Ruthless Bishop: Dark New Adult High School Bully Romance (Sinners and Saints Book 3)

by Veronica Eden

  How can Thea be in the exact danger I was trying to protect her from? How could she get in a car and go anywhere with Coleman after what I tried to show her?

  I should’ve followed her instead of cooling my head. My heart beats in double time as I fight off the sick sensation of failing her.

  I can’t lose the girl I love.

  We have so much ahead of us still, our entire future together.

  I pull out of the quarry in a spray of dust and gravel. The tires skip over the road in a high-pitched squeal, and the lingering scent of burnt rubber tickles my nostrils. I push the gas harder, speeding toward my house. I need a weapon before I go save her from him.

  And I will save her. She’s the most important person to me.

  If I’m the storm tearing through everything, Thea is the sunlight that breaks through in my wake. A sun captured by the moon, eclipsed by love. She pierces through my darkness with her light.

  Thea is it for me. She’s the girl I plan to marry. The only queen I want by my side. I’ll spend the rest of my life groveling for every mistake I’ve made if it means we make it out of this.

  I’m close to breaking my teeth from grinding them so hard as I take corners too fast. The car screeches as I brake hard in the middle of the street, throwing it in park while I burst from the car to run across the lawn to my house.

  Nothing registers but my goal: Dad’s gun safe.

  It’s in his study on the first floor. The door hits the wall when I fling it open, but I don’t care. I go to the desk, open the bottom drawer, and punch in the access code. I looked over Dad’s shoulder when he was showing it to me before he took me to the gun range to learn how to shoot.

  The 9mm Glock sits in the foam casing. Wasting no time, I take it and get bullets from where he keeps them.

  Once I’m back outside with the gun tucked away so I don’t give the neighbors a heart attack, I get back in the SUV and floor it toward Coleman’s to rescue my girl. On the way, I call Devlin.

  “Yo. What’s up?”

  “Get the cops to Coleman’s,” I demand, speeding through a red light at an empty intersection. I need to make it there before I get pulled over for reckless driving. “Do whatever you have to. Call in a suspected shooting. Start a fire. I don’t care, just do it.”

  “Whoa, slow down,” Devlin says. “The fuck are you on about?”

  I smack the wheel. “He has Thea!”

  “Shit. Okay, got it.”

  I push the car faster, hoping I’m not too late.

  Thirty-Seven

  Thea

  While I scramble in the darkness, searching the workbench for another weapon to defend myself, the basement door opens. My stomach lurches. A dim, flickering bulb blinks to life, casting the basement in sickly yellow light.

  Oh god. He’s back.

  “Kicking up all that fuss and not behaving. Tsk, tsk,” Mr. Coleman says in an eerie tone as he descends the rickety wooden steps. “I don’t know if you deserve this gift or not. But you’ve always been my special princess, haven’t you?”

  Shoulders rigid with terror, I spin to face him with a strangled cry, my head throbbing with dull pain from the sudden movement.

  Mr. Coleman stands between me and the exit. I feel blindly behind me and wrap my fingers around a small tool handle—tiny screwdriver, maybe? I don’t know. It feels like the kind used on computers. I can’t look, not willing to risk drawing his attention to it.

  It won’t do a lot of damage, but it’s all I feel behind me without continuing my search.

  He reaches the bottom step, presenting me with the same necklace from the file half-spilled out of my purse on the dingy floor. It’s a gold heart dangling from a dainty chain.

  “Mr. Coleman,” I try, my tongue sluggish. Maybe I can talk my way out in order to escape from this monster. “Why are you doing this?”

  Ignoring my question, he glides across the floor. “I didn’t want to say anything earlier, but your eyes are all swollen and bloodshot. I know the result of crying when I see it. I’ll make it all better.” He speaks in a soft, reverent tone. “Princess, are you ready to take my hand?”

  Fuck, what can I do? He has me cornered. He’s too far away to stab without losing the element of surprise, and too strong if I run without diverting him first. I need to get to those stairs.

  “The other girl,” I whisper.

  “Hmm, yes. I thought about keeping her, but then you came right to me. I’d much rather have my prize instead. I knew you couldn’t stay away forever. You don’t have to be jealous of the others.”

  He’s not just manic—he’s delusional. He thinks I want him. A fierce wave of nausea upsets my stomach.

  I need something to distract him. There’s a paint can on a bench next to the worktable, just out of reach while his attention is on me. An old rolling chair sits at the edge of the pool of yellow light. Maybe I can knock him off balance?

  While I’m searching for something else to use against him, Mr. Coleman steps closer. I jump aside in revolt, but he traps me with a terrifying chuckle, his chest touching me as I lean back against the worktable until it digs into my back.

  “Where do you think you’re going, pet?”

  Another panicked noise catches in my throat as I try to edge away. My nails dig into my palm around the screwdriver’s handle.

  Wrong, wrong, wrong, my mind clangs.

  “You…you said your name was Henry,” I babble, mind racing to figure a way out of this without ending up like my mom’s sister. I’m so scared of what he’ll do to me, the fear making it hard to move. Whenever he was mad because I didn’t do what he wanted, he would flay me with words once I crawled back. Now, he could do so much worse. “And that you were only three years older than me. We stopped, I-I stopped answering.”

  Mr. Coleman touches my hair and I flinch with a frightened sound. “Shh, my darling. I know it’s upsetting to find out I lied, but they were little lies. Necessary ones. You were so young, so I didn’t want to scare you off. Not when our souls were speaking so clearly to one another.”

  Bile rushes up my throat.

  His eyes dance back and forth between mine. He cocks his head. “I know you felt it, too. Every class, I longed to reach out.” His mouth curves into an ugly, lopsided grin. “You’re always so eager for me.”

  I shake my head, unable to speak. The tears welling in my eyes wobble, blurring my vision. When I blink, they burn hot paths down my cheeks.

  “Don’t cry, pet,” he says in a light, haunting tone. “I got you this gift, see? I want to show you how special you are to me. You’ll wear this and know you’re mine.”

  So special he has several other matching ones for however many girls he’s done this to.

  As he leans back to fumble with the chain, he spots my purse on the floor with the file sticking from it. One of my photos peeks out far enough to see what it is. He lowers the necklace, staring at the picture.

  Ice shoots through my veins.

  “What’s this?” Mr. Coleman sounds annoyed, sending my heart tripping over a beat in fear I’ve made him mad. He snatches the bag, digging the folder of evidence out.

  “No, don’t!”

  His face turns to stone as he flips through the file while I’m plastered against the worktable in horror.

  “Why do you have this, Thea?” I didn’t think it was possible, but his creepy factor ratchets up another degree when he turns his gaze back on me, eyes dead and soulless. He sighs in disappointment. “I can’t let you leave here now, princess.”

  “W-Why? That would be bad. Wrong. Please.” My voice trembles. Every part of my body quakes in fear. “It’s fine. I won’t tell. You can let me go. We’ll pretend nothing happened.”

  He barks out a sharp sound, shaking his head as he comes close again. “Nothing, is it? You’re ruining our nice evening together.”

  “Please,” I whisper hoarsely. “You don’t have to do this.”

  “Princess,” he says as he strokes my chee
k, leaning close enough to nearly brush his lips over mine. With a sharp intake of air, I jerk my head to the side, but he grips my chin in a punishing grip and yanks me back. His touch feels like barbed wire tearing through my gut. “What makes you think I can resist when I have you here? You ran right into my arms.”

  I shake my head in denial, struggling to free myself from his hold. Maybe if I play along again, he’ll let me go. It might give me enough time to grab the paint can if he doesn’t think I’m going to run. He was always more receptive when I made clumsy attempts to take initiative in his games. It makes me sick to my stomach, but I can do this. I fight back the nausea rolling through me and force my body to relax.

  “It’s just…” My voice is scratchy and small. Come on, Thea. Do this and maybe you get to escape your nightmare and live. “It’s just, my mom. She’s strict.”

  Mr. Coleman coos to pacify my false worries. “We’ll sort it all out, princess. We’ll leave town if we have to. If no one understands us, we’ll just go.”

  “Or, we could just wait until graduation. My friends are here.” I’m grasping for anything to make him disregard me as a flight risk or a threat enough to back off. As soon as I have space, I’ll distract him and run. The door isn’t locked anymore. It’s left open at the top of the steps. “We’ll make it like a game. Secret meetings.”

  Using something so close to my love story with Connor rakes hot coals over my heart, but I’m so stressed out and scared. I’ll say anything to appease the man caging me against the worktable.

  Mr. Coleman hums in consideration, studying me. I think he likes the idea. “A game.”

  I nod eagerly. “Yes! No one will know we’re t-together. It’ll be fun. Our little secret, just like our emails.”

  “Yes, you’re onto something there.” He taps my nose and finally takes a step back. “Right under everyone’s noses. No one will know I’ve fucked you on my desk, had you on your knees beneath it with those incredible lips sucking my cock. Mm, princess. This is a wonderful idea. I always knew you were my favorite of my girls for a reason.”

  His grin stretches into something hideous as I swallow my gag. At last he turns his back on me as he ruminates on his disgusting fantasies of having me. While he’s distracted, I snatch the nearby paint can, heart thumping violently. It’s not as heavy as I hoped, maybe half-full, but I throw it as hard as possible. It smashes into his head, disorienting him.

  The papers in the file spill to the floor as he stumbles, catching himself on the rolling chair. It crashes as his body weight collides with it.

  I don’t wait, dashing for the stairs to get to the kitchen, still armed with the screwdriver. A grunt and heavy footsteps are right on my heels. I push my legs to move as fast as possible so I can outrun the monster chasing me.

  “No you don’t!” The sound of his feet pounding on the creaking wooden stairs will haunt me forever if I make it out of this alive.

  I scream as his weight collides into my back once I’ve made it through the basement door, tackling me. We land against the kitchen table, shattering a glass in the fall. It cuts one of my palms as I try to push him off. From this angle, the best I can manage is stabbing the small screwdriver clutched in my grip into Mr. Coleman’s leg, squeezing so hard the handle hurts the bones in my hand. He lets out a furious shout as we thrash against the table.

  “You’re all mine, princess.” He hisses into the back of my neck, breath humid. “Your knight will take good care of you.”

  A heavy bang sounds nearby. Mr. Coleman growls.

  Pinned in place with my stalker panting against my neck, I fear for my life. Tears stream down my face while I struggle, my breaths coming short and fast, burning my lungs.

  My heart breaks in a splintering mess.

  I wasn’t good enough. Not strong enough or fast enough. Not brave enough. I didn’t escape.

  Am I about to end up like my mother’s dead sister after all?

  Thirty-Eight

  Connor

  Thea’s Mini Cooper is the first thing I spot when I whip onto Coleman’s street. I park crookedly behind it and check the handgun once I load the full magazine. There’s no time to waste. It’s past dusk now, making it easier for me to sneak around Coleman’s house in the dark.

  The cops haven’t arrived yet.

  “Where are they?”

  Five to six minute response time, my ass. I made it in under fifteen minutes breaking every speeding law. With a muffled, aggravated exhale, I circle toward the backyard.

  No lights are on in any of the windows. I strain my ears, listening for any sign of life in the house. It’s hard to focus when my pulse won’t stop pounding over everything. If they aren’t here, he could’ve taken her to a second location.

  Thea has to be here.

  Keeping low, I creep up to the back door, gun squeezed in my grip.

  All bets are off once I hear a shout. The back door is locked when I grab the knob. There isn’t a window to smash to reach in and unlock it. Coleman’s house is older, maybe I can—

  Thea’s scream followed by a crash makes my heart stutter.

  “Fuck!”

  Stepping back to center myself, I kick next to the knob as hard as I can. The old wood cracks, but it’s not good enough. Nothing will keep me from getting in this fucking house. With a grunt, I kick again, then another. The frame breaks as I bust through the door.

  It’s mostly dark, the only light coming from an open basement door, but I make out Coleman pinning Thea to the table in the middle of the kitchen. He wrenches his head up, glaring in my direction. I slap my hand against the wall and flick on the light. Coleman squints as the brightness blinds him momentarily.

  “Connor!” Thea screams, desperate and pleading as she struggles beneath her attacker, craning her neck to see me.

  “I’m here!”

  Coleman snarls, bracing his forearm against the back of Thea’s shoulders to keep her in place. There are splotches of blood on her white coat—hers or his? She chokes on a sob, nails scrabbling for purchase on the table amidst broken glass.

  The sight of Coleman on top of her, the tears staining her blotchy cheeks, her terrified cry, it all makes me wild with the need to protect her.

  “Get the fuck off of her!” I lift the gun to make the threat clear, my savage yell echoing in the room. I hope the neighbors hear the commotion of the break in or the goddamn police get here soon.

  “What are you doing here? Leave, or I’ll call the cops,” Coleman sneers. “You’re not wanted.”

  “Nah, man. Not a chance in hell.” I bark out a laugh. “The cops? Already on their way. Besides, you think they’ll care about busting in your back door when they find out what the fuck you like to get up to? They already know. You’re finished.” I level the gun, aiming at Coleman. My tone turns deadly. “Now get the fuck off.”

  Coleman ignores the gun pointed at him and plasters himself over Thea’s back, messing up my clean shot. He angles his head and shoots me an evil smirk. “You won’t do it. You’re nothing but a spoiled, cocky pissant playing hero.”

  Beneath him, Thea growls, my fierce fighter not giving up. She bucks, but he still holds her easily, keeping her at a disadvantage.

  “You think I won’t?” I advance two steps, hissing through clenched teeth. I’m done playing around. “I’ve been itching to kill you for weeks, since I first broke in. This,” I gesture with the gun, encompassing the room and the situation, luring him into believing I’m crazy and untrained in handling a firearm, “fucking escalates that mood. I won’t even flinch when I put a bullet in you.”

  My gaze slides to Thea for a fraction of a second, meeting her glistening eyes. She shakes her head slightly, not drawing any more attention to herself. I try to communicate that it will be okay. I’ll get her out of this.

  Swinging my focus back to Coleman, I take careful aim. “Sunshine, tell this degenerate sack of shit I’m a little unhinged. And the thing is, Harold, you’re all over my girl. She doesn’t
seem happy about it. I’m not happy about it, either. You have three seconds. Three…two…”

  Before I get to one, I squeeze the trigger. I fire while aiming close enough to Coleman in the hope it will spook him so Thea can get away. The gunshot is sharp and piercing.

  Coleman does startle, staggering back against the wall, howling and holding his ear. Thea yelps, rolling away as soon as he moves. She drops to the floor out of sight behind the table. Coleman’s hand comes away shining with blood from where the bullet grazed him.

  “You little piece of shit.” He charges across the room.

  I fire again, but miss. Coleman barrels into me. My hip hits the edge of the cheap tile counter, sending a shock of pain through my body as we struggle for control of the weapon. In our wrestling, I get a solid punch in, but Coleman drags me to the ground. The gun slides across the floor when he slams my hand down, weakening my grip.

  We both dive, but he gets there first.

  Shit, shit.

  “Thea, run!” I shout. “Get out of here!”

  Her shoes squeak against the floor as she moves.

  Coleman jabs the gun under my chin, bruising my skin with the force of it. His expression is crazed, perfectly coiffed hair hanging in his face.

  “You’re done. All I have to do is get rid of you, then she’s mine.”

  Even if I die here tonight, at least she’ll be safe.

  I struggle, pushing against his wrists, managing to move his aim. The gun fires and intense blistering agony bites into my upper arm.

  “Fuck!” I slam my head forward, glancing off Coleman’s chin, then slump over when I put too much pressure on my injured arm.

  Holy shit that hurts.

  “Connor! No!” Thea wails from somewhere in the room. “Stop it!”

  Damn it, why is she still here? I told her to escape!

  Coleman gets up on his knees and points the gun at my face. Fuck, this is it.

  Then a loud whack has Coleman’s eyes rolling back in his head as he collapses to the side, revealing Thea standing over him with a bright blue kettle, panting.