Sin Series

Chapter 3

“So, is it now my fault, huh?” My voice sharpened.

My mother stood up, crossing her arms over her chest. Her feature remained calm, softened even. She was aware of why I had to leave her years ago. Not only because I had to work for my Dad, but she was all-out support of my decisions.

“So, how’s your apartment?” That was why I loved her so much—she never pried. And I was not ready to rip the wound open as well.

“Thanks for helping me out, Mum. I like it by the way. The place is not far from the office, so I don’t have to wake up early.” I smirked.

She rolled her eyes. “You never change, do you? This is New York, Skipper, and I should have chosen an apartment far from for your office so that you have to force yourself to wake up early.”

“You’re mean, don’t you know that? Why would I wake up early if I can manage my time just right?”

“It’s not about time management, Skipper. Since you started high school you always skipped breakfast and just ran out of the house with an empty stomach. It is not right to just stop at the greasy food stand and eat from there? How are you even this fit?” She motioned to my body.

“Well, it runs in the blood, I guess. And my name is Skipper, right?” I arched my brow, smirking again. “I work out every day after my job, and it helps me sleep at night. I only eat a greasy breakfast, but I eat healthy at lunch and dinner.”

“Why don’t you stay with me instead.”

A boisterous laugh erupted. I could even hear the echo of my own voice in the entire house, but Mum was not amused at all. “Who the bloody twenty eight years old bloke still stays at his mother’s home?”

“I want to take care of you, honey.” Her voice remained sweet and motherly.

I abruptly stopped laughing and stood up, pulling her into a hug. “Mum, I love you so much. Let’s take care of ourselves together, but I don’t have to stay here to do that. You can come and visit me anytime. We can cook a healthy dinner, then have some cuppa whilst watch Grey’s Anatomy together every weekend, how does it sound?”

She nodded. “I love you, Skipper.”

“I love you too, Mum.”

“So, are you dating someone?” Mum noticed how my body went rigid.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, unable to find a word to answer her.

“So, you didn’t come here for her.”

“Mum.”

“I know you are still close with Brett, Skip. And you probably heard what happened to her marriage.”

My heart ached. Why did it have to feel this way? After all these years, it was just like yesterday. But she lied to me, and I could never forget that. It almost took years of my life away from my family.

I was beyond shocked to see her signing up at the dating site I co-owned. Didn’t she know that his brother shared twenty percent of its profit? I knew I was a scumbag back then, and that was one of the reasons why I had to stay away. I was playing with fire—a fire that couldn’t be ceased once I stayed around. I regret beyond anything, and worse was, I just stabbed my best friend on both sides.

Stalking Arella was probably the worse idea I came me up with, but I couldn’t let her go out with another man on a date. I guessed she had never been on a date since her divorce from her slag ex-husband. So, I called my internet engineer to make her profile unseen to everyone but me. We’d been chatting for a while now, and I was glad she didn’t agree on meeting me, yet. Meaning, she was cautious and intelligent.

She changed a lot these years. Her slim figure was gone and became more hot and curvy. She changed her hair color as well, but those cherry full lips that I tasted once still looked luscious and sinful.

My face heated with embarrassments of what I did to my best friend’s little sister.

“I have to go, Mum.”

“I’m trying to let you open up, Skip. You two can still be friends?”

How can I be friends if I still in lust her? I thought after all this time, it was going to lessen, but I was completely wrong. At least now, we were both adults and single.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea, but even so, I’ll try to be nice.”

“It’s been years, Skip.”

“I know, Mum, but she still lied to me. I have to go. I’ll see you on the weekend?” I sounded like an arse to her, but I couldn’t just talk about it right now.

“I’ll visit your apartment. And please, no more socks on the floor, Skipper. You’re near thirty for God’s sake.”

A soft laugh rumbled in my chest. “That I changed. I placed a hamper near the door where I could toss my socks.”

I took a deep breath to lessen the ache in my chest. Mum walked me out of to my rental car. “Thanks, Mum.”

* * *

I SWIPED the screen to unlock my phone. My pulse raced as I opened the HeartRated app on my phone. It was totally all Brett’s idea to create a dating app, forcing me to go out on a date. I’d met several girls using this app, but nothing serious other than hot s*x overnight then bid goodbyes after that.

Hotsome: Hey, love. You up for a drink this weekend?

I’d been asking her for days, but she just gave me reasons. I was wondering if she found someone outside this app or I was completely not her type. Photoshopping my photo and my brother’s was not exactly a good idea—it was like lying, but she did lie to me in the first place, so call it quits.

The chatbox bubbled.

SinDeRella: I have a weekend dinner with my family.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. I wanted to ask her again what was her purpose of signing up on this app.

Hotsome: Can I ask you something?

SinDeRella: Sure. As if I can stop you from sending.

Smartarse!

Hotsome: Did you find a date already?

SinDeRella: What made you say that?

Hotsome: Because you kept on turning me down.

SinDeRella: I’m nervous and I’m not good at it.

Hotsome: Just be you, love.

Seconds later...

A minute passed...

Hotsome: Still thinking twice? Fine, my Sinderella. I won’t ask you again. Just send a message when you’re ready.

I logged out. Disappointment swept over me. What if she hadn’t moved on from her ex?

Chapter 4

Skip Linton

Arella

THE LIVING room already blasted with loud noises from the TV and from Dad and my brother, Brett. They were football fans—the soccer one. Brett was a die-hard fan of Manchester, while Dad was a Real Madrid, and as for me, I was a neutral. Well, if I was being honest, I knew American football, but soccer, on the other hand, was different. Instead of throwing the ball, the players kicked it toward the opposing team’s goalkeeper to score. And they called it a goal. And the NFL and FIFA balls were different in shape. Why in the hell I am I talking about balls right now?

Grimacing to their noise, I ambled toward them, sitting on the couches. The entire room was dim, only the light coming from the TV screen that helped me not to bump into something, and I happened to memorize this place since this was my home once.

“Guys, good evening! Can anyone please lower the volume down?” I yelled, waving my hand. To my dismay, nobody heard me, or they were too engrossed with what they were watching. This kind of scene was not new to me—no one could distract them, even a high magnitude level earthquake.

“Yes!” they yelled in unison, fists pumping in the air while I was crossing my arms over my chest in annoyance for ignoring me.

Wait, Lorcan was not the third one. My cousin arrived from LA this afternoon, and Uncle Jett would also be here tonight.

“I told ya, mate!” the man guffawed over my brother. His accent was the first thing that caught my attention. He was tall just like Brett and looked like he took much time in the gym. The sleeve of his dark sweater stretched on his flexed bicep. His long brown hair tied up in a bun. Then the straight nose, the wrinkles at the corner of his eye, down to the dimple on his cheek, and those lips that spread into a full-blown smile.

My breath caught. My hand flew to my chest. My heartbeat galloped. A flush of adrenaline tingled through my body the moment someone finally turned the light on.

The noises suddenly stopped. And I got a chance to see the man beside my brother. Oh my, God! It’s him. The guy I once knew was almost unrecognizable. In a good way. He’d grown up into a... gorgeous as hell kind of man.

His different colored-eyes bore into mine, making my breath held, my heart seemed to freeze then pounded harder in my chest. What was he doing here? And the time seemed to stop because what shocked me the most was there was no recognition in his eyes.

“Hey. You must be the baby sista.” He walked past Brett and Dad, then stopped in front of me. “Arella, right?” He extended his hand, and I found myself closing my gaping mouth.

Does he happen to have an identical twin or a doppelgänger maybe?

How the hell didn’t he recognize me? Well, it had been years, Are. You gained some fats while he became gorgeous.

“Are, don’t be rude. You haven’t got a chance to meet Skip when we came home during college.” Brett pulled me back to reality—a shocking painful reality.

I swallowed uncomfortably and cleared my throat. “Hi, I’m Arella.” My voice was low and shaky. Heat rushed through my cheeks when the picture of what I did back then sprang into my mind.

His grip my hand firmly and short. “Nice to finally meet you, Re— Arella.” His hand was warm and strong, but I was shivering with disappointment to how he didn’t remember me.

“Nice to meet you too, Skip.” I put a little emphasis on his name and broke my gaze. I still remembered how those beautiful eyes looked at me, but there had no emotions and nothing warmth as they stared back at mine.

My belly knotted as I berated myself for my actions. I never regretted it though, because that was one of the best nights of my life.

“Are, you’re here. Come over here, honey, and help me out in the kitchen.” Thankfully, Mom saved me from farther humiliations.

I walked away speechless with knees barely made me reach the kitchen.

“Hey, Mom.” I kissed her blemish-free cheek. Her expensive perfume wafted my nostrils. At fifty-five, she managed to stay beautiful, ate healthy food, and meditated a lot.

“You okay, honey?” Mom’s brows furrowed as she faced me. She stopped whatever she was doing with our helper, Morena.

“I’m fine. Thank you for asking. Let’s finish this and have dinner because I’m starving. And I need to go back to my apartment and watch the movies I rented online.” I quickly picked up the bowl full of pasta. I almost dropped it and too late to realize it was hot.