“Actually,” Lincoln says, stepping inside the house. “My brother set this up, and you can trust him. Trust me.” His face pales as he notices the marks and injuries clearly visible on Mom. “Jesus Christ, Giana.” He drags a hand through his dark hair. “What has that bastard done to you?” Lincoln’s anguished eyes meet mine briefly before flicking back to Mom. He takes her hands in his, drawing closer. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. I promised Trey, and I didn’t do enough.”
“I’m not your responsibility,” Mom says, squeezing his hands. “And you’ve nothing to apologize for. You’re here now. That’s all that counts.”
He nods, releasing her hands and turning to me. “My brother said you were safe, but if anything changes, you know how to reach me.”
“I’ll be fine. Just look after Mom.”
“I’ll guard her with my life.”
“I’d like a word with my daughter. Alone.” Mom glances at the guys and Lincoln.
“I’ll put your bags in the car and let you say your goodbyes, but don’t take too long. We shouldn’t delay.” Lincoln swipes Mom’s bags and exits the house with my guys in tow.
“I know we need to have a long talk, and I promise we’ll do that soon. For now, I need you to promise me that you won’t do anything reckless. Don’t go after Sinner for this, Harlow, and stay out of his way. Let your boyfriends protect you.”
It sounds so weird hearing Mom say boyfriends, as in plural, but I guess I’m lucky she’s accepting of our unusual relationship. “I could say the same to you about Sinner. Whatever you are planning, don’t do it. Trust us to deal with this. We are going to handle it.” I hug her gently. “He’s going to pay for what he did to all of us, Mom. He’s not getting away with it.”
CHAPTER 15
“WHAT HAPPENED TO my Lexus?” I ask the following morning as we exit the barn and climb into Saint’s Land Rover, heading for school.
“There was extensive damage, but it wasn’t totaled,” Caz explains. “I dropped it into a buddy’s garage, and they’re working on it. We should be able to pick it up sometime next week.”
I swivel in the passenger seat, turning around so I can blow him a kiss. “Thanks, babe.”
Caz pokes his head through the gap between the two front seats, angling his head toward me. “I wish I had the time to work on it myself.”
“You fix cars?”
He nods. “I used to work at the garage part-time after school, but my grades dropped, and Mom insisted I focus on school this year.” He barks out a laugh. “Which is laughable, because it’s made no fucking difference.”
“I’d like to meet your mom,” I say. “We should drop by sometime.”
“She’d like that. She’s always getting on my case because she hardly sees me these days.”
“Then it’s decided. We’ll visit her soon.”
He leans forward, pecking my lips. “I already know she’ll love you.”
I mess up his hair, and he pokes his tongue out at me before settling back in his seat.
“Have you heard from your dad?” Theo asks, lifting his head from his tablet and eyeballing Saint through the mirror.
“No.” Saint’s tone is clipped.
“Concerning,” Galen murmurs.
“I know.” Saint sighs. “He’s got to know he’s been locked out.”
“And he’ll know we helped with that.” I turn up the heating in the car and snuggle into my warm sweater ’cause it’s fucking cold today and my bones are chilled.
“He will, and he’ll want blood,” Galen adds.
“We stay away from him at all costs,” Saint says. “We can attend to Sainthood business and use school as an excuse to avoid going near him.”
“He won’t buy it,” Galen says.
“I don’t fucking care!” Saint grips the steering wheel hard as we near the school, and it’s obvious he’s wound up tight, and ready to explode, so we drop the conversation—even though we all understand Sinner will be itching to take us down a few pegs for helping his fiancée dump his perverted ass.
Entering the familiar building without my bestie by my side is a heart-wrenching experience, only made bearable by the guys cocooning me on all sides. The crowd parts to let us pass, and a deathly hush descends.
“Fuck off,” Saint snaps, glaring at everyone as we pass. “Go about your usual business. Now.” It’s clear he’s not asking, and it’s amazing how quickly everyone scurries off, at least pretending like they’re not gawking at us.
A lump the size of a bus lodges in my throat as we approach my locker. Sariah’s was directly across the hallway, and the sight of all the cards, gifts, and flowers adorning her locker almost undoes me. I stop, rooted to the spot, staring at her locker, while pain slices across my chest. I should probably be happy people cared enough to leave gifts and notes, but I’m mostly angry. The majority of these people ignored Sariah when she was a student here, and the hypocrisy astounds me.
“Lo.” A familiar voice has me whipping my head around, and I close the distance to my locker. Sean is standing there with Emmett at his side, both towering over me.
“Hey.” I grab Sean into a hug. “It’s good to see you.” I’ve sent him a few texts this past week, but I haven’t had any response. Emmett told me he’s struggling, big-time, and I’m concerned.
“This is all so fucking pointless.” Sean shrugs, and Emmett shoots me worried eyes. “I hate it here without her.”
My guys open their lockers, watching and listening, ready to step in if I need them.
“It sucks,” I agree, because I’m already feeling her loss, so I can only imagine how awful it is for Sean. There is no doubt in my mind Sean and Sariah were in it for the long haul. They had a special kind of love that doesn’t die overnight. It’s going to take Sean a long time to get over her. If he ever will.
“It helps that you’re here,” he adds, attempting a smile that falls flat. “It helps me feel closer to her.”
I hug him again. “I know what you mean.” It’s the same with Sean, although it also hurts, because I’m not used to seeing Sean without Sariah and it’s a constant reminder that she’s gone. But I can tell Sean needs the connection, and I want to be there for him.
“New ring?” Emmett blurts, his eyes widening when he notices the finger I’m wearing it on.
“Yeah.” I slide the ring onto my middle finger, beseeching him to drop the subject with my eyes. Sean has just lost the love of his life. I don’t want to rub my happiness in his face.
Emmett is no dumb jock, and he instantly gets it, switching the subject. “My sister asks me almost daily when you’re dropping by.”
“This week is hectic, but maybe next week?”
“Cool.” Emmett’s answering smile is wide, and Saint slams his locker shut with more force than necessary.
I roll my eyes. Some things will never change. “Careful, Saintly. Your crazy is showing.”
He smacks my ass. Hard. And I glare at him. “Careful, princess. You know what happens when you push my buttons.” He smirks, sliding his arm possessively around my shoulders. “And I know how much you love being punished.” He eyeballs Emmett as he speaks. “Some might say you do it on purpose.” He smacks me again, and I push him away, snarling. “Because you love when I spank your naughty ass.”
Emmett’s smile fades, replaced with a sour grimace. “I still can’t believe you find that shit attractive.” He shakes his head at me, and I shrug, because I won’t apologize for who I am or what I enjoy. From the way he narrows his eyes at Saint, I know he’d love to throat punch him. I don’t think those two will ever put their differences aside, no matter how much I beg them to stop acting like jealous idiots.
My cell pings with a message, and I’m grateful for the distraction. I pull it out, scowling as my ex’s name pops up on the screen. Great. Just what I need. Darrow Knight riding my ass again. He’s been notoriously quiet the past week, but he’s aware of what happened, so I’m guessing that’s the only
reason he hasn’t been pestering me for intel.
Guess my reprieve is over.
“I got one too,” Galen whispers in my ear, glancing at my cell. “Is he asking you to meet?” I nod. “Same.”
“Line it up for Wednesday,” Saint says, eavesdropping on our conversation. “It’s our only free night.”
“I’ll need to give him something,” I remind them, wishing I’d had the forethought to take Dad’s other files from the cabin. He has a bunch of work files—old cases he worked on for The Sainthood—that have proven useful before. The Arrows used the last file I gave them to get one of their guys out of jail. Throwing another couple Darrow’s way might get him off my case, for a while.
“We’ll think of something,” Theo assures me, as the bell chimes, signaling we need to get to class.
The morning drags by, and I’m finding it hard to concentrate. At the start of senior year, I was determined to stick to my goal, to study hard and maintain a high GPA, so my Brown dream becomes a reality, but with everything hanging in the balance, I honestly don’t care that much anymore. Surviving senior year alive is a more worthy goal, so it seems pointless wasting time in class when we could be plotting Sinner’s downfall. Unless I totally flunk things, or my attendance falls below the minimum required, I’ll graduate, and that’s all that matters.
What we do after graduation is yet to be determined. But the world is our oyster. And Brown isn’t the be-all and end-all.
We sit at our usual table in the cafeteria during lunch, but I toy with the food on my plate, having no appetite. The guys don’t push it, understanding the pain I’m in, and I’m grateful they are leaving me to it. Sean barely talks, letting Emmett carry the conversation.
It’s business as usual for the guys, and they’re occupied with a steady stream of idiots who approach the table, providing updates, placing orders, or putting requests in for ad hoc shit. Mostly, I tune them out, gnashing my teeth at a few bitches who are stupid enough to flirt with what belongs to me.
By the time the bell rings at the end of the day, I’m more than ready to get out of this hellhole.
The guys drop Theo and me at the barn, leaving to take care of some secret wedding mission, and I’m a lot less stressed stepping through the doors of our home than I was a half hour ago when leaving school. “Wow. You guys are really taking this seriously,” I say, switching the Keurig on and making a fresh pot of coffee.
“We only get one shot to get this right,” Theo says, coming up behind me and sliding his arms around my waist. “We want to make it special and memorable.”
I twist around in his arms, weaving my fingers through his hair. “I already know it will be. You don’t need to go to huge trouble on my account. Making you all mine is everything I need and want.”
“Did you ever think about this? Back when we were dating?” Sweeping my hair aside, he places his lips on my neck.
“I did,” I admit, arching my neck so he has more access. “Even though I knew it was silly, because I thought you weren’t into me like that, I did visualize marrying you some day.”
“Me too,” he whispers, as his delectable mouth roams up and down my neck.
“You did?” I can’t shield the disbelief from my tone.
He lifts his head, clasping my face. “My head was a mess back then. You know this. But you were still everything to me, Lo. I imagined marrying you. It might have confused me a little, but I still thought about it.”
“You know, I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad we went through that pain.” I grip his hips, pulling him flush to my body, and my core pulses as his hard length pushes against me.
“Because it’s led us here,” he whispers, gripping my ass cheeks in his large palms. “And I wouldn’t change a single part of our history.”
We move at the same time, our lips colliding in a hungry kiss that quickly becomes more. Our hips thrust against one another, and I need him to fill me in every place. “Fuck me,” I whimper into his mouth. “Right here. Right now.”
His eyes blaze with fierce need as he spins us around, pressing me down over the counter. “Does that hurt?” he asks, as his hands slide around to the band of my jeans and he pops the button.
“No,” I lie, because the truth is my ribs are still fucking sore, but I’ve learned to live with the pain. “Just do it already. I need your cock inside me.”
He pulls my jeans and panties down my legs and unbuttons my boots, tossing them aside. His hands glide up my legs, and liquid warmth floods my pussy, as my hips buck involuntarily against the side of the counter, needing friction, needing cock, needing Theo. The sound of clothing falling to the floor has me licking my lips and squirming with desire.
I cry out when his fingers push inside me, riding his hand as he pumps his digits into me. “Fuck, you are so wet.”
“Don’t sound surprised. You know what you do to me.”
“I never take it for granted, beautiful.” He leans over me, and his cock nudges against the crack in my ass.
“Take my ass,” I hiss, moaning as his fingers stroke the perfect spot inside my pussy. I’m not sure if it’s deliberate, but Theo has shied away from ass play since we reunited.
“Gladly, baby,” he says, shoving his cock deep in my pussy. “Let me work up to that.” He pounds into my cunt as he shoves his fingers into my mouth. “Suck.” I do as I’m told, because the promise of what’s to come has me feverish and on fire. Slowly, he works his fingers into my ass, one at a time, stretching me out, while his cock slides in and out of my cunt.
“Fuck, Theo. That feels so good.” I push my ass back against his finger. “But I need your cock. Now, babe. Please.”
He pulls his cock from my pussy, lining it up at my asshole, and slowly eases inside me. Using his other hand, he slides two fingers into my cunt.
“Oh my God, Theo.” I push back against him when he’s fully seated, and he holds his cock still as his fingers pump in and out of my pussy.
“I know, baby. You feel so good on my cock and my fingers.” He loses control then, slamming in and out of my ass while his fingers work my cunt, and the pain in my ribs fades into the background as I let go, closing my eyes and savoring everything he’s doing to me.
He circles my clit with his thumb as his fingers continue stroking the walls of my pussy, and I come apart on his hand as he rams into my ass, over and over, roaring as he comes, shooting his warm cum all over the cheeks of my ass.
We shower together afterward, and when we’re clean, he carries me to the bed and takes me again, coming in my pussy this time. I drift to sleep in his arms with a big smile on my face.
CHAPTER 16
WE MEET BRYANT Eccleston on Tuesday night in an abandoned house on the outskirts of Lowell, far from prying eyes. Bry is already inside when we arrive, talking in hushed tones on his cell. He cuts the call the second he sees us, sliding his cell into the back pocket of his jeans.
“Sup.” He jerks his head in the guy’s direction. “Lo,” he adds, casting a quick glance over me. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“No thanks to your fuck buddy,” Saint snarls, folding his arms and staring at Bry. There is still no love lost there.
“One-time fuck buddy,” Bry corrects him, adopting the same stance.
“Quit that shit.” I push between them, dragging their arms down. I point between all of us. “Same team. Remember?”
Bry scrubs his hands down his face, looking more agitated than normal. “You’re right.” He shoves his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. “But feeling like I’m seconds from a dagger in the neck doesn’t invoke confidence,” he admits.
“Give us one good reason why we should trust you?” Galen asks.
“Because I haven’t given you any reason not to,” Bry snarls.
“Not good enough,” Caz says.
Bry throws his hands in the air, sending me a frustrated look, pleading for help.
“Guys, knock it off. Bry is not our enemy. We’re on
the same page, so put your personal feelings aside and engage your brains.” I level them all with a deadly look. I know we don’t fully understand Bry’s motives yet, and we are right to be cautious, but treating him like an archenemy is getting us nowhere. If they continue doing this, they’ll push him firmly into Sinner’s corner, and that won’t benefit anyone.
“You said you have something for us,” Saint says. “Let’s hear it.”
“I planted the cameras in Archer Quinn’s office on Sunday, and it’s already paying dividends.”
“You should have led with that,” Theo suggests.
“I would have if I could’ve gotten a word in edgewise!” Bry snaps.
“Focus!” I bark, glaring at all of them, because they’re pissing me off now. “What have you discovered, Bry?”
“Diego is meeting the mole Saturday night. I have the exact time and location.”
“A breakthrough at last. Thank fuck.” Galen pushes strands of his messy dark hair out of his eyes. He hasn’t been wearing it in his faux hawk lately, either because he’s too lazy to style it, because we’ve been largely holed up alone, or he knows I love it wild and untamed.
“That’s excellent, Bry.” My smile is genuine, and his shoulders relax a smidgeon.
“Why is Diego meeting him and not Archer?” Saint asks.
“I’m guessing Diego has been the contact point all along. Archer is the prez, so he’s the most obvious choice, but maybe he knows Sinner is trying to find out the identity of the rat in his ranks, and he’d assume Archer or the VP is the one doing the meets. Diego is the sergeant at arms, someone Archer trusts, but this isn’t his typical responsibility, so it’s less likely he’s being watched.”
“Makes sense,” Theo agrees.
“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Galen says. “Because we’re about to find out who it is.”
“And whether they know where that Leydon evidence is,” I add, because that’s the sole reason we want to find him.
“We need another favor,” Saint says. His body language confirms he’s still tense and on guard, and I need to do something about that later.
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