Sin let out a sigh, making a mental note to disconnect Benji’s phone. “I lied because Cecil was hurt. It was a path I had to take to help him. He would not have gone with me otherwise.”
“Of course.” Benji giggled.
“Hello? I’m still here, you know. For someone who likes to act all proper, you would think you’d know talking about someone like they aren’t there is rude as hell,” Cecil huffed.
When yet another swear word left the young man’s mouth, Sin felt a headache start to form. “I have not forgotten,” Sin assured him. “You may not trust me, but I have not told a single lie since I’ve been here. You are not going to be arrested or thrown in jail. But you cannot continue to steal. However, I do understand your difficulties. You need money to survive and at your age, that is not easy to obtain. But I have a solution.”
“And what would that be?”
“I want you to move in with my group. We have had youths do so before. Benji, for instance, came tous at fifteen. If you do not find that agreeable, I am sure there are other arrangements we can make. But know this, while the decision of where you go is yours, I will not allow you to continue as you have.”
“Well, it sounds like I don’t have much choice in the matter,” Cecil growled.
Going from one prison to another dampened any happiness he felt at leaving the hospital. Letting out a sigh, Cecil glared out the window at the passing scenery.
He had been trapped. This was not how things were supposed to go. How the hell had his bid for freedom gotten so derailed?
Ugh, his luck sucked. Though…it usually did, so Cecil wasn’t sure why he was surprised. It was apparently too much to ask for just one thing in his life to go the way he fucking wanted it to.
Being told what to do was high on Cecil’s list of things he hated. But who could blame him? Really, shouldn’t trust be required before you order someone around?
If it were up to him, he would be far the hell away from Sin right now. But Cecil’s options had been pretty limited. So rather than end up in a place surrounded by people he hadn’t even met yet, or in jail, he chose to live with Sin’s group. Well, at one of the main branches of Sin’s group.There were others—two others, if he was remembering what Benji had told him correctly.
Though, there were apparently tons of smaller branches and outposts. But those didn’t matter because Cecil was currently headed to the one in Bellfall, a main branch only thirty minutes away from the hospital.
Cecil jerked when something brushed against his hand. He peered at Benji narrowly. The man was smiling brightly at him.
“Don’t worry, you’ll like it there. It’s a lot of fun, I promise.”
“Benji, I have a feeling you’re easily pleased.” Cecil snorted, rolling his eyes.
Benji cockled his head. “Maybe…” he murmured, his brow furrowing.
The man was a bit too innocent for his age…not that he knew his age, just that he was older. But now Cecil felt bad, as it appeared he had hurt the guy’s feelings. “Don’t worry, it’s a good thing,” he added with a weak smile.
The somewhat concerned expression that had appeared on Benji’s face disappeared and was replaced with a smile even brighter than before—ugh.
“So where is the big boss? I would have thought he’d be here.”
“Ah, he had some business to finish up, but he should be there when we arrive.”
Cecil grunted in response and turned to look back out the window. He wasn’t much for conversation, mainly because he usually didn’t have anyone to talk to. Cecil did have Drop, but that was always one-sided.
He was not even a little bit surprised when the car turneddown a drive, and after five minutes of nothing but forest, a mansion appeared. Considering the multiple times Cecil had been stuck listening to Benji go on and on about all the guys, he figured the place wasn’t going to be your average house.
There was a gravel lot in front. The house was white with a gray roof, and steps led up to an arched entryway with a wooden door. The building itself was three stories, and wider than he thought was normal. There were actually a few signs placed around, but they never got close enough for Cecil to read any of them.
Instead of parking in the lot in the front, the car continued on a road that led behind the mansion. It turned out the place was pretty wide everywhere. The back looked much like the front, except there was a circle drive and a road far off that led to a large garage.
“We’re here!” Benji laughed once the car stopped.
Getting out, Cecil slung his backpack over his shoulders. When Benji pulled out his suitcase and it thudded on the ground, he snapped, “Careful with that!”
“Oh, sorry.” The man smiled goofily, rubbing the back of his neck.
At the sound of a door opening, Cecil peered at the mansion. Sin walked out, looking sophisticated, like always. Cecil was pretty sure the man plucked or waxed his eyebrows—no one’s eyebrows were that perfect.
“Welcome, Cecil,” Sin announced.
