I’d be lying if I said she didn’t intrigue the fuck out of me. I’ve never met someone so pure, so damn perfect, that enjoyed toeing the line between right and wrong. Every time she’s around, I’m drawn to her like a moth to a flame. I want to lock her away and protect her innocence, all while injecting my own venom into her veins. The thought of anyone corrupting her makes me see red, but the thought of me doing it sends a wave of adrenaline throughout my body. It’s too fucking dangerous—needs to be avoided at all costs.
“That’s too damn bad for her, isn’t it? Besides, I’m hoping she’s gotten the message by now and will go back to her prep-school friends where she belongs.”
Zayn snorts. “Not likely.”
“Oh, yeah? Why not?”
He nods toward the window. “Cause she’s walking up the street with Tessa now.”
I throw my head back in frustration, and the five of us go out onto the front porch. Delaney does her best to avoid eye contact, which only pisses me off more. Who the fuck does she think she is, coming to my house and trying to ignore me?
“Tessa, Bambi,” I greet them, feeling slightly satisfied as Delaney squirms under my intense stare.
Tess crosses her arms over her chest. “For fuck’s sake, Knox, do you have a nickname for everyone?”
“Nope. Only the really special ones.”
Laney looks at her sister and her brows furrow. “What’s yours?”
“CBP, but he refuses to tell me what it means.”
She’s damn right I won’t. I’ve seen the mood swings of Tessa Callahan first hand when she found out Easton got a blowjob from someone chick at a party. I’m not dumb enough to put myself directly in her crosshairs.
“So, are we doing this shit or what?” Stone questions.
“What are you doing?” Delaney chimes in, like she’s got a right to know.
“Nothing that concerns you.” My dismissive tone should be enough, but apparently, it’s not.
She glares at me while Stone, being the idiot he is, takes one of the cans of spray paint from the backpack and shakes it up.
“A little redecorating of sorts, for a deserving recipient,” he tells her.
There it is again—that fire in her eyes that mixes with fear and only burns brighter. The kind of look that turns me on and morphs me into an overprotective fucking beast all at the same time. She should be mortified by the idea—running in the opposite direction and trying to get her sister to do the same. But instead, she does none of that.
“You should come with us,” Easton tells her, and I groan loudly.
“Jesus Christ, E. Read the fucking room.”
My eyes lock with Delaney’s, my stare silently telling her to go the fuck home. No words are exchanged, but I can tell she knows exactly what I’m trying to say. As if her only goal is to piss me off, she smirks.
“Don’t,” I warn, but it’s too late.
“Sounds like fun.”
My jaw ticks at her answer, and I’m so close to punching Easton in the fucking face for even inviting her. The guys all smile triumphantly while I’m straight up ready to snap. I grab the bag from the ground and head for Zayn’s car before I do some shit that I regret.
MRS. VANDALAY’S HOUSE IS the perfect canvas—all white siding that looks like it’s recently been power washed. The lack of a car out front and the lights off inside tell us that she’s most likely not home, but we still need to be quiet in case any neighbors decide to see what the commotion is.
Stone grabs a can and shakes it up, instantly writing BITCH across the front of the house. Gage follows suit before Easton and Tessa join them. I stand back, leaning against Zayn’s car and watching it all go down. My best friend steps beside me.
“You think she’s actually going to do it?”
I steal a glance over at Delaney; she’s still got that glint in her eyes but her feet stay planted to the sidewalk.
“I don’t know. That girl is surprising me at every damn turn.”
He chuckles. “So I’ve noticed.”
“Fuck off. It’s not like that.”
“I never said it was,” he says, and goes to take part in the festivities.
I take a cigarette from my pack and light it, inhaling the smoke and hoping to hell it calms me down. Even the fact that she’s here has me on high alert. She should be at home, doing what valedictorian prospects do, not hanging around a bunch of delinquents while they vandalize a house.
“Laney,” Gage calls as he jogs up to her. “Come on. You’ve got to try this, it’s such a rush.”
The second he puts his arm around her, a level of rage so strong that it blurs my vision rushes through me. There isn’t a thing in the world that could keep me in place. I may not be the jealous type, but for her, I’m a possessive monster ready to kill anyone who gets in my way. I throw my cigarette to the ground and stomp it out with my foot before all but shouting his name.
“Gage!” He stops, as does everyone else, and they watch as I storm up to him. Even Delaney’s eyes widen. “Get your fucking hands off her before I break every bone in your goddamn arm.”
He does as I say, but doesn’t back down the way I expected him to. “What the hell is your deal lately?”
To be honest, I don’t have an answer for him. I’ve never felt the need to be so protective over anyone before. Shit, even Hailey has slept with half my friends. All I know is that Delaney is different, and the mere thought of anyone touching her but me is grounds for homicide.
Red and blue lights fill the night sky and dread floods my stomach in a flash. “Shit!”
“What do we do?” Delaney questions, the fear in her voice is evident.
“Run.”
I spin her around and shove her forward, forcing her to take off with me and the rest of my friends. We all book it down the street, turning corners in an attempt to lose the cops but they stay hot on our tails. We turn into an alley and see a fence in the distance. Everyone else climbs over it with ease, but as I approach, I see Delaney struggling to get over. I glance behind me, noticing how close the officers are, and make a split-second decision that surprises even me.
Gripping Delaney’s waist, I lift her up and practically throw her over the fence just before I’m pinned against it by the weight of two grown men. My eyes meet hers as they put me in handcuffs and her sister pulls her away. Everyone else might be confused by what just happened, but not us. For her and me, it’s crystal clear.
JAIL CELLS ARE BY far one of the most disgusting places on earth. The amount of people who have pissed in these just to get back at the officers is enough to make anyone cringe. It didn’t take long for them to book me, having been through the process before and not requiring any explanation on how things work.
After that was done, they sat me in a chair, where I saw a judge through a computer screen. She lectured me about my behavior, set bond in the amount of an unreasonable ten grand—cash only—and sent me on my way. I didn’t even bother calling my mom. She doesn’t have that kind of cash. So, I used my one phone call to let Zayn know I’m going to be in here at least until my arraignment in a few days.
I’m lying on the paper-thin mattress, staring up at the disgusting ceiling and replaying the events of tonight in my head. Fucking Bambi. If she had just gone the hell home like I wanted her to, she wouldn’t have risked getting herself put in here. Just the thought of her in a place like this puts a heavy pit in my stomach. I know I’m going to get shit from my friends for saving her and taking the fall, but I’d do it a million times over if it meant she never had to step foot in here.
“Vaughn!” My name echoes throughout the small cell as an officer unlocks the door. “You made bail.”
My brows furrow, but I don’t ask any questions as I get up and follow him out. They give me my belongings and send me on my way. I’m almost positive they’ve made a mistake—until I get outside. Delaney is standing only a few feet from the door, fidgeting with her sleeve nervously. As soon as I let the door close behind me, she l
ooks up. The tension between us is so electric it crackles in the air.
“You paid my bail?” I know she’s rich, but she had to put up at least a thousand dollars cash to post bail with the bondsman, maybe more.
She shrugs and stares down at her shoes. “Seemed fitting, since you only got arrested because of me.”
“Maybe I’m just a shitty fence climber.”
“Maybe you’re just a shitty liar.”
I can’t help but laugh, and the minute I do, her eyes meet mine again. She’s right, I am, but not about the reason I got arrested—about her. To tell myself that she’s just some private school brat following her sister around is the biggest joke of them all. I’ve known it since the night we met, when she stood there looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Like Bambi.
“Thank you,” she tells me, the honesty in her voice hitting me straight in the chest.
“Don’t sweat it.”
She looks as if she wants to push it further, to make sure I fully understand how thankful she is for my sacrifice, but she decides against it. “Come on. I’ll drop you off at home.”
I follow her toward her car, and when I see it, my jaw drops. Never in my eighteen years of life have I ever seen something so beautiful. A white Lamborghini Aventador roars to life as she hits the auto start button on her keys.
“That’s your car?” I balk.
She nods. “It was my birthday gift.”
Birthday? Tessa never mentioned it being her birthday, and I’m sure as shit she’s the kind to gloat all day about it.
“When was your birthday?”
“Next week.” She walks around to the driver’s side, and the two of us get in. “My parents have to go visit my sister at college so they decided to celebrate early.”
I hear what she’s saying, but I’m too busy admiring the interior to answer. It’s all white, looking like something out of a dream. This car is hands down worth more than my entire neighborhood, and here it is, in the hands of a seventeen-year-old Goody Two-Shoes. I don’t know whether to be jealous or ridiculously turned on as I watch her navigate the roads.
“So, what are the chances of you letting me drive this thing?”
She chuckles, shaking her head. “About the same as the chances of you not being an asshole.”
“There you go again with the harsh words. See, Bambi? I’m already a bad influence on you.”
“That’s debatable. And besides, if anyone should be taking credit for my language, it’s Tessa. That girl curses like a sailor.”
Laughter bubbles out of my mouth involuntarily. “Yeah, I’ve noticed. Not you, though, you’re…different.”
“Yeah,” she sighs. “I’m different.”
I can feel the instant the mood shifts. The playfulness is gone, and the frown on her face threatens to rip my chest wide the fuck open.
“Hey, I didn’t mean it as a bad thing,” I say in an attempt to lighten things back up again, but it’s no use.
She pulls up to my house and brings the car to a stop. “Thanks again. Next time, I promise I’ll listen when you tell me to go home.”
I get out of the car and lean down to look at her one more time. The way she looks in the driver’s seat of this car is enough to make me combust on the spot. I don’t know what it is that makes the next word leave my mouth, but there isn’t a damn thing in the world that could stop me.
“Don’t.”
8
DELANEY
I make my way through the crowded halls, only wanting to get from my locker to Savannah’s unscathed. You would think there’s some reason to panic with the way kids rush around this place, but there isn’t. Just a normal day in private school hell.
“I swear, one of these days I’m going to get trampled trying to get here,” I tell Sav as soon as I reach her.
She giggles and looks around. “Why don’t you just share a locker with me? That way you don’t have to walk all the way over to yours in the morning.”
“That would be incredible.” I wrap my arms around her. “Seriously, you’re the best.”
“I know.” She smiles. “Meet me at lunch and we’ll move your stuff.”
Grayson slips past me and grabs his girlfriend, pulling her into his arms. “Ugh, I missed you.”
“Missed her? You two live together.”
He glares at me playfully. “I had kickboxing this morning, so I had to leave super early.”
“Kickboxing?”
Savannah nods. “Apparently, he wants to feel even more like an alpha badass. So, he’s waking up at four in the morning to take kickboxing classes and then goes to another after dinner.” She grabs his shirt and lifts it up, exposing a nasty bruise. “By the looks of it, he’s not doing very well.”
Grayson pulls her hand away and covers the injury. “I’m doing fine. My partner is just a douchebag. He doesn’t follow the rules for shit.”
“Sure, babe. Whatever you say.”
I watch as two of my best friends bicker back and forth, laughing at them. Carter comes up to stand by my side.
“Is this just a phase or are they always like this?”
“Like what?” I question.
“Disgustingly adorable one minute and arguing like an old married couple the next?”
“Yeah. They’ve been that way since we were younger. I don’t see it changing any time soon.”
He groans. “Good to know.”
We all stand around like we do every morning, making fun of each other or watching Savannah put Grayson in his place like the little savage she is. Really, I could take a few pages out of her playbook. Maybe then I wouldn’t let Knox walk all over me the way he has been. I can’t ask her for pointers, though, without her asking who I want to use them on.
“So, are you excited?” Carter asks me as we all start to walk to class.
“For what?”
He narrows his eyes, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Your birthday party this weekend. Tessa sent out a mass invite. Practically the whole school is invited.”
Of course, she did. “And uh, when did she say this party was?”
“Friday, so we can ring in your birthday at midnight.”
Savannah watches me carefully before chuckling. “You had no idea, did you?”
“None.”
A wide grin stretches across Grayson’s face. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
I roll my eyes. “Because it’s Tessa. I’ve got to get to class. We’ll talk about this later.”
“Give her hell, firecracker,” Carter jokes, and I walk away—making a mental note to talk to Tess after class.
I’M USUALLY THE TYPE to pay attention in class. You can’t get the grades I do by sitting on your ass and not listening to what the teacher is saying. Today, however, I’m completely absorbed into my phone.
Knox keeps sending me pictures of people in his school with his own stupid commentary. The first is of a kid who insists on wearing a weird, vampire-style cape with the caption “I wonder if he sparkles in the sunlight.” The next is of Stone, flirting with some girl who couldn’t look any less interested. The caption reads “I wonder if she’s thinking about dryer lint.”
With each one he sends, it becomes harder and harder to keep my composure. I finally can’t hold it in any longer by the time I reach the fifth. It’s a picture of the front of my school with the caption, “I wonder if any of the guys there actually have dicks.”
A bark of laughter leaves my mouth. I instantly smack my hand over it, but it’s too late. The damage is done. Everyone in the room turns to look at me, and my face turns beat red. Thankfully, Mr. Lachey pulls the attention back onto himself and everything goes back to normal. My fingers move quickly as I type out a response to Knox.
Delaney: You’re such a jerk. I literally laughed out loud and everyone looked at me.
As soon as I hit send, I can see the three dots appear. It’s only seconds before his reply comes through.
Knox: So, you agree. Th
e guys in your school don’t have dicks.
I roll my eyes.
Delaney: You’re hopeless.
Knox: ;)
THE REST OF CLASS passes quickly, thanks to my obnoxious distraction. We’ve talked about everything, from the monotone voice his teacher has to the fact that everyone seems to have known about this party Tessa is throwing but me. Speaking of, I really need to talk to her.
As soon as the bell rings, I grab my things and head out the door to find my sister. It’s not hard, being as she’s waiting at the end of the hallway where we always meet. However, the second she sees the look on my face, she turns to run away.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warn, and she stops. “I thought we agreed that if I didn’t like the party at Zayn’s house, you wouldn’t throw one.”
“No,” she counters. “I said if you didn’t have fun I’d consider throwing it somewhere else. I considered it. You lost.”
I groan, throwing my head back. “Tessa, I don’t want a huge party!”
“Uh, in case you’re forgetting, it’s not just your birthday. And besides, I’m older, which means I’m in charge when Mom and Dad leave.”
“Okay, one, you’re two minutes older. And two, I can guarantee you that if we were to ask Dad who is in charge, the last person he would say is you.”
She waves me off dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. What do you want me to do? Everyone already knows about it. We can’t cancel it now.”
“You’re the worst, you know that?”
A triumphant smile graces her face. “You love me.”
Just then, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out to find a new message.
Knox: You could always join the convent. I’m sure you qualify.
His text is a response to me complaining about having to spend eighty minutes a day listening to my teachers go on and on about how important our high school education is, as if we’re not going to forget it all two months after graduation.
The Saint: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Haven Grace Prep Book 2) Page 6
