Sinner
I let my happiness over Anastasia, the expansion of the business, the purchase of our building, and our future make me forget about my brother.
I hadn’t heard from him in three weeks. In the back of my mind, I hoped it meant he was thinking everything through and working to get his life together.
That he was quiet because he was busy and wanted to surprise me.
Well, he did both, but not in a good way. Last night, Sunday night, I got a call from my financial consultant, Kipling. I knew it wasn’t anything good. My first thought was that there was something wrong with the purchase of our building.
Wrong. It seemed that while Kip was working to finalize the purchase of the building, he found a loan that he knew nothing about. He dug, and what he discovered made my stomach churn when he told me about it.
“Reign, there’s no other way to say this but bluntly.
A loan was taken out ten days ago. It was signed by you and deposited into Rowan's account. Your brother forged your signature on a five-hundred-thousand-dollar personal loan. He’s guilty not only of theft but also of forgery.
Those are felonies, especially when they involve this much money. ”
I had a hard time catching my breath. I thought I’d misheard Kip. “Say that again,” I said. Kip did. The same thing was heard.
It took me a bit to calm down enough to listen to everything he had to say. At the end, he asked, “What do you want to do?”
Anastasia had joined me when she saw my face and heard my tone. She was aghast and clung to my hand. Staring into her eyes, I saw my future and what I had to do. There would be no more clinging to a toxic past.
“File the police report. Tell me what I need to do to open an official investigation. Freeze shit so he can’t touch anything else.
I’ll talk to Mr. O’Brien about the delay.
Hopefully, he’ll hang in there until I settle this with Rowan.
I want my brother’s ass arrested, and I’m pressing charges.
He broke the fucking law and stole from me.
He doesn’t get leniency,” I growled, low and mean.
“I’ll get right on it. I have a connection at the police department’s financial crimes division. I’ll give him a heads-up tonight, then go down to start the process first thing in the morning. I hated to disturb your weekend, but you needed to know.”
“Kip, you have no reason to apologize. Thank you. Tell me anything you need me to do.”
After the call ended, Anastasia and I sat there going over what we knew. Both of us were beyond stunned and upset.
I slept like shit last night. I went to work this morning but found it difficult to concentrate.
It was after lunch when Kip called me to come to the police department.
Kip had already gotten my lawyer up to speed, and she would meet me there.
Thankfully, Kip froze all my accounts with the credit agencies.
Any attempt by Ro to take out loans or open credit cards in my name would be flagged.
Anything that even remotely Rowan had touched was revoked.
I removed him from emergency access to credit cards and bank accounts.
He was no longer the name on my assets. While I had time with my lawyer, I asked to have my will, medical and financial powers of attorney, and inheritance of my assets changed.
Everything would be in Anastasia’s name.
Despite not being married and our short acquaintance, I had no qualms doing it.
I sat on the sofa in our living room, staring out the window, lost in my thoughts. I’d picked her up at work, and we’d gotten home forty-five minutes ago.
“Rei, baby, dinner is almost ready. What do you want to drink?” Anastasia’s soft voice asked from behind me.
I stood and walked toward her. When I reached her, I brought her flush to my body.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you alone to make dinner.”
“It’s alright. You have a lot on your mind. It’s nothing fancy, just a chicken, cheese, and potato casserole. And before you say you’re not hungry, you need to eat. Come,” she demanded.
She was right. After I began eating, I was starving, and the food in my stomach made me feel better. I helped her clear things away when we were finished. We went up to the roof to try to relax.
“Sit forward,” she instructed. I did as she asked, scooting to make room behind me on the lounger. Anastasia slipped in behind me, and then her hands bit into my shoulders and neck. I groaned. It hurt, but in a good way.
“You don’t need to do—” I began to say, but was cut off.
“Hush. I want to. Sit there and be quiet. Try to let go,” she murmured.
Twenty minutes later, I was a puddle. My stress had significantly eased. A ringing phone made me jerk. I knew it was mine. I felt the vibration. Removing it from my shorts, I glanced at the screen. Instantly, I tensed. It was Rowan. I held it up so she could see it. Anger flashed across her face.
“Don’t answer it yet. Hang on,” she said. I watched her take out her phone, tap it a few times, then nod.
“Go ahead, if you want to,” was all she said.
Fury was boiling inside of me, but I fought it back. I hit the answer button, then the speaker one.
“Hello,” I said gruffly.
“Reign, you have to tell them there’s been a mistake!” Ro’s slightly hysterical voice said, as a greeting.
I don’t know what made me play dumb, but I did.
“Tell who? What mistake?”
“The cops! They came to my place and arrested me earlier, bro. I was sitting there watching television when, bam, there was pounding on the door, and they shouted it was the cops. I thought for sure they had the wrong place, but they didn’t.
They handcuffed me, dragged me from my home, and threw me in the back of a cruiser.
My neighbors were watching. I’m telling you, when I get out of here, they’ll pay. ”
I wanted to scream at him to shut the fuck up, but I swallowed it. Instead, I asked more questions.
“Why did they arrest you? Where are you? Have you been charged?”
“They’ve got me in a cell. I need you to come down here and post my bail. They’re talking nonsense about stealing and forgery. I don’t know what the fuck they’re talking about. I haven’t stolen from anyone. Oh, and I need you to bring the lawyer. We’ll sue their asses,” Rowan boasted loudly.
“Rowan, you need to listen to me. I need to know as much as possible in order to make this right. Who did you steal from? Did they show you proof?” I asked.
He remained silent for several beats before he answered.
“They say I stole from you, Reign. But I didn’t. I swear to God, I didn’t. They babbled about unlawful loans and other crap. I don’t know. They’re making my head hurt. Please, we can talk about this later. Right now, get our lawyer and then come get me out of here.”
His tone pleaded. I changed tactics.
“You’re in there because you used my identity, applied for a loan, and then forged my signature. You stole half a million dollars and put it on my back, Ro! That’s why they arrested you, and you’re sitting there,” I snapped.
All I heard was the hum of something on the other end of the phone line. It lasted ten or so seconds.
“Reign, listen to me. We can talk about this—no need to involve the law. Call and tell them that you’re not pressing charges.
It’s all been a mistake. I’m your flesh and blood.
You can’t want them to arrest me. I could go to prison for this, bro.
Please, we’ll work this out. It wasn’t stealing or all that other shit. ”
“Then tell me, what was it?” I asked.
“Temporary help. You fired me. I needed a way to pay bills, keep up my rent, and feed myself. You left me without anything. I planned to pay it back. Why didn’t you call me and talk about this? You didn’t need to tell the cops,” he whined.
“When someone steals from you and forges your name, calling the police is exactly what one does,” I reminded him.
“That’s for strangers, not family. Your money is there to help both of us. I know you’re spouting off about inheriting your assets and all that, but you’ll see. You only have family as the ones to trust at the end of a day.”
“You were to get another job. Figure out how to make something of yourself, not steal from me. The fact that we’re brothers makes what you did worse. You deserve to be there,” I snapped.
“So, you’re not coming to bail me out? Who will? I need a lawyer. Send our family one,” Roman babbled.
“Get it through your thick skull! I’m not posting bail.
The lawyer is mine, not a family one. I pay for her.
You can rot there until the trial, for all I care.
The one thing you won’t get is any help from me.
And Rowan, you will pay back every fucking cent, with interest. If you return it tonight, I’ll see what I can do to convince the court to be lenient. ”
I lied. I knew he didn’t have it. Kip already told me it was gone.
“I-I can’t give it back. I used it,” Rowan whispered.
“On what?”
“Well, I had bills, rent, and I needed new clothes for interviews. I couldn’t roll up to meetings in last year’s car model. Plus, I was stressed with everything happening, so I needed to get away.”
“You mean you went to Las Vegas, spent a week in a suite that cost twenty thousand dollars a night, and acted like a high roller. You blew it gambling and living large, in addition to the other stuff. You entitled little prick! I hope you rot. Don’t call me again.
I’ll see you in court.” Without another word, I disconnected the call.
I was breathing hard, my skin felt like it was on fire, and my head was pounding. When I met Anastasia’s gaze, she was smiling.
“Why are you smiling?” I asked.
She held up her phone. “Because I got his confession on tape. And since Tennessee is a one-party consent state, it’s admissible. We’ll send it to your lawyer.”
I blinked a few times, then began laughing. I twisted the rest of the way around.
“I fucking love and adore you,” I told her right before I latched onto her lips.