Teaching Sin [UNEDITED ROUGH DRAFT]

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

TYRONE

"It's the only way this will work. Sydney can stay here but she has to go to school. If she doesn't go then she needs to come back home where she'll be home schooled."

"You can't force her to go to school."

"She needs an education!"

"She needs someone to care for her!" I slammed my fist down on the table and glared at him. "Her whole life she's been told what to do. She's been abused and exposed to things no normal kid should be exposed to. Sin needs to experience a normal life. She needs to get use to not being locked up and fighting for everything she needs."

"She needs to grow up!"

I've never been so grateful that the girls weren't here. They left early this morning with Michel to go to the beach. My eyes darted to the clock on my computer screen. They'll be home in two hours. Enough time for me to come to some agreement and get him the hell out of here.

"Look," Draven muttered, leaning forwards. "Sydney is in my custody until she turns twenty-one. After that she will be able to do whatever she wants, but until then, I'm her guardian."

"Draven—"

"Why do you care about her so much?"

I blinked at him. His question caught me off-guard. I couldn't tell him that I loved her. He'd laugh in my face. I ran a shaky hand through my hair as I sat back in the chair. His eyes burned into me but I refused to look at him.

"I care for her," I said softly. "Bella and Sin are friends. They've become close and I don't want to take that away from them." I turned my head to look at him. "Sin needs some guidance and where we can't give that to her, Bella can."

"She's mentally ill, Ty." He tapped a finger on the desk. "She needs evaluation and someone to keep an eye on her twenty-four-seven."

"You're the only one that thinks that."

"No. Didn't her attempt at suicide tell you anything?"

"She didn't do that to herself!" I yelled. "You fucking—"

"I'll be back to pick her up tonight. I don't think it's a good idea to let her stay here. Don't make me have you arrested, brother."

He stood, and walked out of the room. A few seconds later I heard the front door slam shut. I turned toward my computer and switched the screens. The camera outside showed him storming towards his car. I pressed the button to open the gate for him. Once he had left, I leaned back in the chair.

Sin was just starting to climb out of her shell, and now she was forced to go back to that house where that fucking woman lived. A groan slipped past my lips. What the hell am I going to tell Sin?

***

Placing the log down on the stump, I stepped back and raised the axe over my head. The log split in two and fell to the grass. Dropping the axe, I picked up the logs and threw it onto the growing pile. I turned around only to have someone slam into my chest. I stumbled backwards a few steps before regaining my balance.

Amusement filled me as I stared down at the pale blonde head. Sin glanced up at me with a big smile. The happiness shone clearly in her grey depths. My lips twitched when I saw some chocolate at the corner of her mouth. Reaching up, I wiped it away with my thumb and then licked my finger clean.

"Did you enjoy your ice cream?"

"Yes daddy," she said. "It was lots of fun at the beach! Daddy Michel took me into the ocean."

Daddy Michel. I smiled. So she thought of him as her daddy too. Now both Sin and Bella had two daddies, and each other. I stroked her cheek with my knuckle and then hooked my hands under her armpits. As soon as I picked her up, she wrapped her legs around my hips. Sin gave me a wet kiss on my cheek before pressing her face against my neck. Pressing a kiss against her hair, I slowly made my way towards the house.

I'm going to miss this.

Michel was in the kitchen packing away the food they didn't eat. He glanced up when we entered. Questions flashed through his eyes. I shook my head at him as I lowered Sin back to her feet.

"Where's Bella?"

"Upstairs. She's packing away the towels."

I glanced down at Sin. "Why don't you go help her, baby?"

"Okay."

I watched her as she raced up the stairs. When she had disappeared from sight, I turned back to Michel. He placed the still full bottle of juice back in the fridge. Michel turned back and raised his eyebrow. I took a seat on the barstool by the island.

"Draven was here. He's coming to pick Sin up tonight to take her back."

"What?"

"Apparently he signed some forms which makes him her legal guardian until she turns twenty-one." Michel cursed under his breath. "Can't we do something?"

He slammed his fist down on the counter. "Fucking bastard. There's nothing we can do. According to everyone she's sick. If Draven is her guardian then he has the right to put her in a hospital. He'd do that just to keep her away from us if he knew that she's in a relationship with all of us."

"Have you found out when her birthday is?" I asked softly.

"In a month."

"Fuck." Burying my hands in my hair, I allowed my shoulders to droop. "We have to tell her that Draven's coming to pick her up tonight."

The sound of glass shattering made my head snap up. I span towards the entrance of the kitchen to find Sin standing there. The glass she was holding had slipped from her fingers. It was shattered on the floor at her feet. My eyes snapped up to her face. She was pale and slightly shaking. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Sweetheart," Michel muttered, taking a step towards her.

"I don't w-want to go b-back," she cried.

I got up and made my way towards her. Before I could grip her arms, she stumbled backwards. I reached for her again but she flinched away. Pain washed through me.

"Y-you promised," Sin whispered. "You s-said he wouldn't t-take me away! T-that y-you won't. . .Y-you promised!"

"Sin—"

"I hate you!" she screamed. "I hate you!"

A knife pierced through my heart with each word. The way she looked at me made me stagger backwards. She meant it—every single word. Sin was right, I had promised her that I wouldn't allow him to take her away. Now I was breaking that promise in order to keep her from being locked up again.

"I'm sorry."

Sin gave me one last glare and then turned. I watched as she ran up the stairs. She stumbled a few times but regained her balance before she could fall. I moved to go after her but Michel gripped my arm.

"I'll talk to her."