“About what?” Sinner says, coming up behind her and sliding his hands around her waist.
She angles her head back. “Did you know about this? All of them being in a relationship?”
He kisses her cheek as his hands run across her flat stomach. “Not officially, but I’ve heard sounds of fucking coming from Lo’s room. I assumed my son was sticking it to her, but knowing how much of a slut she is, I can’t say I’m surprised to hear she’s banging all of them.”
Giana pushes her fiancé back, rounding on him. “How dare you talk about my daughter like that!”
Sinner slaps her face hard, and we all stiffen. “How dare you talk back to me in front of my son and his friends.” He grips her chin hard. The pale skin on her cheek is red, and tears glisten in her angry eyes, but they don’t fall. “Your daughter is a dirty slut who opens her legs for any cock. Don’t hate me for stating the obvious.” Sinner’s gaze flits to Saint’s. “But you need not worry. I have plans to discipline her.”
I walk to Saint’s side, my presence a warning to calm the fuck down, because this is how Sinner tortures his son. I know Saint tried to keep Lo at arm’s length. To fight his attraction to her. Because it’s the best way of keeping her safe. But Sinner isn’t blind. He’s seen the connection growing between all of us. And he’ll use that to hurt his son. To hurt Lo. And to make a point.
I’m not letting it happen. I don’t know how yet, but it’s one thing I can do to make amends.
“You will not touch my daughter,” Giana screams, knowing full and well what he’s inferring.
Sinner drops her chin, lowering his hand to her crotch and cupping her pussy through her dress. Tension pours into the air. I don’t want to bear witness to this, but to leave when he’s mid-rant would incense him. Sinner will use Lo to punish Saint, and he’ll use my mom against me, so I can’t afford to piss him off.
“This pussy is mine,” he snarls, gripping her cunt so tight I’m sure it must hurt. “And your daughter’s pussy will be mine if I say so.”
“Lo belongs to me,” Saint says, adding, “To us. If you even look at her funny, I will gut you in your sleep.”
Sinner stares at his son, and you could hear a pin drop in the room. Until he grins, breaking out in peals of laughter.
The guy is crazy unpredictable.
Another time, he’d pull a gun on his son for daring to publicly challenge him.
“About time you fucking manned up.” He shoves Giana away forcefully. She wobbles on her high heels, tumbling to the floor.
“The wedding’s off!” she yells, propping up on her elbows on the floor.
Sinner bends over her, and she cowers. “The wedding will go ahead, or I’ll put a gun up that treacherous cunt of yours and blow you to smithereens before I do the same to your precious daughter.”
“I hate you.”
“I love you.” He presses a kiss to the top of her head, like he hasn’t just slapped her and thrown her to the ground in front of us. Like it’s normal to treat the person you profess to love in such a cruel manner.
He turns to me, waving his hand about my body. “The Bulls did this, you say.”
“Yeah. Five of them jumped me when I was cleaning up the scene.” Saint told him The Bulls killed Parker and then put the beatdown on me when I discovered her body.
“They need to pay. Arrows too, but I’m working on that.”
“We will handle The Bulls,” Saint says, this playing out perfectly for us. “You have enough on your plate. Let us deal with them.” He extends his hand, helping Giana to her feet.
Sinner slaps Saint on the shoulder. “That’s my boy. Future president.” He looks at the three of us. “Nothing less than full annihilation will appease me. Wipe The Bulls from existence, and your initiation is complete.”
“Lo too?” Theo asks, even though we all know it’s futile.
“Lo will be set different initiation tasks.” A gleeful look ghosts over his face, churning my stomach. Whatever he has planned for her will not be good.
Giana gulps, smoothing a hand down the front of her dress.
Sinner points a finger at Saint. “Do whatever you need to, and I want full progress reports.” Sinner leans into Giana, kissing her on the cheek. “Get changed, babe. I’m taking you out.” He strolls out of the kitchen without another word or glance.
Saint turns to Giana. “Can we do anything?”
Her answering smile is sad. “Not for me.” She palms his face. “You can’t interfere between me and your father, but you can protect my daughter.” Her gaze bounces between us. “Maybe, it’s a good thing she has all of you to protect her. She’s going to need it.”
_______________
I drop by Theo’s room a couple hours later. He’s on his bed, wearing cotton shorts with a tablet on his lap. I swear the guy cuddles that thing at night. “What’s up?” he asks, putting it aside.
I hobble into the room. “I wanted to ask you about Lo.” He goes rigidly still. “Not about your history.” I ease onto the bed beside him. “I need to make it up to her, but I have no clue how to do that. I thought you might have ideas.”
“Wow.” He grins. “The infamous Galen Lennox is asking the nerd for advice with the ladies. I need to note this moment for posterity.”
I flip him the bird. “It’s in all our interests for me to fix it. Can you help or not?” I’m pissy ’cause I’m in pain and I haven’t been able to locate Mom in days, which can only mean one thing—she’s high or passed out someplace. I knew this latest round of sobriety wouldn’t last, but it’s still a punch to the gut every time she falls off the wagon.
“Lo isn’t like other girls, so buying her jewelry or flowers won’t work,” he says, tapping his fingers off his chin, “especially when the sin is so heinous.”
“Thanks for the reminder,” I growl. “It’s not like I’m thinking about it every second of every day.”
“Lo enjoys shooting and training, so maybe, buy her a gun. A collector’s item, perhaps.”
I stare at him. “Great idea. I’ll buy her a gun so she has something to use on me when she remembers my betrayal.”
“Or you could take her to the shooting range or one of those hunting weekend things. I bet she’ll love that,” he says, pretending he didn’t hear my sarcasm.
“And how do you expect me to get her to agree to come anywhere with me?”
“You need to earn her trust.” He tucks his long blond hair behind his ears, looking contemplative. He pins earnest eyes on me. “You need to open up to her. Nothing is more appealing to Lo than honesty and vulnerability.” He wets his lips, looking down at his lap. “Whatever it is you haven’t told her, about the past, tell her now. Tell her everything.”
“Like you have?”
His jaw tenses. “I have tried to tell her, which is more than you’ve done.”
I raise a palm in surrender. “You’re right, but I’m not sure it won’t make things worse.”
“I guess that’s a risk you must take.”
“I guess so,” I say, swinging my legs around and leaving his room.
_______________
“You’re an hour late,” I hiss at Darrow Knight, scowling over the rim of my warm beer.
“Chill the fuck out. You’ve got beer and easy women.” His eyes dart around the dimly lit, grungy biker’s bar. “It’s not much of a hardship.”
“I’m trying to stay under the radar,” I snap. “You’ve landed me in the shit. We had a fucking deal, asshole.” I glare at him, really playing it up, because Lo will string me up by the balls if I mess this up. “And she’s not dead.” I slam my beer down for added effect.
“She’s a fucking liability,” Darrow says. “And now, she’ll come after me.”
“She won’t. She’s out of town for a while, and then, she’ll be busy with her mom’s wedding. I can keep her under control.”
“How? Doesn’t she want you dead too? And how are you still alive? I thought Saint was fucking her.”<
br />
“He is,” I sneer. “I didn’t get these injuries walking into a door, but I’ve bought us some time.”
A bottle blonde with big tits slides two fresh beers on the table. “Can I get you anything else, sweetheart?” She eye fucks Dar with zero shame.
“Keep your tight ass on ice, babe,” he says, sliding his hand up her fleshy thigh. “I’ll fuck you nice and hard before I leave.” He swats her ass as she walks away, sashaying her hips. “We can tag team,” he offers.
“Pass. Despite what’s said about me, I’m fussy about who I stick my dick in.” Contrary to popular belief, we all are, and tales of our conquests are much exaggerated. Within our crew, Saint and Caz are the ones who partake the most. I’ve been known to sit out, and Theo rarely pounds pussy, preferring blowies and the occasional anal fuck.
“You hitting Lo, too?” he inquires, sipping his beer.
“I hate that bitch, and I regret fucking her stupid cunt,” I lie. “She still needs to be taken out,” I add, eyeing his reaction.
He doesn’t blink or show any emotion. “I agree. If she opens her pretty mouth to Sinner and more shit rains down on The Arrows, I’m a dead man.”
You’re a dead man, anyway.
“I have a new plan. A new deal. One which will give us both what we want.”
He leans forward, grinning. “I’m all ears.”
CHAPTER 13
Harlow
A RAP ON my door signals Bry’s arrival. “You ready?”
I swing the door open, stepping back, briefly looking up from my cell. “Almost. Just give me a few.”
I tap out a short thank-you message to Galen, my chest heavy as I stare at today’s pic from the hospital. Galen has been checking in daily with Sean, sending me updates on Sariah.
Unfortunately, my bestie is still in a coma, and with every passing day, it becomes more serious. If she doesn’t wake up, I don’t know what I’ll do.
She can’t die.
I need her, and she doesn’t deserve to go out like this.
Why does God punish good, kind people over and over, yet evil pieces of shit like Sinner Lennox get to stroll around the place unencumbered by his sins and his many crimes? It makes no sense to me, and the unfairness reeks. It’s one reason I gave up on any notion of a God years ago.
“Any change?” Bry asks, dropping onto the end of my bed.
“No.” I sigh, opening the text from Saint next. “Sar’s still in a coma.”
“Those bitches need to pay for that.”
“They will,” I promise.
I read Saint’s message, pleased the guys are taking care of business while I’m gone. They have a plan for The Bulls, which they’ll share with me tomorrow. They are coming to watch the final challenge and then taking me home. Although I have quite enjoyed this week, I’m dying to get home, itching to put wheels in motion, and to put my plan for vengeance back on track.
Sliding my phone in my pants pocket, I slip my feet into my boots and stand. “Let’s go.”
It’s Saturday night, and we’re going to a bar off-site for dinner and a few beers. Several of the instructors will be there, and all the initiates, so it’ll probably be lame ass, but the change of scenery is welcome.
“Gotten into her panties yet?” John says, sneering at Bry when we land in the lobby where the others are waiting.
“Go annoy some other sap.” Bry folds his arms, threatening John with a dark look.
“When it’s so much fun annoying you two?” He snorts. “Not likely.”
I step right in front of him, clicking my fingers in his face. “You’re an annoying gnat. One I’d enjoy crushing except you’re not worthy of that investment of time.” I shove his shoulders. “Fuck off, John. Run to your older brother, and plot more ways to take me down if you dare.”
Turns out, John is Instructor Corr’s younger brother. I would never have made the connection if he hadn’t let that slip, because they look nothing alike. All week, they’ve tried to undermine me and make my life hell. John is doing the dirty work, but I know his older brother is the orchestrator. He’s tried sabotaging me every step of the way, but I’ve handled everything he’s thrown at me. It helps that Bry has my back, and the more time I spend with him, the more I realize him joining our ranks is a good thing.
Not sure I’ll ever be able to sell that to Saint, but I’ll try.
We pile into the truck, and Bry and I take seats in the back. We don’t talk as the truck ambles over bumpy terrain, but the silence is comfortable.
The bar is your typical back-end-of-nowhere ramshackle hut, but the beers are flowing freely, the music isn’t too cheesy, and the burger fills a hole in my belly. Bry and I are seated at the end of a long bench, as far away from the gnat as possible, talking quietly with our heads close together. “How did you and Dar meet?” I ask between sipping my beer.
“We met when we were ten. One of my older brothers was dating his sister Rita. He used to drag me to her place when he was babysitting me. Dar and I started hanging out in school after that, and a couple years later, he introduced me to The Arrows.”
“How many siblings do you have?”
“Three older brothers, and I had a sister, but she died a few months before I was born.”
“I’m sorry.”
He shrugs, picking at the label on his beer. “It’s cool. I never met her, so it was different for me. My eldest brother was super close to her, because there was only a year between them, and he’s never gotten over it.”
I want to ask him how she died, but I don’t want to be rude. I know from experience how hard it is talking about the death of a loved one.
“I’m sorry about your dad,” he says, shifting on the bench. His knee brushes against mine.
“Thanks.” I quietly sip my beer.
“I didn’t know that night at Galen’s place. I wouldn’t have let you see Dar with Tempest if I’d known.”
I take a mouthful of beer. “I don’t hold that against you. You did me a favor.”
He gulps back some beer. “You were always far too good for him. I never understood how he grabbed your attention or kept it for so long.”
“I was using him. I thought he might have intel I was after. When I found out he didn’t, I should’ve broken it off, but the sex was great, so I let it go on longer than it should have.”
“What intel?”
I shrug casually, like it’s nothing, because I can’t divulge the truth. Not until I know I can trust him. Sinner has just recruited him, and he seems firmly pro-Sainthood, but I know how easily that can be faked. If he discovered I only got with Darrow because he was the leader of the junior chapter of The Arrows and I was hoping he might have intel I could use to help take the Saints down, I’m not sure what he’d make of it.
The Arrows are known enemies of The Sainthood, and I felt sure they must have something on their rivals that would be of use, but I failed to understand how little sway Darrow has within the organization, and he was of fuck all use to me. “It doesn’t matter now.”
“I wanted to make a move on you,” he admits, a cheeky grin spreading across his face.
“I thought Dar was your friend. Isn’t there some bro code against that?”
“Dar and I barely tolerate one another these days.” He knocks back his beer, his grin turning into a grimace.
“Why? What happened?”
“We went in two different directions. He’s self-obsessed and selfish, and nothing or no one will stand in his way. I don’t like the person he’s become.”
I nod. “I’m with you there. He makes decisions purely on how they’ll impact him. How they’ll further his agenda.”
“I should’ve reached out to you after the party,” he says. “Maybe I might’ve stood a chance back then. Now, I see it’s too late.”
Fuck. I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but I won’t lead him on either. “I’m flattered, Bry, and I think we’ll be good friends. But it won’t be anything more. I’m sorry.�
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He brushes a few stray hairs back off my face. “No need to apologize, Lo. You can’t force yourself to feel something you don’t. And the fact you’re straight with me only makes me respect you more. Saint and the guys are lucky bastards. I’m not surprised you’re the one who’s caught their eye. You’re pretty damn special, and they better make you feel like that because they’re not worthy of you otherwise. Galen sure as fuck isn’t.”
I clasp his hands, squeezing. “You will make some girl so fucking happy one day because I think you’re pretty damn special yourself.” I let his hands go, curling my fingers around my beer bottle. “And this thing with the guys is new. We’re all navigating choppy waters. I have history with Galen, Saint, and Theo, which complicates things.”
“But not Caz?”
I smile as I think of my big, burly, sexy guy, who’s all heart underneath that scary exterior.
“Wow.”
“What?” I ask, quirking a brow.
“I hope someone looks like that when thinking of me someday.”
His words prod at my heart, reminding me I’m not being careful. My smile slips a little. “Things are easy with Caz because there’s no painful past, and he’s laid-back, and he makes me laugh.” My smile returns. “He’s a good guy.”
“I’m reserving judgment,” he admits, and I appreciate his honesty.
“That’s fair, and I know the guys are doing the same with you.”
“No matter what I think of them, there’s no doubting how much they care about you. They made that perfectly clear on Monday.” He peers into my eyes. “They’ve got your back. Me too.”
I’m still smiling at Bry’s words as I emerge from the dingy bathroom a few minutes later. A hand wraps around my hair from behind, and I’m hauled back against a solid chest. My training kicks in, and I twist around, landing a punch in the guy’s gut. I wrench my head free, ignoring the stinging pain ripping across my scalp as several strands of my hair are yanked out.
John comes at me, anger contorting his face as he lunges at me with a knife. I duck down, swiping his legs out from under him. He grabs hold of my shirt before I can step aside, and we crash to the floor with him on top of me. He brandishes the knife at my face, and I grip his forearms, holding him off as the knife dangles precariously close to my flesh. He presses his large body down on top of me, and every attempt to push him off fails. Sweat beads on my brow as we battle for control of his arms. I dig my nails into his skin, as his mouth pulls into an ugly grimace. “I will enjoy slitting that pretty throat,” he threatens as pounding footsteps echo in the hallway.
The Sainthood : A Dark High School Romance (The Complete Series) Page 39
