Mortal Sin by Allison Brennan Read Free Book Online Page B

family. She had no energy tonight, but tomorrow she would regain her strength.
    She glanced into the kitchen, where Sean had his back to her, thankful he’d given her some space. She didn’t want to make small talk with him, no matter how nice he was to look at, nor did she want to explain why she’d walked through what might turn into a blizzard to visit the brother who she’d forgotten was working three thousand miles away.
    Lucy rubbed her hands together in front of the fireplace and tried not to think about what Sean must think of her lunacy. The last hour, from the minute she walked into her house and saw those two FBI agents talking to Kate, had drained her and she couldn’t stop shaking.
    Sean brought two mugs to the fireplace and handed one to her. “This will warm up the inside.”
    “What is it?” She looked inside. Teeny marshmallows were floating on top. “Hot chocolate?”
    “When Patrick took us to dinner last month, I remembered how much you loved the chocolate mousse for dessert. This isn’t as rich or tasty, but I hope it’ll do in a pinch.”
    Tears rolled down her cheeks and she squeezed her eyes shut. Her hands shook, and Sean took the mug from her hands and placed it on the hearth, next to his. “Lucy—” He put his arms around her and she leaned into him. The more she fought the tears, the more her body shook.
    “Let it out.” Sean smoothed her hair back. “It’s okay, Lucy, you’re safe here.”
    Safe
. He knew. Why was she surprised? It wasn’t a secret; she just didn’t talk about it. But he worked with Patrick; of course he’d know about her past. It wasn’t a big secret, just not discussed.
    Would she ever be able to escape her past? Six long years and it had followed her to D.C., to her new life.
    Followed? No, that wasn’t right. Her past was as much a part of her identity as her future. She couldn’t escape it, because what had happened six years ago had molded and shaped every decision she’d made since, the big and the small, whether she realized it or not.
    A sob that sounded nothing like her vibrated in her chest and Sean pulled her closer. “I—” she began, then stopped. She took several breaths, rubbed her eyes with her right hand, swallowed the apology that automatically sprang to her lips. She was stunned that she didn’t feel embarrassment for crying in front of Sean. It was not as if she knew him all that well. But maybe, somehow, that was better. Her family would be pained; they would tell her everything was going to be okay. And in her head, she knew that she would get through this, that she would find a way to forgive Kate and Dillon, because that is what family did. They forgave.
    But not tonight, and maybe not tomorrow, because right now, things were not okay. She felt as though herheart had been ripped out of her chest, the heart that trusted her family to protect it.
    “Lucy, I’m right here if you want to talk. But you don’t have to,” Sean said.
    She nodded against his chest and closed her eyes. Now that the tears had stopped, she focused on breathing normally. Sean smelled like soap, an unfamiliar brand, mixed with maybe a hint of aftershave.
    Suddenly and acutely, Lucy became aware that Sean Rogan was not her brother. Why didn’t she feel awkward being held by a handsome stranger? He wasn’t really a stranger—she’d been over here many times since Patrick moved to D.C. from California—but somehow, this felt more intimate. More personal. A man she had barely admitted, even to herself, that she was attracted to.
    Something shifted inside, and she slowly pulled away from Sean, feeling much colder. Right now she couldn’t deal with everything she’d learned tonight plus the feelings that had been developing since she’d first met Sean. One thing at a time.
    She sipped her hot chocolate, appreciating having something to hold in her hands. “I’m better.”
    “Good.” He picked up his mug and drank. “Lukewarm.”
    “It’s