Wicked Little Sins

  Wicked

  Little

  Sins

  Holly Hood

  Copyright © 2015 Holly Hood

  All rights reserved.

  DEDICATION

  I dedicate this book to the woman who means so much to me. I love you and miss you terribly.

  CONTENTS

  Table of Contents

  Quinn

  Everly

  Ethan

  Charley

  Quinn

  Everly

  Charley

  Everly

  Quinn

  Charley

  Vinnie

  Ethan

  Everly

  Vinnie

  Charley

  Ethan

  Everly

  Charley

  The Funeral

  Dad

  Charley

  Charley and Adrian

  Everly and Vinnie

  Charley

  Everly

  Charley and Adrian

  Everly

  Ethan

  Charley

  Charley and Quinn

  Ethan

  Everly and Vinnie

  Ethan

  Everly

  Adrian

  Ethan

  Quinn

  Vinnie and Everly

  Quinn

  Charley

  Adrian

  Dad

  Charley and Adrian

  Everly

  Vinnie and Everly

  Adrian and Charley

  Quinn and Jordan

  Ethan

  Everly

  Charley

  Dad

  Evelyn Peters

  Charley and Adrian

  Ethan

  Everly

  Dad

  Quinn

  Everly and Vinnie

  Ethan

  Dad

  Everly and Vinnie

  Dad

  The Letters

  Adrian

  Vinnie and Everly

  Charley and Adrian

  Quinn

  The House

  Ethan

  Everly

  Quinn

  Adrian and Charley

  Ethan

  Everly

  Charley

  Ethan

  Quinn

  Adrian

  Ethan

  Sam

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I want to thank all the readers who take a chance on me. I want to thank Andrea Turner for being such a supporter of my work. And I want to thank my best friend Brandi for always being there for me and letting me talk book with her! And of course my lovely husband and kids. They really make me feel like an amazing person and support me 100%

  Charley

  “I will be on the first flight out, Dad,” Charley reassured her father. She balanced the phone on her shoulder the best she could, stuffing her clothes into her suitcase.

  Her father was lost, no longer having a woman in the home. His wife had recently died and he needed his children. Charley was trying her best to rush back to Ohio to help him feel better.

  It pained her to know she had to go home. She left five years ago and never looked back. Even though she was a city girl from birth, New York City was where this city girl was meant to be.

  Charley had excelled in school and made her move to New York as soon as she was able. She loved her job and was the youngest editor at Empire Publishing Company. Living in New York had afforded her the ability to dabble in fashion and music. Little luxuries such as painting her toenails, soaking in a hot bubble bath, or coming home to the same man every night didn’t fit her plans at the moment. She was living the dream and loved every minute of her fast-paced life.

  “I’ll see you around seven, Dad,” she said.

  It was almost time to go. With one more survey of her condo, she was all set. She checked her watch one last time, and gave herself a good stare down in her antique mirror. Her long and perfectly groomed hair spilled over her shoulders. Perfect described Charley in a nutshell—perfect and simple, she thought, a serious expression on her beautiful face.

  Charley didn’t realize just how alluring and wholesome she looked. Nor did she understand the hoots and hollers she often received from men as she walked down the streets, or the way men stumbled for words when they tried to speak to her. It made her uneasy at times. She thought of herself as nothing exceptional, just a small-town girl living in the big city. She had despised her large breasts and long legs since her preteen years. She’s even tried to not bring attention to her lovely full lips. A lot of people saw her as the epitome of a wholesome beauty, but Charley found their stares rude and she hated feeling like a piece of meat.

  Charley squinted her brown eyes and slipped on her sunglasses as she made her way to the elevator. The sun was doing its best to hold on, but, the clouds were beginning to roll in. Rain was evident on the horizon and ready to fall down on all the new Yorkers hustling about to and fro.

  New York was chaotic with its throng of traffic, blowing horns and a cacophony of sound. Charley wasn’t bothered by it. She found it actually eased her mind, putting her in a state of peace.

  Charley gave a quick wave by the curb, stopping two taxis in an instant. She pulled her suitcase quickly behind her, making a beeline for the trunk. She was not one who ever admitted she needed or asked for help. The Taxi driver took a hint, getting back inside the cab as he observed Charley in all her self-sufficiency.

  Sighing, she nestled herself into the seat of the airport-bound taxi, her mind on going home. She hadn’t been back in years and she feared it was going to invoke past anxieties. She’d made it her goal a long time ago to leave the stress at the door. As a result, she was a much happier person. Stress could simply eat at your mind, body, and soul.

  “Business or pleasure?” the cab driver asked, looking at her in the rear-view mirror. He waited patiently for her reply.

  “Business,” Charley spoke up, looking back to the window.

  It had been three days since her mother’s brutal murder. Charley never imagined she wouldn’t be seeing her mother again, nor could she have dreamed she’d be part of such an unbearable crime. The knowledge was numbing and she didn’t know how to deal with the emotions it invoked. She simply didn’t know how to deal with the loss, but had made a silent deal with herself to stay strong—for her dad especially.

  Quinn

  Quinn tugged at the young man’s arm draped across her waist. She carefully grabbed her clothes one piece at a time moving very carefully to not make a sound. Crawling on all fours, she made her way off the large bed. It was time to leave, and she hated goodbyes.

  Just as her feet touched the floor, he arose from what seemed a slumber, giving a quick smack to her rear. He let out a pleased chuckle, pulling her back down.

  “Jordan, I thought you were asleep,” she said.

  Jordan studied Quinn carefully. Turning on his side to face her, he caressed her hair as he gazed into her dark eyes.

  “You were going to leave again without a goodbye,” he pointed out.

  Quinn denied that he was right, sitting up in the bed. She was uninhibited and the idea of being nude in front of Jordan didn’t faze her in the least.

  She knew she needed to leave and the longer she lingered, the harder it would be to go. Her sister, Charley, was nearing their hometown and was bound to be calling again to check in. Charley was the perfect sister with the perfect career and she never screwed up. For as long as Quinn remembered, all she had ever wanted to do was become an actress. No one believed in her dream, but she knew she was destined for Hollywood. In the meantime, however, her waitressing gig supported her.

  “I would have said goodbye,” she assured Jordan. She slipped on her
fancy underwear and pulled her t-shirt over her head. She knew Jordan saw right through her, but she didn’t care. She had other more important things on her mind, like getting back home for her mother’s funeral. The thought ate at her. She had considered shutting off her phone to try and avoid further anxiety.

  “Quinn, you’re a great girl. But damn it, you’re twenty-one years old. It’s time to grow up. Can we just admit we have something together?” Jordan asked.

  He was annoyed with this stubborn girl. He wanted commitment from Quinn, but she hadn’t been willing to commit. It’s not like she was interested in seeing other men—she didn’t want to see anyone. Funny thing was, Jordan wasn’t the type to see a girl exclusively. But there was an underlying something that had drawn him in. She had a killer smile and was fun to be with, but other times she seemed so lost. He wanted to be a part of her everything.

  Quinn ignored him and grabbed her purse as she headed out of Jordan’s apartment. She didn’t want to tell him her mother was dead and that her life was falling apart around her. She didn’t want him seeing past her façade of having it all together, leaving herself vulnerable and wide open to his judgment.

  She ran as fast as she could down the staircase, avoiding the elevators altogether. After she had hit the main floor, she was out the door and once again on the streets of Los Angeles. She remembered when she’d first arrived in LA—she’d been nervous and scared. But, now she was in her glory. This is where you came to follow your dreams, and she was no different than any other dream seeker.

  Finding her little red sports car in the apartment’s parking garage, she unlocked the doors, as her cell phone rang in her pocket. She knew it was Charley calling to make sure she was heading home.

  “I’m on my way to the airport right now,” she said right away.

  Quinn played with her hair while she looked in the visor mirror, listening to Charley freak out about her procrastination and how slow she was to get going on anything. Quinn was sure if Charley put the amount of effort into dating as she did into nagging her like she always did, she’d surely be married with no less than five kids by now. Older sister or not, Charley was a royal pain in the rear.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow…love you,” Quinn said as she disconnected the call and tossed the phone on the seat. She sped out of the parking garage, barely avoiding the oncoming traffic.

  Their mother, Sandy, was a great woman and she and Quinn had been extremely close. She was always the life of the party and the best at everything she did, and she’d raised her children to be the same. And even if they didn’t always live up to her expectations, she loved them anyway. Quinn would miss calling her every night, telling her about the day she’d had and sharing her hopes and dreams, no matter how ridiculous. .

  Now, she was going home to say goodbye, and she was afraid she wasn’t going to know how. No matter what, though, she’d sworn to keep herself composed.

  They might have to let their mother go, but her beauty, that each of her children held a piece of, would remain.

  Quinn had her big goofy smile and her nearly-red lips. They all had her dark brown eyes. Quinn had her dark auburn hair and the same pale skin tone. When she smiled in a certain way, she even had her mother’s dimples.

  Everly

  The crowd cheered as Everly bellowed out the final words of her song. She took a bow, looking to the right at the band. She was in her glory on stage, singing her heart out.

  “And I would like to dedicate this next song to my mother, Sandy.” Everly said. Her voice wavered as she began to sing into the dark crowd. Tears began trickling down her porcelain skin. In a panic, she froze, her heart hammering in her ears. The band continued playing while she stood as still and taut as a beautiful sculpture.

  A man with dark hair and a beard leaped from his seat in the audience. He quickly made his way to the stage and rushed to Everly as she was about to lose it—yet again this week. He knew every audience was different, but not everyone understood the absolute panic that could overtake her with only a moment’s notice and how desperately she’d worked to overcome the fear.

  “Thank you, andgood-night,” he said. The microphone squealed as he snagged it from her hands. There was little shame that he still wore the dance attirefor his act.

  “Vinnie, get her off stage!” The guitarist yelled, trying his best to keep up with the band. He, too, was protecting Everly.

  Everly returned to reality, pushing past the curtains. She was a little upset that Vince had intervened, she would have come out of it eventually.

  “I could have got through it,” she said, dabbing her eyes with a balled up tissue.

  “I know sweetheart,” Vince appeased. He knew she wouldn’t have. She’d cried herself to sleep every night since her mother’s passing. He wished he could fix it, and take all her pain away.

  To be honest, he was upset with the timing of Sandy’s death. Their wedding was right around the corner, and he knew this loss was going to be a lousy way to start their marriage. He knew Everly wouldn’t be satisfied with being just his fiancée forever. She knew what she wanted in life and she knew how to go about getting it. She was self-made and dedicated to her career in music. She’d worked hard to get where she was at. If you were lucky, she’d allow you to join the journey with her.

  “Charley has called twice since you went on stage,” he reminded her. She snatched up her duffel bag, making her way down the hallway to her small dressing room. This wasn’t the best gig, but it was a gig nonetheless. She’d been able to showcase her talent, and she was proud of what she had accomplished so far.

  Vince helped her slip on her winter jacket. The red pea coat with a matching beret was the last gift her mother had given her. She was never without it and would, more than likely, wear it all the way to spring. Maryland had a tendency to stay cool well past winter, so she was sure she could pull it off.

  Knowing he was trying to comfort her, Everly allowed Vince to wrap his arm around her. It had been a dreadful couple of days, and she felt dead inside. Her heart ached for her whole family but especially for herself. Just a week ago she’d been planning a wedding when she wasn’t singing in the studio with her band. The only relief she got now was to climb into bed and cover her head with blankets.

  Everly was the second oldest—born in July. Sandy told her the instant she’d heard her sweet baby scream, she knew Everly would be a singer. She adored her mother and all that she was, and Sandy had been her biggest fan. She made a point to call her mom every week to talk about Vince and their wedding plans or to cry on her mom’s shoulder whenever she needed to. They talked about everything and she wanted those times back. She felt so cheated knowing she’d never again enjoy those moments with her mom.

  Vince started up the car, pulling her hand into his lap as they began the drive to Ohio. Even if Everly had her doubts, Vince was determined to be there for her through it all. He gave a quick glance in her direction and smiled at her as she talked to Charley on the phone. For a brief moment, he saw a glimmer of life return to her eyes. He was hopeful all would be well and they’d be able to move on with their lives once they said goodbye to her mother.

  “We’re picking up Ethan on the way into town,” Everly said to Vince.

  Vince nodded, not speaking a word. He wasn’t a big fan of her younger brother. Ethan was rather quiet and odd, and he could never quite figure out what Ethan thought of him. Everly said it’s just how Ethan is, a boy of few words. But Vince didn’t believe that. He’d seen Ethan interact with his sisters and he was close to their parents. Vince highly doubted Ethan liked him and assumed Everly’s avoidance of the subject was her way of preventing a disagreement.

  Ethan

  Ethan saton his suitcase outside his college dorm, stealing a smoke while he waited for his sister and her overly-masculine fiancé. He couldn’t stand that guy. Ethan sensed Vince wasn’t all he claimed to be and he wanted nothing to do with him. He also didn’t understand how a man could be so in
to dancing. It just seemed odd to him.

  He was young and he knew he had a lot to learn about the world, but he needed to find out what was going on with his family. Since he was about seven or so, he’d sensed something wasn’t quite right. He’d never spoken of it to anyone, but now with his mom gone, he was more interested than ever to dig into theories.

  He enjoyed school, but the studies were mind numbing. They kept him busy and helped tweak his keen sense of the world. He learned so much he sometimes felt like his head was going to explode. But with knowledge came power, or so his professor said.

  Having all the girls around him wasn’t so bad either. Growing up as the only boy in a family of girls made it difficult to maintain any sense of masculinity. The only girl who’d ever given him a shot was Angelina; the girl who lived down the road their whole life. He had felt her up in the basement several times before school started. His body ached to do all sorts of nasty things to her, but fear took over and he chickened out every time. Going to college had changed everything. It gave him a boost of confidence. His newfound confidence, coupled with alcohol, had made him a real ladies man, and he never ran out of girls to bed. Even that, though, was sometimes too easy.

  So far, that was his life in a nutshell. Now he was just waiting for Everly, so they could all go back home to bid adieu to Mom.

  Ethan stood up as the car with Vince and his sister approached and came to a slow stop in front of him. Everly stepped out into the fresh air to hug him. Ethan knew she was happy to see him by how tightly she hugged him, but he sensed something else as well. Out of all of his sisters, she was the one with the most depth, and she was far away.

  “Glad to see you kid,” she said. She gave a forced smile, opening up the door and gesturing him in. He avoided making eye contact with Vince, and he jumped in the back seat. Vince was instantly gratified to brush him off like he usually did. One day he thought, the kid would get the hint, if he hadn’t already.