Sweet Sins (9 page)

They finally got in, each holding a gun.

Fuck. I was out of time.

Zander searched the room then found me. He pointed his gun right in between my eyes. “Where is she?”

I said nothing. This was it. He was going to kill me.

“She’s in here.” The other man moved to the bathroom.

Zander nodded. His dark eyes drilled into mine, the bloodlust evident. “You’re lucky I’m going to make this quick.”

This was it. I was a goner.

9

Sean

I lay on the couch with my wife snuggled close to me. We were watching an episode of
Friends
, and Scarlet was chuckling at something Joey did. I didn’t care for this show, but I wanted to do whatever my wife wanted. She was running the show around here.

My heart throbbed all day. I kept thinking about my brother, wondering if we would ever be the same again. Scarlet was my crutch, supporting me while I struggled through my tough time. She made things much easier for me, but nonetheless, I was still hurting.

The blanket was over us and Scarlet was wrapped around my body. It was nice staying home with her today. I just wish I wasn’t so depressed to really enjoy it. We took a walk on the beach then had lunch on the patio. But Mike was always on my mind.

“Sean, it will be okay,” she whispered.

“You think?”

“I know.” She rubbed my chest. “I know Mike pretty well. He’s just upset right now, but he will come around.”

“In a few days?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes. Have faith.”

I sighed. “But I did something pretty bad…”

“But you apologized. We all make mistakes. Mike is no exception.”

I tried to relax at her words. My wife was right about everything, not that I would ever admit that.

My phone rang in my pocket so I fished it out while she lay on me. She wasn’t heavy but I didn’t want to bump her stomach. I answered it without looking at the caller. “Yeah?”

“Sean!” Cassandra screamed over the phone, her tears choking her words.

I sat up, sliding Scarlet off me. My body went into flight mode. “What’s wrong?”

“Men broke into our house.” She was sobbing so hard I couldn’t understand her. “They are going to kill us!”

I had all the information I needed, and I couldn’t understand a
ny more words she said anyway. Now she was blubbering, speaking incoherently. “I’m coming.” I got off the couch then stumbled forward.

“Sean, what’s wrong?”

I didn’t have time to answer her. I sprinted upstairs, grabbed the loaded shotgun under my bed, and then ran back down. I grabbed my keys and sprinted out the door.

“Sean!”

I couldn’t stop, not even for her. “Call the cops and send them to Mike’s house. I got to go.”

She ran to me then jumped in my arms. “I love you.”

I cupped her face and kissed her hard. “I love you too.” I didn’t have time to savor the look on her face. I didn’t even have time to explain what was happening. I knew I had to get there fast. I didn’t know what I was up against, and there was a good possibility I would be killed while I tried to rescue my brother but I had to go. I knew Ryan and my dad would take care of Scarlet if I didn’t survive.

I jumped into the car and peeled out, not looking back at my wife as she stood in the yard, pulling out her phone and making the call. I hauled ass down the road, accelerating as fast as my car would allow. The engine worked hard as
it sped me to my location. It was the longest mile I’ve ever driven in my life.

I raced up their driveway then slammed on my breaks. Without turning off the car, I got out with my shotgun in hand.

“Sean!”

I looked up and saw Cassandra on the roof. “Are you okay?”

“Mike’s in our bedroom! Hurry!”

I couldn’t help her right now. She was too high and seemed to be unthreatened at the moment.
I sprinted into the house and headed to the stairs. A body was at the bottom. The guy appeared to be unconscious.

Without further thought
, I ran up the stairs and saw pieces of wood on the ground. I was scared for my life. I admit it. If that made me a coward, so be it. But I held the gun steady and pointed it straight ahead, ready to blow someone’s brains out.

“Where is she?” a voice demanded.

“Check the bathroom.”

There were two of them.

I stepped inside and spotted one man moving dressers from a doorway. The other had Mike on the ground, a gun pointed at his face. Mike’s eyes flickered to mine but he didn’t react. He stayed still.

I grabbed the guy by the back of the neck then pushed him to the ground. His gun went off as he lost balance. I stepped on his back then pointed the shotgun at the other intruder. “Put down the gun.”

Mike scrambled for the pistol that fell on the hard wood floor. When he had it, he pointed it straight at the skull of the man below my feet. A gun was pointed at each guy. “Move and I’ll shoot your brains out.”

The man across from me eyed his comrade but didn’t move.

“I said put down the gun!” I kept the shotgun pointed at him. “Unless you shoot me right in the head, I’ll survive. But I promise you won’t survive a hit from a shotgun. Now do it or I’ll shoot you!”

His hand shook before he finally tossed it on the ground. He put both of his hands in the air.

“On your knees,” I commanded.

He slowly moved to the floor.

“Hands behind your head,” I snapped.

He did as I asked.

Mike kept the gun on the man on the ground. His eyes never left him.

I stood still, keeping the gun pointed at him. I was too scared to move. The gun was heavy but my hands didn’t shake. Mike and I didn’t speak. We were both concentrating on our jobs. I knew the cops would be here soon and I wasn’t going to move until both men were in handcuffs. Cassandra was on the roof but she would have to wait.

Silence stretched.

“Mike, you okay?” I asked, still looking at the intruder.

“I’m not hurt.”

“Okay.”

“Cops are coming?”

“Yeah.”

Silence fell again.

“Is Cassandra okay?”

“She’s still on the roof,” I said.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

I heard the sirens in the distance. They came closer as they pulled into the driveway of the house. Men shouted from the yard as they headed into the house. I heard dogs barking. Thank god they were here. I was so fucking scared.

Their feet thudded against the floor as they moved up the stairs. When they finally entered the bedroom, the police
officer aimed his weapon at me. “Drop your gun.”

I lowered it then tossed it on the bed, away from everyone. Mike did the same.

Then they came in and handcuffed the men, relieving us of our duties. I caught my breath, realizing how shaken I was. I turned to Mike but he was gone.

He opened the window and helped Cassandra back inside. She was sobbing hysterically, unable to
speak or do anything else. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed, mumbling incoherent things.

“Baby, I’m okay.” He held her to this chest and tried to calm her down.

“God, I was so scared…” She felt his arms and his chest.

“Everything is okay,” he said to her. “No one got hurt.”

She wrapped her arms around him again and continued to cry.

The officers asked
if I needed medical attention but I said no. The entire episode passed better than I expected to. I thought I might be killed. I’d only used the shotgun a few times. I certainly wasn’t a trained gunman.

“I’m so sorry I left you,” Cassandra said as she sniffed. “I didn’t want to leave, but our baby…”

“You did the right thing.” His voice was calm, keeping her steady. “That’s exactly what I wanted, Cassandra.”

“I’m still sorry…”

Everything echoed around me but I couldn’t concentrate on anything. My body was still stressed, processing what just happened. It happened so quickly, but at the time, it felt like time had stopped. I needed to call Scarlet to tell her I was okay but I couldn’t move. I was numb.

Cassandra pulled away from Mike then hugged me. I didn’t reciprocate the affection because I couldn’t react. I was practically dead. “Thank you so much. You saved his life…”

My hand finally moved to her back. “He’s my brother.” That was all I could say. It didn’t even make sense.

“Thank you so much.”

I stared at the wall, unsure what to think or feel.

Mike came to me then hugged me, holding me for a long time. I breathed a sigh of relief then I felt his embrace. That seemed to bring me back to reality. We were both okay. No one got hurt. No one died. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” I whispered.

“They would have killed me and taken Cassandra. I owe you my life.”

“I always got your back.”

He still held me. “I love you, man.”

“I love you too.” I tried not to get emotional but I was falling apart.

Mike pulled away. “Call your wife and tell her you’re okay.”

“Oh yeah.” My mind was somewhere else. I still didn’t move for the phone.

Mike took his phone from Cassandra and made the call. “Scarlet, it’s Mike. Sean’s okay.” He paused while he listened to her. “Yeah, he’s fine. Hold on.” He held out the phone to me. “She wants to talk to you.”

I stared at it before I finally grabbed it and brought it to my ear. “I’m okay.” My mind was dissociated from my mouth. I couldn’t think straight.

Scarlet was sobbing. “Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Can I come to the house?”

I was glad she stayed away and didn’t follow me. “No. I’ll come to you.”

“Please hurry.”

“I will.”

“Sean, I love you. Love you so much.” She sniffed into the phone.

“I love you too. I’ll be home soon.”

“Okay.” She sighed then hung up.

I handed the phone back to Mike then stared at the ground.

Mike rested his hand on my shoulder but didn’t say anything. He was the one who had a gun pointed at his head, but he seemed calmer than I was. I was still in shock.
“You okay?”

“I just…I don’t know.”

Cassandra watched the officer handcuff Zander and pull him downstairs. She gasped and more tears fell. “Oh god.”

Mike put his arm around her waist. “It’s okay, baby.”

“He was going to kill you…because of me.”

“But he didn’t,” Mike said firmly. “That’s all that matters.”

She sniffed. “I never would have forgiven myself.”

“It didn’t happen,” he
said immediately. “Don’t think about it.”

I found my voice. “It was Zander?”

Mike nodded.

I still couldn’t believe it.

The officer guided us downstairs where we were question about what happened. I answered their questions with no emotion. Mike took the lead and helped Cassandra get through it without sobbing. Two hours later, the cops finally left.

The crickets chirped into the night and the ocean crashed in the distance. The night was calming, but my heart was still pounding a million miles a minute. “You want to stay at our place for the night?” My voice came out as a whisper.

Cassandra nodded. “Please.”

“Okay.” I walked out the door and watched Mike lock it behind me. Mike kept Cassandra close to him, supporting her with his strength.

I walked to my car and realized it was still on. The events suddenly replayed in my mind. I still couldn’t believe it happened.  After I regained my composure, I got in the car and drove home.

Scarlet was in the driveway, crying. As soon as I opened the door she was on me. “Thank god.” Her arms circled my waist and she cried into my chest.

This was exactly what I needed. I buried my face in her neck and finally felt safe, finally felt whole. I was so thankful nothing happened. My wife wasn’t a widow and I was in her arms, where I longed to be.

“Are you hurt?” she whispered.

“No.”

She pulled away and kissed me, her lips tasting like salt. “What happened?”

With a weak voice, I told her.

“Mike and Cassandra are okay?”

“Yeah.”

She sighed. “I’m so glad everything is okay.”

“Me too. Baby, I was so scared.” I wasn’t afraid to tell her the truth. “I thought I wasn’t going to come back.”

Her eyes welled with more tears. “It’s okay to be scared, Sean.”

“You don’t think I’m weak?”

“No.” She said it firmly.
“I think you’re brave. Without fear or risk, you can’t be brave. That makes you an even greater hero.”

“Hero?” I shook my head. “I don’t know about that.”