Sinners & Saints (Sinners & Saints #1)

by Ballinger, Chelsea

  Cody laughs and continues texting on his phone.

  “Still texting your charity case fling?” I’m just getting desperate and lazy at this point and it’s obvious. My heart is ill right now.

  “Wow,” Cody’s eyes stare at me in disbelief. He begins to walk away, but stops and gives me what I predict to be a lecture. “No, you know what, fuck you, Hugo… you talk all this shit about being this unemotional asshole, yet here you are pining for a wonderful and amazing girl, with common sense I might add, and who still through all her fucking common sense is in love with you.” I glare at him. “You’re the pussy. You take what’s yours, right? Well go take it and stop being a bitch. Like you told me… Imagine Nicky King’s hands all over her and imagine her screaming his name because eventually they all give into desire right, Mandrake?” He crosses his arms and pouts, leaning against the wall.

  Jordana applauds him. “Well done, Cody… I knew your balls were down there.”

  “Did you know Margaret has been staring at you since you got in here?” I say, still staring at a laughing Juliet.

  Jordana says nothing and I look at her. “I’m not pointing that out to be rude; I am clearly just informing you that her lingering stares are becoming more and more visible, which means you are really getting through to her… how do I know that? Well, look at me. Like blue balls said, I’m clearly becoming a pussy.” I finish my champagne and shove the glass into Cody’s chest. I straighten my bowtie and head for what is mine. She wants me to fucking show her, then I will.

  JULIET

  I literally laugh as I see Hugo approach us. Nicky stares at me confused until he turns around.

  “Nicky, I’m sorry to interrupt,” Hugo speaks in a sharp tone. “But I was wondering if I may steal back Juliet for a dance.” He looks at me. “Do you waltz, Juliet?”

  “Fortunately, yes. Mum made me take ballroom at school,” I answer, remembering the hours of boredom. “I personally wanted to take hip hop dancing lessons.”

  Nicky looks back and forth between us and he isn’t an idiot. He backs away respectfully. Hugo holds out his hand and I grant him mine. He leads us to the dance floor where others are waltzing. They are actually waltzing. They were serious about this being a high society ball.

  We position ourselves. The music arrives and I let him lead even though I can easily do it. The song’s nice. It’s a love song of course. We glide around the room amongst the other dancers.

  “I must say, your waltz surpasses my first impressions,” he says after a moment.

  “I was a debutante, and come on I’m British, you idiot.” I smile at him and he smirks. “So, I guess you didn’t like the sight of my new friend and I enjoying ourselves.”

  “Would it please you to know that, other than my brother and Cody, I do not enjoy seeing you in the midst of any man?”

  “Are you possessive, Hugo?”

  “I don’t know… never really had a reason to be, not even with Scarlett.”

  “Then I feel rather special.”

  “I wouldn’t think you would like a man who would view you as his possession, given that you dance to the beat of your own drum.”

  “There is a difference between a nutter who just wants to possess someone for his own ego and a man who can’t help but to want the one thing that stirs something powerful in him all to himself. Then maybe that’s a crazy person too.”

  He smiles as his eyes intensify.

  “Besides,” I speak quietly. “No one tells me what to do… unless it’s in bed.”

  A mischievous grin plays on both our faces. The music continues and so do we in our universe, confined to each other. I’ve never cared for waltzing, but I think now it’s my favorite dance.

  Finally, the music ends and the dancing unfortunately stops, but the lingering gazes still continue. He looks at me like he has so much to say and, better yet, he wants to say it.

  “Every time you enter a room… people stare.”

  “I must always have something on my face.”

  He chuckles. “Must you always joke?”

  “Must you always be so serious?”

  His face pains and he licks his lips in deep thought. “There is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness in the proportion.”

  “Edgar Allen Poe.”

  “Correct.”

  “Are you trying to call me strange, Mandrake?” I pout playfully.

  He nods. “Your strange is what makes you sensational to me.”

  Well shit just got really real. I’m speechless. I think I just fell in love all over again. I step closer to him, wanting to kiss and give my all too until a certain singer’s voice blasts through the speakers.

  I gleam with excitement. “I’m sorry to ruin the moment, but it’s Tay Tay.”

  He frowns. “You did not just say Tay Tay.”

  “Yes, I did and you and I are going to dance.”

  “No fucking way. I’m not dancing to her.”

  “Oh, come on Hugo, when is a more perfect time to have an embarrassing dance moment than at a ball full of yuppies in a ball gown during a Taylor Swift song? You can’t call me sensational, basically implying your undying love for me, and then not embarrass yourself for me.”

  “Where is that a rule in life?”

  “It’s a rule in my life and unless you want me to run over to Nicky Young, you will dance. Uh oh, here comes the chorus. Poppy!” I wave for her to come over.

  “Oh God,” he mumbles in despair and I spin around, pulling out every break dancing move I got.

  HUGO

  What in the fuck?

  She’s actually doing this. Dancing in a gown in front of me and in front of everyone. I want to leave her where she stands. There is no way in hell that I will join this debacle. Nope, no way. The music rings louder and the dancing ensues. Stares surround us, but it amazes me that Juliet truly doesn’t mind. Why should it amaze me though? Nothing by now should have this much shock value where she’s involved.

  “Oh my God!!!” Poppy comes out of nowhere in her pink gown and joins the non-rhythm community that Juliet is clearly the leader of. I look around and see Cody and Jordana laughing hysterically along with others. Poppy quickly runs and pulls them to the middle of the dance floor. Jordana is mortified, but Cody joins right in. He is such a spaz. With some encouragement from Juliet, Jordana starts to move mildly. Juliet looks disapprovingly at me, challenging me to move by waving her hands in my face. It’s not working. This is way too much out of my comfort zone. She leans up and whispers. “Nicky Young looks like a really good dancer.” She smiles at me. She starts to head over his way and I know it doesn’t mean anything, but still I find myself saying fuck it. I grab her wrist, bringing her back to me and she stares in shock. My mother used to do this dance. It was like a shoulder bounce and God forbid… I do it. I do it for her. She laughs and I bring out the dance I’ve been doing in secret with August since we were six—the pop and lock. No one knows this, but I am perfection when it comes to this dance move. She raises her arms up and whips her head back and forth. In the midst of it, something happens. I feel like an idiot, but… not worthless. I don’t feel angry. I’m embarrassed, but I don’t mind it. I don’t mind it at all. It’s all worth it. Just to see her smile at me and think good of me. It’s a moment of jollity and I feel alive. The laughter and smile on her face, even the smiles on Poppy, Jordana, and Cody’s cause me to join them in the laughter.

  I laugh so hard that I have to hold her to keep myself from falling. Our foreheads pressed together and I feel… I feel pure.

  SCARLETT

  “I didn’t think he had a funny bone in his body.” I think that’s what Patrick just said. I’m too busy staring at the innocent debacle before me. She has him smiling, laughing, dancing like a fool. She has officially stepped over my power.

  “Babe.” I snap out of it and face Patrick. “You okay?”

  “Yes, of course.” I force a smile. “It is nice to see Hugo laugh for once, rough life and al
l.”

  “He really is quite taken with Juliet, isn’t he?”

  I grind my teeth and clear my throat.

  “Yes, he is.”

  25

  HUGO

  The sounds of a wolf come from outside and we all know what that means.

  “What was that?” Juliet asks me. Our dancing has finished and the clock has struck midnight; the young are restless and ready for the real fun.

  “It’s the usual call when it’s time for the after party,” Cody informs her.

  “Yeah, we go out to the back near the lake where there is a tent and enjoy ourselves with drugs, shots, and good old family fun games,” Jordana says and we all head outside.

  Juliet and I, side-by-side, walk slower than everyone else. She grabs my hand, interlocking our fingers and quietly we enjoy the moment of being unseen before we appear in front of everyone. I let go of her hand—not because I care what people think but because Scarlett is here. She’s sitting at the head of the palette as everyone gawks. I’m worried she’s here. I know she witnessed everything and I know Scarlett doesn’t like to lose.

  SCARLETT

  “What are you doing out here?” Hugo whispers to me as the girls stare at the huge rock on my finger.

  “Reuniting with my old friends.” Everyone from the ages of sixteen to twenty-seven is out here. About twenty of us, sitting around on a palette made up of red and white pillows and a large white sheet under the canopy tent.

  “Time for games, children.” Matt Barker, twenty-five and studying to be a surgeon like all the men and women of his family, announces.

  “What do you suggest?” Connie asks. Real name Constance Bendago, daughter of Constantine Bendago, who is also a former lover of mine. I once accepted a rare black diamond necklace from him when I was sixteen. He recovered it from one of his many diamond mines in West Africa. Constance pretended like she didn’t know, but she did. She will never dare to retaliate due to me making sure no one knows about her time getting gang bang by the polo team. I threaten them all with truths of outing their sexualities and alleged use of steroids. I have always been good with knowing things about people and keeping them in place. No one dares to cross it, but Juliet Spears has and I need to help her take a fucking step back.

  “How about One Word Cutthroat?” I ask them and they all swoon and cheer in excitement. It’s everyone’s favorite game.

  JULIET

  “What is One Word Cutthroat?” I ask Jordana.

  “Exactly how you entitle it.” She shakes her head smiling. She looks at Margaret who is flirting with some guy she clearly has no interest in. “Two people are challenged to describe each other in one word and they must keep going until one folds, giving up before they can be any more humiliated.”

  “So, basically it’s another way to insult someone playfully?”

  “Yep.”

  “Alrighty then.”

  “Want to know who came up with it?”

  “I suspect, Scarlett.”

  “Nope… Gabriel Mandrake.”

  “Before we start this lovely game…” says a tall boy that can barely stand as he raises his glass.

  “Who is he?” I ask.

  “Hendry Waldman, youngest son of the mayor.”

  “I feel as if, seeing as this is one of my all-time favorite games, we should toast to the person who originated it. I was a mere thirteen-year-old boy when the infamous Gabriel Mandrake suggested it and it led to a great and satisfying night for me because I got my first BJ.”

  The crowd groans and laughs. “Oh, God,” one girl says.

  “Sit your ass down, Henry,” Another person says.

  “Hugo!” Henry continues. “To your brother, man. He was cool—he always got me laid.” He laughs and Hugo just raises his glass. “Nice dance moves too.” He laughs harder and Hugo raises his middle finger as he takes a seat between two other guys. I still can’t believe he did that for me.

  “Alright, who is up first?” says a girl who I’ve met before. I think her name is BeBe. She looks around. “Zitra and Carly.” She grins mischievously. The two girls stare at each other and I wait for them to start.

  “Easy… slut,” one girl rays rudely.

  “Jealous,” the other fires back.

  “Bitter.”

  “Whore.”

  “Loser.”

  “Idiot.”

  Clearly these girls aren’t fond of each other and I would’ve thought these insults would be better than this.

  “Klepto.”

  There are some snickers and giggles after that one.

  The girl hesitates then smiles. “Bulimic.”

  The other girl’s face contorts and quickly she raises her hand. “I fold.” She takes a shot of goose vodka and completely shuts herself off for a moment.

  The crowd moans and laughs. This is cutthroat.

  HUGO

  Leave it to Gabriel to develop this game.

  “Weeelll,” Matt Barker drags out to clear the tension between Zitra and Carly. They used to be best friends. Who knows what happened, probably the usual. Someone slept with someone’s boyfriend. “Next?”

  “I challenge Sean,” Redington Harmon says.

  “Okay, go,” Matt says.

  “Liar,” Redington starts.

  “Buttboy,” Sean responds.

  “Faggot.”

  “Pussy.”

  “Cocksucker.”

  “Asswipe.”

  “Bitch.”

  “Deepthroat.

  They break into laughter. I’m pretty sure they’re gay. In high school they always loved to wrestle each other and they were not on the wrestling team. Also one time in the school showers I caught Redington trying to steal a glance at my dick. You know, it amazes me how homophobic people still are. I don’t understand it. You’re gay, you’re gay. No one other than Margaret Jacobs should care what other people think. Her father would disown her if he ever found out.

  “You guys’ duel sucks,” Jessica Grandy whines. “Someone else make this interesting.”

  “I’ll go,” Jordana says. “I challenge Margaret.”

  Margaret’s face turns sour and she clears her throat. “Okay.” Now this will be interesting.

  “Coward,” Jordana practically emphasizes on the word.

  “Dyke,” Margaret says harshly.

  “Curious.”

  “Freak.”

  “Daddy’s girl.”

  “Two words, Jordana,” Henry points out. “Can’t do that, take a shot.”

  Jordana grins at Margaret and gladly takes her shot. It is obvious that as long as Jordana got the words coward and curious out, coming out as the loser is not much concern for her.

  “I challenge Juliet,” Nicky Young says, smiling.

  “Oh yeah, new girl, wassup!” Henry, the drunk idiot waves.

  Juliet laughs and waves back. “Hi.” She shrugs. “Alright.”

  “Gorgeous.”

  “Cocky.”

  “Sexy.”

  “Friendly.”

  “Interested.”

  She slowly smiles. It’s clear he’s using this to flirt with her.

  “Taken,” she answers glancing at me.

  He laughs, nodding in understanding. “I fold… even though the taken word wasn’t meant for me.”

  Everyone gasps and smiles, staring between Juliet and I. The shock on their faces. The Big Bad Wolf is no longer trying to feast on Red Riding; he only wants to love her. There it is. I’ve said it. Well, in my head. People don’t understand, but it is very difficult for someone like me to just say the word love and it is absolutely painful for me to tell someone that. We stare at each other and all I want is to take her somewhere and disappear from this reality.

  “Anyone else?” Matt asks.

  “Me.” We all turn our heads to Scarlett who is grinning at me. Fine, she wants to challenge me? Fine. But no, I follow her moving gaze to Juliet and I panic.

  SCARLETT

  “The reigning ch
amp!” Henry claps. “Yeah!”

  “Okay, Scarlett,” Matt says. “Pick your victim.”

  He emphasizes on victim because he knows. They all know… I never lose at this game.

  “Juliet.” She peers her eyes at me and laughs a little to herself, not shocked. “Care for another round?”

  She hesitates. That glimmer of hope and coolness wipes off the face of the earth. For the first time she looks at me with fear. Her eyes are scarce as if she knows that this won’t end well for her. She glances at Hugo who shakes his head, warning her. How cute.

  “Sure, why not,” she says. She sits up straight, preparing herself for a battle she will not win.

  “Trespasser.” I start off on her easy.

  “Recreant.”

  “Scared.”

  “Petrified.”

  “Jealous.”

  “Lonely.”

  “Fraud.”

  “Worthless.”

  Me, worthless? I have cut down empires due to my abilities. I am never worthless. My father once told me I was worthless. Look what happened to him. I glance at Hugo and continue while his eyes pierce at me with rage. They all wait as I look back at her.

  “Cutter.”

  She isn’t even able to say fold. She only shrugs. Her eyes water and she lets out the breath she’s held in.

  “Well…” Juliet starts to say.

  “Cutter…” We all look at Hugo who has interrupted her with the same kill word. “Bulimic, anorexic, faggot, slut—it is all the same thing.” He’s staring down at the drink in his hand. “We use these terms to bring pain and yet the only pain we truly bring is to ourselves. We poison our hearts by being so cruel that once it’s time to use our heart… the process is difficult to bare.” He looks around him at all the faces. Some confused, some knowing, others intrigued. “It’s so hard to bare. The pain of just using our heart to feel something. Something… good.” He’s in a trance, nodding his head, still staring at the glass. “When did we all stop feeling? That’s the question most of us ask ourselves. I think I know when I did. It was when I did the worst thing I ever did.”