Page 138 of Sinners Reunion

Jim nods and rubs his chin. “Yes. If things start to go south, we can use Blayne as a distraction. Put the children’s bloodlust toward something more productive. And when they’ve killed him and sated their rage, we can all sit down and have a civil discussion.”

Okay, not where I was going with it, but also not the worst cover. I’ll fucking take it. “Yep, that’s what I was thinking.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll let them know to keep the changes a secret for now.”

“Hang on,” I say. “We should do something for the final night. One last opportunity to really convince Aven and Bennett that killing you isn’t the only way to get closure.”

“One last hurrah before I’m dead and gone.” King nods. “I’m in.”

“Yeah, that’s the spirit,” I say with a roll of my eyes.

Jim claps his hands. “This is the tipping point! I can feel it. I’ll start planning, and I’ll see the two of you this evening.”

Chef Maurice looks like a petulant child as he eyes the tables of catered food with a scowl. He lifts a beautifully roasted chicken breast and raises his mustached lip. “Doesn’t even look like they seasoned it.”

“There wasn’t time for you to prepare anything,” Jim say with a flail of his hands. “We can try your feetza another day. Go and enjoy yourself for once. You aren’t just here to cook us meals.”

“That’s literally all I do,” he grumbles as he wanders away.

“Catered food, Jim?” King’s eyebrow rises. “Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese . . . you never eat any of this stuff. What is all this?”

Jim glances around, then steps closer to us. “A family reunion,” he whispers. “What better way to bring them closer than by surrounding them with memories of family and kinship?”

“You mean . . . all the things they never had because of the experiment you guys came up with?” I grimace. “Yikes.”

“Oh. I didn’t consider that.” Jim frowns.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” King says.

But it’s not fine. As we line up and pile food onto plates and settle around large outdoor tables, no one discusses the weather. No one speaks of the upcoming marriage or how the cannoli filling is to die for. They don’t even talk murder. All most of them can talk about is finally meeting Daddy Carter and how he messed up their lives. They even throw his fate to a vote.

The consensus splits down the middle, with half the group saying Carter should die, and the other half saying he should be spared.

The man himself is forced to hear all of it.

My eyes jump to King each time Bennett and Aven discuss how he should be slain. He hides his pain well, but the Hawaiian pineapple shirt he borrowed from Bennett isn’t fooling me. I see the little jump to his jaw muscle. The way he stops making meaningful eye contact.

“Maybe I’ll use that evisceration technique you taught me, King.” Bennett grabs his steak knife and swipes it through the air.

King smirks and shakes his head. “Remember to keep your wrist level. You’ll make a steadier cut.”

This is torture, and I don’t know how much more I can listen to. Hearing him give his son tips on how to kill him is a bit much, even for me. I need to get some air, but I don’t want to pull King away from his chance to connect, even if it feels pretty hopeless.

I slide out of my seat and try to slink away without being noticed, but Jim’s eagle eyes spot me.

“Don’t run off,” he says. “I’ve planned a fun little surprise for us. Gary and Chef are down by the water setting it up now.”

“I just wanted to stretch my legs a bit. Maybe I’ll see if they need some help,” I say.

King goes to stand, but I place my hand on his shoulder and lean down until my lips rest beside his ear.

“You’ve already made me love you,” I whisper. “Now make them love you too.”

He pats my hand and sets his jaw. He knows I’m right, even if this is torture for him too.

I start toward the water. Moonlight guides my way. The California wilderness boasts an eerie sort of quiet that you won’t find out east. In this part of the west, at least. The bugs don’t seem as noisy, and even the water sounds more like silk than glass. It bumps against the rocky shoreline every time a breeze nudges it.

Chef Maurice and Gary don’t look like they need much help. They’re positioning nude Cattle by the water, five in total. Each Cattle is bent over a large stone, with their ass in the air. Chef is currently working a large cardboard tube into a gaping asshole as Gary covers his mouth and looks mortified.