Dark Sins Read online

  Dark Sins

  Charlotte Byrd

  Contents

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  About Charlotte Byrd

  Also by Charlotte Byrd

  Dark Sins

  1. Jacqueline

  2. Jacqueline

  3. Dante

  4. Dante

  5. Jacqueline

  6. Jacqueline

  7. Jacqueline

  8. Jacqueline

  9. Jacqueline

  10. Jacqueline

  11. Jacqueline

  12. Dante

  13. Dante

  14. Jacqueline

  15. Jacqueline

  16. Jacqueline

  17. Jacqueline

  18. Dante

  19. Dante

  20. Jacqueline

  21. Dante

  22. Dante

  23. Jacqueline

  24. Jacqueline

  25. Jacqueline

  26. Dante

  27. Jacqueline

  28. Dante

  29. Jacqueline

  30. Jacqueline

  31. Dante

  32. Dante

  33. Dante

  34. Jacqueline

  Connect with Charlotte Byrd

  About Charlotte Byrd

  Also by Charlotte Byrd

  Copyright © 2021 by Byrd Books, LLC.

  All rights reserved.

  Proofreaders:

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  Cover Design: Charlotte Byrd

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a word of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Visit my website at www.charlotte-byrd.com

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  Praise for Charlotte Byrd

  “BEST AUTHOR YET! Charlotte has done it again! There is a reason she is an amazing author and she continues to prove it! I was definitely not disappointed in this series!!” ★★★★★

  * * *

  “LOVE!!! I loved this book and the whole series!!! I just wish it didn't have to end. I am definitely a fan for life!!! ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Extremely captivating, sexy, steamy, intriguing, and intense!” ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Addictive and impossible to put down.” ★★★★★

  * * *

  “What a magnificent story from the 1st book through book 6 it never slowed down always surprising the reader in one way or the other. Nicholas and Olive's paths crossed in a most unorthodox way and that's how their story begins it's exhilarating with that nail biting suspense that keeps you riding on the edge the whole series. You'll love it!” ★★★★★

  * * *

  “What is Love Worth. This is a great epic ending to this series. Nicholas and Olive have a deep connection and the mystery surrounding the deaths of the people he is accused of murdering is to be read. Olive is one strong woman with deep convictions. The twists, angst, confusion is all put together to make this worthwhile read.” ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Fast-paced romantic suspense filled with twists and turns, danger, betrayal, and so much more.” ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Decadent, delicious, & dangerously addictive!” - Amazon Review ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Titillation so masterfully woven, no reader can resist its pull. A MUST-BUY!” - Bobbi Koe, Amazon Review ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Captivating!” - Crystal Jones, Amazon Review ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Sexy, secretive, pulsating chemistry…” - Mrs. K, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Charlotte Byrd is a brilliant writer. I've read loads and I've laughed and cried. She writes a balanced book with brilliant characters. Well done!” -Amazon Review ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Hot, steamy, and a great storyline.” - Christine Reese ★★★★★

  * * *

  “My oh my....Charlotte has made me a fan for life.” - JJ, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

  * * *

  “Wow. Just wow. Charlotte Byrd leaves me speechless and humble… It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Once you pick it up, you won't put it down.” - Amazon Review ★★★★★

  * * *

  “ Intrigue, lust, and great characters...what more could you ask for?!” - Dragonfly Lady ★★★★★

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  About Charlotte Byrd

  Charlotte Byrd is the bestselling author of romantic suspense novels. She has sold over 1 Million books and has been translated into five languages.

  She lives near Palm Springs, California with her husband, son, a toy Australian Shepherd and a Ragdoll cat. Charlotte is addicted to books and Netflix and she loves hot weather and crystal blue water.

  Write her here:

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  Also by Charlotte Byrd

  All books are available at ALL major retailers! If you can’t find it, please email me at [email protected]

  * * *

  Dark Intentions Series

  Dark Intentions

  Dark Redemption

  Dark Sins

  Dark Temptations

  * * *

  The Perfect Stranger Series

  The Perfect Stranger

  The Perfect Cover

  The Perfect Lie

  The Perfect Life

  The Perfect Getaway

  * * *

  All the Lies Series

  All the Lies

  All the Secrets

  All the Doubts

  * * *

  Tell me Series

  Tell Me to Stop

  Tell Me to Go

  Tell Me to Stay

  Tell Me to Run

  Tell Me to Fight

  Tell Me to Lie

  * * *

  Wedlocked Trilogy

  Dangerous Engagement

  Lethal Wedding

  Fatal Wedding

  * * *

  Tangled Series

  Tangled up in Ice

  Tangled up in Pain


  Tangled up in Lace

  Tangled up in Hate

  Tangled up in Love

  * * *

  Black Series

  Black Edge

  Black Rules

  Black Bounds

  Black Contract

  Black Limit

  * * *

  Not into you Duet

  Not into you

  Still not into you

  Lavish Trilogy

  Lavish Lies

  Lavish Betrayal

  Lavish Obsession

  Standalone Novels

  Dressing Mr. Dalton

  Debt

  Offer

  Unknown

  Dark Sins

  When I saved her mother’s life, I didn’t do it with my own money. I took out a debt. Now I have to go back to my old life.

  * * *

  I have certain skills that people are willing to pay a lot of money for.

  Everything has a price, and Jacqueline was worth it.

  But what happens when I make mistakes? What happens when the debt I have to pay becomes too great and the darkness that envelops me becomes too much?

  * * *

  For bestselling author Charlotte Byrd comes an intense romance about debts, lies and secrets and the extent to which people go for love.

  * * *

  A letter arrives.

  It was not an accident. It was murder.

  But who did it? Why?

  The cops think it’s a false lead. There’s no other evidence, but I have to do everything to find out the truth.

  My brother’s death is no longer a tragedy to get over, but a wrong to put right. It becomes my obsession.

  What happens when I start to uncover the lies?

  * * *

  Dark Sins is the third novel in the Dark Intentions series. It is a dark romance/romantic suspense about debt, lies, wealth, crime and family bonds. There is no cheating.

  1

  Jacqueline

  As soon as Mom calls that morning, Dante and I get into his car and drive all the way home without hitting any traffic. I packed my bags, much to his dismay since I wasn't sure if I was going to come back.

  But I'm also not sure what I'm going to find.

  The drive down is uneventful. We listen to a little bit of Bruce Springsteen and Elton John, and my mind keeps spiraling around everything I don’t know.

  What could it mean?

  Why would someone send a letter telling me that my brother, who has been dead for months and whose body I saw being lowered into the ground in the cemetery, did not die in an accident?

  How could that accident be anything but that?

  But, if it isn't, what else could it be?

  When Mom opens the door, her eyes are tired and puffy. She has changed out of her robe into what she lovingly refers to as home pajamas; a casual pair of black pants, a loose-fitting sweater perfect for both home and a trip to the bank.

  After a brief hello, I introduce her to Dante, and he apologizes for meeting under these circumstances.

  "You didn't need to come," she keeps saying, leading us to the dining room.

  The table is old and worn, and every indentation is awfully familiar since I was here for all of them.

  We sit on the uncomfortable wooden chairs that have needed pillow pads for as long as I can remember. Mom thinks they’re tacky so we never had them.

  The letter is nothing remarkable.

  It came in a plain, thin envelope with no return address, directly to my mother's house. The stamp is of an American flag. It was mailed barely five miles outside of Elizabeth, New Jersey.

  The letter itself is typed, but signed in longhand, but, the signature is difficult to read. Probably on purpose. I force myself to stay calm, as Mom carefully opens the letter slowly to keep the creases exactly the same.

  * * *

  She had put it back in the envelope, and opened it by cutting the top open, like she usually does, with her specialty letter opening knife. Mom has always hated the way that I would savagely attack the mail, her words not mine, and not have the intact envelope to put the letter back into for later.

  "I would've been more careful with it if I’d known what it contained," Mom keeps mumbling over and over again.

  I look at the envelope, which is addressed to her, with a stamp in the far right hand corner, no return address of any kind, and a little imprint over the stamp indicating when and where it was collected.

  "Do you think we should be wearing gloves?" she asks when I grab the letter. "It's too late for me and you, but yeah. I think so."

  She goes to the bathroom, underneath the sink, and pulls out a pair of black gloves that she wears whenever she colors her hair with box dye.

  I put them on, and the two of them crowd around me, looking. I feel the touch of their breath on my shoulder as I pull the letter out and read it.

  Dear Mrs. Archer,

  I don't know how to put this except to just tell you that your son, Michael Archer, did not die in a car accident.

  All I can say is that he was killed, and his murderer is walking around free.

  I'm sorry that I cannot tell you anything else about the situation because I'm afraid that that will put my own life in danger.

  I have already said too much.

  Sincerely,

  There’s a scribble at the bottom.

  We look closer, trying to make out any letters, but the writing is angular, tall, and sweeping. I kind of doubt that it's a name after all. Everything else is typed. Whoever sent this clearly did not want to be identified by their handwriting.

  "What do you think this means?" Mom asks, looking at us after I put the letter down.

  "I don't know. It could be a joke," I offer.

  Mom glares at me, even Dante is taken aback.

  "I mean, it's definitely a possibility," I suggest, "right? I mean, they may know that Michael died, and it was an accident."

  "What did happen, exactly?" Dante asks.

  I look at him as the three of us sit around the dining room table. Usually, my mom would offer me and a guest something to drink. But this situation is completely different. This is nothing that has happened before.

  "He was driving at night, and he slid off the road. It was an icy, snowy night. He usually avoided driving at that time, but he was there. His car collided with the center divider, and there was an explosion. The fire department said that, unlike what the movies would have you believe, cars rarely blow up, but there was a big fire. They investigated and confirmed that it was indeed an accident."

  "Were you able to confirm that he had died?" Dante asks.

  "You mean, identify the body?"

  He nods.

  "No, it was too charred."

  "Wow, I'm so sorry," he says under his breath.

  "They did identify that it was him, if that's what you're thinking," I add.

  “I sent his dental records over from the dentist and they confirmed it. Besides, it happened in his car."

  "It had to be an accident," Mom says.

  "I know, I want to believe that, too."

  "Want to believe it?" she snaps. "If it's not an accident, all of this healing and everything has been a lie. If it's not an accident, we have to find out the truth."

  "I know," I say, shrinking down in my seat.

  "You have to find out the truth," she snaps.

  She gets up from the table, making a loud clinking sound as the chair pulls away. The chair practically falls onto the floor behind her as she walks out. She looks discontented, upset, no, full-on angry.

  I'm pissed off, too, but something feels odd about this. I follow her to the kitchen, where she pours herself a glass of water, holding the glass in her shaking hand as it fills up from the faucet.

  "Mom, I know that this is a big deal. Okay? This letter is a big deal. I'm not trying to say that it's not. But it's also a very realistic possibility that this is a fake, a joke."

  "Why would someone do that? No
," she snaps.

  "Look, I've investigated stories about missing persons before, and sometimes the families would get these mystery letters from somewhere else in the world or somewhere far away. They would say this person is alive, and they just saw him at this bar or place."

  "Yeah, and then they would want something from them, right?"

  "Yes, on occasion," I admit.

  "Well, this person doesn't want anything. This person is just telling me their truth."