Reckless Karma (Sinners & Saints #2)

by Chelsea Ballinger

  “I don’t like her,” Scarlett announces.

  “You just don’t like her because everyone loves her and hates you,” I tell her and her jaw twitches.

  “Everyone does love me… through fear, and personally I believe Karlie should hop on that bandwagon.” There’s the sinister and gorgeous smile I love.

  “You thinking the usual?” Chad asks, the same smile plastered on his face.

  “Is there any other way?”

  “I will gladly do it for you,” Chad says. “Besides, I’ve never tasted chocolate.”

  “As much as I would want you to completely intrude your unethical bedroom activities on her, Chad, you are not the right person for this. She needs someone less sexist, less obvious coked-up bad boy, and less anti-Semitic.”

  Chad shrugged and Noel leaned in. “She needs someone kind.”

  “Sorry, Noel, but you’re out too.” She shuts him down quick. “She needs someone charming. So charming. The perfect combination of passion and man. Someone not weak. The guy every girl knows is trouble, but damn it if suicide isn’t tempting.” She looks at me and grins. “Someone who can tame the virgin.”

  “Well,” I sigh placing my hands behind my head, “you do know how I love the demise of the virtuous.”

  “I do… and this is going to be so fun for you.”

  HUGO

  I knock on Juliet’s door and there isn’t a response. I open it and see she’s sitting in her bed with her legs crossed, headphones plugged in her ears, eyes closed, listening to whatever song on one of her playlists. Probably one for when she’s upset.

  “Juliet,” I say a little louder, in case the music is too loud. She opens her eyes.

  “Hey.” She pulls out her headphones. “How are you?”

  “I’m sorry about earlier, but I just needed to calm my mind. It was just rambling with all this new information.”

  “I gathered that.”

  I sit down on the edge of her bed. “It’s nothing personal.”

  “Yeah.”

  “What I said earlier… agreeing with Karlie?”

  “Yeah,” she slurs. “That sort of felt personal.”

  “I didn’t mean it in a negative way.”

  “I’ve weakened you? I don’t see the positive.”

  I sigh and rub my temple and sit on the edge of the bed. “This is my first time being empathetic towards one’s feelings. So just give me a break here.”

  “Oh excuse my girlish whining.” She stands up from the bed, moving towards her window just to get away from me.

  “I just found out that most of my life has been a lie. Scarlett played me and I let her because I was too busy—”

  “Do you regret us?” I sense the hurt in her voice.

  “At first I did… but then I realized that the way you make me feel is worth it. Then I came to regret ever meeting Scarlett… I’m still trying to figure out the answer to that, and the only possible one is that maybe if I hadn’t met her and lived here and went through all this bullshit… I would never have met you. Juliet, before I met you—before anything—my life was planned out by my father. I would’ve been some poor sap in a suit doing what he’s told. Instead I became the poor sap who never did what he was told unless it came to her. She played me. Always.”

  “You didn’t know how monstrous she could be… but you knew she was manipulative. You knew that from the moment you met her, Hugo. She didn’t fool you because you were naïve. She fooled you because you wanted her to.”

  “You’re right.” I stand up and walk over to her. “You’re exactly right. I just want Scarlett to pay… and I want answers. I want answers to everything. I want answers from her. From Karlie. My dad. I’m angry. Angrier than I have ever been, and I am really trying hard to not let that impact the pure connection I have with you.”

  “It’s not that pure,” she smirks and I laugh a little. “I’m sorry. I understand and I don’t know… maybe I’m really scared because I don’t want to lose you.”

  “You’re not gonna lose me.” I shake my head. “Why did you get Noel to confess to you? Why did you drag my father from his tyranny desk and spew off demands at him?”

  “Is that a trick question?”

  “Yeah.” I move closer and place my hands on her waist. “It’s because no matter who I am… you love me. And I love you. You’re not gonna lose me because I need you.”

  But I might lose you.

  “You won’t lose me,” she says and I just smile and shake my head.

  “How did you know I was thinking that?”

  “I’m psychic, remember?”

  “You mean telepathic.”

  “That’s a psychic ability too, you twat.”

  “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.”

  Her grin grows wide. “Quoting Tennyson, are we?”

  “I’ve kind of been missing our personal language.”

  “I’m not playing another quote game with you.”

  “Why, because you lost?”

  “I still can’t believe I couldn’t guess Dr. Seuss,” she murmurs remembering.

  I laugh. “See… I don’t laugh. But you bring it out.”

  “I can’t believe you don’t want to celebrate your bloody birthday.”

  “I’ve never been into my birthday. Neither has August. He hates them.”

  “Why?”

  “Because they remind him of how old he will get and that he will die. That’s simple as that for him.”

  “Well he is pretty simple and complex at the same time, and if all this wasn’t going on I would certainly force you both into blowing out candles on a wonderful cake. I love birthdays.”

  “I will make a mental note of that.”

  Her smile fades and she starts to let that busy brain get the best of her again. “Hugo… about Karlie…”

  “No.” I shake my head. “I don’t want to talk anymore tonight.” I kiss her softly for a moment, letting her know that my request is final. No more talking. No more of the bad.

  “Well, what do you want then?” she whispers against my lips. Her breathing becomes unsteady, and I’m hard just knowing that I can turn her on with a soft kiss. I press my forehead to hers and look into those beautiful green eyes, licking my lips. “I want to drown inside you.”

  She freezes and the only thing moving is her eyes as they flicker back and forth between mine and my lips.

  “Alright, then,” she whispers before sliding her hand behind my neck, pulling my lips to hers. Time is not wasted on what is considered sweet during intimacy as our tongues intertwine and I grab her ass, pulling her into me, hoping she feels how much I want her. She wraps her arms around me tight as our mouths sink deeper.

  I lift her up, her legs wrap around my waist. I walk to the bed and toss her over the duvet. I reach over my head and pull off my shirt. She follows, taking off hers, and grabs me by the waist of my sweats and draws the string loose. She reaches around pulls my sweats down as she presses her lips against my bare chest. Reaching down, she strokes me as I unhook her bra, biting her tender shoulder and soothing the fresh wound with my tongue. She strokes harder as I unbutton her jean shorts. The harder she strokes, the more I start to tremble. She senses it and stops. She leans back and raises her hips allowing me to pull off both shorts and panties. I step out of my sweats. I crawl on top of Juliet, kissing her stomach. I nip at her perfect petite breasts and work my way back down. I make love to her entire body. I want her to feel me in every part of her. I already have her soul, her heart, her body. I just need to keep them. A woman’s body is as important as her heart. You make her come in the most vigorous way, she’s yours. You not only make love to her. You fuck her. You let her know how deep your feelings are for her. Well, I believe you will have her forever, and I want Juliet forever.

  I press my mouth on her waist and dip down, my tongue sliding between her folds. In between gasps I can hear her call my name and it just motivates
my tongue to sink further. She pulls my hair, nearly ripping it out as she comes. I hold on to her hips as they jerk up. I slide my right arm behind her back and raise her up to face me. I pull her into my lap and kiss her again, moving down to her neck.

  “I want you inside me,” she whispers.

  “I have to get a condom.” I remember.

  “No.” She shakes her head and cups my face, staring at me with certainty. “I’m on the pill. I just want you to be inside me.”

  “I’ve never… I just want you to know I’ve never been without protection with anyone other than…” I refrain from mentioning her name at this moment. “And I get tested every time.”

  “I trust you, Hugo. Now shut up.” She kisses me, surely shutting me up. She raises her hips and reaches below, grabbing hold of me, and slowly she pushes her hips down. Her jaw drops the deeper I’m inside her. I feel my heart burst as I watch her eyes widen every time we move. I push the soft brown strands of her hair out the way and wrap my hands around her head as we move. She rises up and pushes back down quickly and I close my eyes, the gratifying impact taking over my entire body. Her hips move faster. She stops and slows down. I can finally have room to breathe before I die from this woman. She looks into my eyes as she wraps her arms around my neck and leans back her hips, grinding in this rhythm I have never been subjected to. It’s slow yet powerful and she knows it. Her eyes gleam at my reaction. I have no control. She does and she loves it, and I love that she loves it. She raises one leg and I help push it back, holding on to her knee as she pushes harder, and the sounds I make are unrecognizable. She laughs between moans and brings her mouth to mine. She pushes me down until I’m lying flat on the bed. I softly press my hands against her breasts as she rides me. Fuck. Fuck! I am in love with this girl. I love her. I love her. She rubs my face as she looks at me and presses her thumb against my bottom lip. I bite it and she hisses then whimpers as my tongue tastes. Her eyes close as she begins to shake. Her fingers dig into my chest. The pain is stimulating beyond measure and my head tilts back as I come. She moves faster, not willing to be left behind, and screams as she comes, her head falling on my chest and her hands wrapped around the duvet, holding tight, begging to be the anchor for her orgasm. I run my fingers through her hair as she kisses my chest and lays her head listening to my heart as it beats for her.

  I keep running my fingers through her hair, staring up the ceiling. This is how I am to celebrate my birthday… with the woman I love. This is how I am to go to sleep. I am in peace before tomorrow.

  3

  SCARLETT

  “Listen, I’m not saying it’s a complete waste of time,” the lawyer tries to explain in a polite matter.

  “Then what are you saying?” Patrick’s grip on my hand is tight. So tight that it’s beginning to burn.

  “There is no hard evidence. The only reason why we even got to get a warrant for his arrest was because of your pressure on the head of the special victims division.”

  “I don’t understand the problem.” Jane doesn’t bite her tongue as she speaks to the lawyer. “Your job is to defend my daughter, and Hugo Mandrake has been nothing but a menace to this society. I don’t see the problem with this case at all. There are plenty of women out there he has defiled; I am sure they can help.”

  “Mrs. Townsend, with all due respect, there is a difference between being a womanizer and rape. You can’t charge a man because of a few broken hearts. It’s a hard case because she waited too long. Yes, we have the drugs from his room. But we don’t know if it was in Rebecca’s system. The problem is that after the rape she did not quickly report it and go through the proper procedures to secure hard evidence such as DNA, semen.”

  “Because she didn’t know!” Patrick snaps waving his hands after releasing mine. “She was drugged. She was confused and she was alone. I want that bastard to pay.”

  “I will do my best, Patrick. I promise.”

  “You better make it quick too,” Jane adds. “We can’t let this leak to the press. We’ll be all over the media’s headlines.”

  “Seriously Mother, your image is all you can really think about?” Patrick scoffs.

  “I am thinking about this family. Do you really want Rebecca’s life to be labeled by those soulless spectators out there? We wouldn’t even be in this mess if your fiancé wasn’t associated with the likes of that boy.”

  I knew that was coming.

  “Don’t start.” Patrick, my hero. I must admit the angrier he gets, the sexier he is.

  “This would have never happened back in Boston or while your father was still alive.”

  Patrick’s body tenses and I grab his hand. If I could make Jane pay for that remark I would, but unfortunately that would also destroy Patrick and my plans. Now I must admit I didn’t plan this whole framing Hugo for rape thing well, but then again I didn’t want to. I just wanted to break him, and if he continues to persuade me, I will ruin him.

  “Well, maybe if you weren’t so busy being nosy with Scarlett and I’s engagement, you would’ve stayed in Boston with Rebecca.”

  “You will not lay blame on me. Lay blame on the company you keep.”

  “Stop it!” Here comes Rebecca with a dramatic cry on the steps of the living room. “I take it back. I take it all back. He didn’t touch me.”

  Patrick quickly gets up, but I beat him to it, rushing towards the little shit. I wrap my arms around her and soothe her precious and annoying sobbing.

  “Shhh. It’s alright,” I say to her, rolling my eyes.

  “Hey Becs.” Patrick comes up behind us and presses his hand on my shoulder, the other on hers. “It’s going to be fine.”

  “But I really don’t know, Patrick,” she softly says. “Maybe it was just… maybe it was just sex?”

  “Either way, he still needs to be punished,” I encourage.

  “That’s right,” Patrick agrees.

  “Besides, Rebecca, it’s statutory rape. Hugo is an adult and you are a young girl. Trust me. You can’t run from this.”

  Jesus, I’m even beginning to think I’m sincere in this speech. As long as Patrick continues to look at me lovingly and Rebecca sinks further into my web, I will donate to a fucking feed the children foundation if I have to. God do I hate charity.

  JULIET

  I wake up to see Hugo, who is no longer naked in my bed as he should be. Instead he is fully dressed in dark blue trousers and a white t-shirt, scribbling something on my notepad that’s on my desk.

  “Where ya goin?”

  “I didn’t want to wake you.” He sits back on the bed, throwing his arm over my hip.

  “You didn’t.”

  “I was leaving a note.”

  “There’s this thing technology created. It’s called texting.”

  “Call me nostalgic. I’m going to Karlie Dale’s. Or Fairchild, whatever.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?”

  “I think this is something I need to do myself.”

  “I get it.”

  My answer gives him relief as he softly smiles. “I love you.”

  “I love you.” He stands up and I can’t help but to tease. “You are really starting to love those words.”

  “Not really.” He doesn’t look back as he walks out.

  “Liar.”

  I get out of bed and throw on a shirt and pajama bottoms before getting back into bed.

  “Well, I see love is still in the air.” Jordana and Poppy come strolling in and make themselves comfortable in my bed.

  “Yeah, I guess it is.” I’m not able to hold in my amusement.

  “I’m so happy for you guys.” Poppy claps her hands together in excitement.

  “Yeah, I guess I am.” Jordana rolls her eyes.

  “Have you heard from Margaret?” I check up on Jordana’s relationship status with the closeted daughter of a great bigot Republican.

  She leans her head against the headboard and sighs. “Yeah. She texts.”

  “You d
on’t sound so happy about it.”

  “I’m not. I don’t have time for the hot and cold exploration of lesbianism. You can’t win em all.” She looks at me. “Straight girls, I mean… now as for asshole guys, I guess you can because you have won over the worst of them all.”

  “If he was the worst, I wouldn’t be able to even have a chance.”

  “I call bullshit, Spears. Hear this now because I will only say it once.” I sit up straight and try not to smile as Jordana takes a deep breath. “You inspire me… you bitch.”

  “Awww, that’s the sweetest thing ever,” I tease and pull her in for a hug.

  “Even though I love a woman’s body, I am really uncomfortable right now.”

  “Oh, you love this.” Poppy joins in, wrapping her arms around both of us.

  We let go and Jordana shakes off the happy feelings.

  “So about this Karlie Dale Fairchild, think we can trust her?” Jordana asks.

  “I don’t know,” I tell the truth. “I mean who can blame her for wanting to do this after all these years? I mean the girl’s life was almost destroyed.”

  “Yeah, it’s so sad, especially knowing that she and Hugo and August’s brother were in love,” Poppy says.

  “Jesus, Scarlett used to basically praise Gabriel for being this diabolical lothario until he supposedly got weak, but turns out… the guy fell in love.” Jordana shakes her head as she smokes her cigarette.

  “Yeah,” I agree. “I just wonder about her.”

  “What do you wonder?”

  “Alright, don’t tell Hugo, but last night August told me that she’s bad.”

  “Bad? How?” Poppy asks.

  “I don’t know and you know August; he’s a riddle. I just figure that maybe he thinks Karlie is the reason why Gabriel killed himself and that he doesn’t know how to just put it in the right words.”