall’s lackey, and he also owned shares in VERO. When we failed to show up with the Homeland files, Randall sent the commissioner after us. We had to stop him, so kidnapping his wife was a no-brainer. That she was also the niece of the US president was the cherry on top. We knew that would keep them at bay. The plan was to hold on to her until the files were recovered and we had our deal in writing. But we enjoyed her time in captivity a little too much.”
Sinner grins, and a chorus of hoots and hollers rips across the room, making me feel ill.
“Her death was accidental.” Sinner shrugs. “But it helped serve a purpose. Daphne had blurted a ton of helpful shit before her untimely passing, and Randall knew if we were taken in for her death that it would all come out so they couldn’t do anything to us.”
Now I get why everyone has been searching for the recording showing Daphne being murdered. VERO wants to use it to keep The Sainthood in line and The Sainthood wants to use it to force VERO to give them a deal. However, without the evidence, VERO has the upper hand now they have the Homeland files back in their possession.
Thanks to us.
That was an epic fuckup on my part.
One I’m now regretting.
But I can’t change the past—we are where we are.
My mind continues processing all we’ve learned. It’s better for VERO if they don’t find the Leydon evidence, hence why that smarmy fuck reacted like that at the meeting on Wednesday. Getting Sinner to confess to the murder serves their ends much better. I doubt Randall plans on putting Sinner away. I’m betting his plan all along has been to bust in here and kill them all so everything dies with them. Then he has the audio and camera feeds confirming the truth.
Motherfucking asshole.
I doubt he plans to let any of us out of here alive.
Except Randall didn’t plan for Sinner spilling his guts.
Why has he? Does he know they’re outside? Or that we’re recording everything?
Fear prickles the back of my neck as I realize we’re way more in the dark than we knew. Another troubling thought enters my mind. Diesel is listening to all this, and we have more than enough now to put his boss and The Sainthood away, so why the fuck haven’t they busted their way in here?
My eyes meet Saint’s across the tables, and I see the same concern in his gaze. Theo is restrained, like the rest of them, so he can’t even check in with Diesel.
OMG. What a fucking epic clusterfuck. Either Diesel is a part of this and he’s protecting his boss or his boss knows his days are numbered and he’s done something to Diesel and the other men. Neither scenario is reassuring, and a blanket of dread washes over me.
“Why murder the commissioner?” I inquire.
“To send a new message. So they know we aren’t to be messed with. Also, it gives me leverage over you.” Sinner removes the gun, tucking it in the back waistband of his pants, so his hands are free to push my dress up to my waist. I knew he’d get arrogant, and now I just need to bide my time for the perfect moment to strike.
“Get your filthy hands off my daughter!” Mom screeches, panic clear in her tone.
“Such a pretty young pussy,” he says, cupping me through my panties. “I’ve traded you in for a younger, hotter, sexier model,” he tells Mom, sliding his fingers back and forth across my crotch. “Jealous?”
“Why are you telling us all this?” Theo shouts in an attempt to get him back on track.
Sinner licks a path up my neck, deliberately eyeballing my guys as he does. I breathe a sigh of relief when his hands withdraw from my crotch and my skirt pools over my thighs, covering me.
Tears shine in Mom’s eyes, and her face is pale with guilt.
“Always so inquisitive.” Sinner tips his bottle at Theo. “I don’t trust that weasel Randall. He helped reunite me with my backstabbing fiancée, and he says he wants to put our relationship back on an even footing, but I don’t buy it.”
That fucking bastard Randall double-crossed Diesel. We’ve been two steps behind the entire time.
“That conniving cunt is only keeping me on his side because he doesn’t want the truth coming out. Until we find that Leydon evidence, he’s our biggest threat.” Sinner’s gaze roams around the room. “You are here tonight for a couple of reasons. One being I trust you. Should this get ugly, I wanted you all to be aware of the facts so you can do what is necessary to protect the sanctity of The Sainthood. And I have a new plan for retrieving that evidence, one you will play a part in.”
I stare at the heavy curtains blanketing all the windows, wishing I could see through them, to know what the fuck is going on outside because the team should be here by now.
“Why are we here?” Saint asks. “We know you don’t trust us.”
“Tonight is about repentance, my son.” He fists a hand in my hair, tugging my neck back. “I was going to slaughter you all.” He shrugs casually, like it’s no biggie. “Let’s be honest, you deserve it for daring to betray me. But I gave it more thought, and I believe a better punishment is having you watch me claim what is yours.”