Page 36 of Sinner's Malice

Sitting in one of the vacant chairs in front of his desk, I nodded. “I need to leave, but before I do, I want your word that you will keep an eye out and protect Arianwen if she ever has need.”

“You are more than capable of doing that yourself, brother. Why me?”

“Because you owe me.”

Smirking, Sin shook his head. “You said you hurt her. Explain?”

“I branded her, then claimed her. I was too rough with her.”

“She consent?”

I nodded.

“Then you did nothing wrong.”

Clenching my fist, I growled. “She can barely talk.”

Sin said nothing.

“She’s black and blue.”

Still nothing.

“She’s scared of me, Sin!” I yelled. “When she saw me, she scurried away like a frightened mouse. I scared her.”

“Still waiting for the truth, Gideon.”

“I fucking hate you, you know that!”

“The sooner you say it, the faster I will know how to help.”

“Fuck you!”

Sin leaned back in his chair and waited.

“Fine!” I roared, jumping to my feet. “You want to know the truth, I’ll tell you. I can’t breathe around her. She consumes me, haunts my dreams. I tried to stay away. I knew I wasn’t what she needed, but she changed the rules on me. She went out. She left the fucking clubhouse. She danced with someone else. I wanted to kill the motherfucker. I lost it. I didn’t think. I showed up and just took what rightfully belonged to me, and I fucking loved every minute of it. I wanted to bind her to me in every way, and I did. Now, my club brothers know, and Montana is going to fucking kill me.”

“Sounds to me like you love her, brother.”

“That’s all you’ve got?” I shouted. “I’m over here drowning and you’re describing the fucking water!”

“The sooner you admit the truth, the easier it will be to help you. Until you do, my hands are tied, brother.”

“I’m evil, Sin. I’m just like him.”

Sin growled. “The hell you are.”

“I wanted to beat her black and blue. I wanted to whip her ass until she bled. I wanted to punish her so badly, and for what? For going out and having fun? Please, Sin. You’ve got to help me.”

“You already know what I’m going to say, Gideon.”

Sighing, I sat back down and hung my head. “I can’t do that. I go back there, and I risk losing everything.”

“If you don’t go back, I can assure you, you will. It’s time to face your fear, Gideon. The fact of the matter is, you’ve held on so tightly to where you came from, you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. You are nothing like him. Never will be.”

“I look just like him.”

“We all look like someone. So what?”