The Saint: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Haven Grace Prep Book 2)

by Kelsey Clayton

  I’ve spent the last few hours running every situation through my mind, and it all comes back to one solution—the only way I can keep Delaney safe. I have to turn myself in and use what I know to take Cal down with me. It’s a long shot—a Hail Mary by all means—but it’s all I’ve got. It’s that or kill him, and I don’t think another life on my tally board, her uncle’s especially, is something Delaney wants.

  Delaney. My heart. My soul. My reason for fucking existing. I never thought I’d find someone who could make me feel things I can’t even explain. And I sure as hell never thought that someone would come in the form of an innocent, doe-eyed, trust-fund baby—but she’s yet to do one thing that doesn’t surprise me.

  There’s an age-old saying that you can’t love someone else until you learn to love yourself, but that’s bullshit. I’ve hated myself for as long as I can remember, convinced that I was the reason my dad left and why my mom is never around. The darkness is something I’ve gotten used to—something I’ve learned to find comfort in, even. But Delaney? Fuck, I love her so much it numbs the feeling of hating myself.

  ZAYN WAKES UP SHORTLY before ten. He comes downstairs looking like something out of The Walking Dead. I smirk at him as he rubs his eye with his fist.

  “Damn, lack of beauty sleep really fucks you up,” I quip, and he flips me off.

  “Coffee,” he grumbles, walking into the kitchen.

  Grayson stirs from his place on the floor. He didn’t fall asleep until four in the morning, after going upstairs and checking to make sure Savannah was okay. When he saw that she was sleeping, he decided to try to get some rest. Lucky him. I’m starting to think sleep isn’t a luxury I have anymore.

  “What time is it?”

  I look down at my phone. “Ten.”

  “Savannah?”

  “Still upstairs. Neither of them have come down yet.”

  He groans and throws his arm over his eyes. A few minutes later, Zayn comes out with a full pot of coffee and three mugs. I chuckle, finding as much humor in it as I can at the moment.

  “You’re such a good little housewife.”

  The corners of his mouth raise. “Fuck off.”

  We all get a cup, letting the caffeine save our sanity. The three of us stay quiet, but it’s clear the same thing is on all our minds. What happens now? I wish I knew.

  “I take it we don’t have training with Jackson today?”

  I snort. “Nothing gets by you, does it, Pretty Boy?”

  Zayn must be able to sense that I’m using sarcasm to cover up the fact that I’m internally freaking out, because he tosses me his pack of cigarettes. “We’ll figure something out. I just think we should wait for the princesses to wake up. You do one more thing behind their backs, they’ll kill you both.”

  The two of us chuckle, knowing he has a point. Meanwhile, I peek out the window and look for any sign of someone knowing where we are. I’m just about to sigh in relief when a noise comes from above us and the next thing I know, Delaney and Savannah are rushing down the stairs. Laney has a look on her face that I’ve never seen before. It’s more than fear—it’s pure, unadulterated terror.

  “Delaney?” I ask. “What’s wrong?”

  She looks as she’s about to cry. “Uncle Dom. He ha...he has Tessa.”

  “He what?” The three of us shout in unison.

  Laney starts to hyperventilate, breaking down right in front of my face. It’s my worst nightmare—her being in a situation that I can’t fix right away. Tessa is strong, a wild little savage, but she’s no match for Cal. Especially not when she trusts him like a niece should be able to trust her uncle.

  I lunge over the couch to get to her. As soon as I’m close enough, I scoop her into my arms. Her head rests against my chest as the panic attack obliterates every inch of her body. Savannah seems shaken up, but in much better shape than Delaney. Still, Grayson pulls her close as soon as he can, tucking her against his side.

  “Delaney, breathe,” I try, but she’s in physical pain and grasping at her chest. “Listen to me. I need you to follow my breathing. Okay? Breathe with me.”

  I start to take slow, deep breaths, in through my nose and out through my mouth. If it wasn’t for my mom having these sometimes, I probably would have no idea what to do—but thankfully, I have some experience. After a few moments, her breathing starts to calm and her body relaxes a bit.

  “Listen to me. We’re going to save Tess, okay?” She looks into my eyes and nods. “Now, I need you to tell me exactly what he said.”

  Just as she tries to answer, she breaks down again. I look to Savannah in hopes that she heard it, too.

  “He said that you two need to go to The Underground by noon and not to try anything.” Grayson and I nod and stand up in an instant, but just as we head for the door, she stops us. “Not you and Grayson. You and Delaney.”

  It immediately feels like I got hit with a truck. “No.”

  “Knox.” Zayn goes to grab my arm but I pull it away.

  “No! Fuck no!” I shout. “I’m not putting her in danger like that. No fucking way.”

  My best friend puts his hands on my shoulders. “You have to. Do you hear me? You. Have. To.” He glances at Delaney, who looks as if her whole world is crumbling. “God knows what he’ll do if you don’t.”

  It hurts, knowing he’s right and wishing like hell he wasn’t. There’s only one thing worse than seeing Laney the way she looks right now, and that’s putting her in a room with that man again. I can only imagine what he has planned, especially after last night. But I know that if something happens to Tessa, she’ll never be the same.

  I exhale, walking over to Delaney and crouching down in front of her. “What do you say, Bambi?” I put my hand out, and she looks at it for a second. Finally, she puts her hand in mine and I help her up. “That’s my girl.”

  AFTER ALMOST AN HOUR of Grayson and I teaching Delaney all the self-defense moves we can, the two of us get in the car and start heading toward The Underground. She stays quiet for the most part, but I can see her shaking. I reach over and put comforting hand on her knee.

  “Can I ask you something?” she questions when we’re less than two miles away.

  “Anything.”

  Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, she hesitates—as if she’s afraid of the answer. “When you broke up with me…”

  I glance at her and then find her hand with my own. “It was because I realized who Cal is, and the kind of access he had to you, when you introduced us at the gala. God, it killed me to push you away like that. Every day without you was my own personal hell, but I had to protect you. I needed to make him think that you weren’t important to me. Otherwise, he would use you as leverage every chance he got.”

  “So, it wasn’t because you lost interest in me?”

  “Not even a little. Fuck, Bambi, I’ve always been so fucking gone for you.”

  She doesn’t say anything else, but I don’t expect her to as I pull down the hidden dirt road. When the trees open, I see two of Cal’s men standing at the door. Delaney’s breathing starts to speed up again, and I know I need to get that under control before getting out of this car.

  “Laney,” I say as I put it in park. “You have to realize, they feed on fear, baby. So, the stronger you look, the better off you are. Okay?”

  She nods. “But what’s to keep him from killing us all once we’re inside?”

  Honestly? Nothing, but I’m not about to tell her that. Instead, I place my hands on her face.

  “I’m not going to let anything hurt you. Do you hear me? Nothing.”

  “But who’s going to keep something from happening to you?”

  Not knowing what exactly we’re walking into, the last thing I’m going to do is lie to her. So, I ask the only question I need an answer to.

  “Do you trust me?”

  She blinks then brings her hands up to cover my own. “Wholeheartedly.”

  The feelings that come from her answer are like
something from out of this world. My entire body tingles as I lean in and press my lips to hers for the first time in far too long. Her breath hitches, but it doesn’t stop her from kissing me back. Does she forgive me for all the messed-up shit I’ve done? I’m not sure. But am I going to enjoy this moment anyway? You’re damn right.

  When we finally pull away, I pray to God that isn’t the last time I get to do that.

  The two of us get out of the car, and she waits for me before walking up to the door. Javier has a snide look on his face as he pats us both down. Then he opens the door and lets us inside. Delaney grips my hand tightly while the two of us walk down the long hallway toward the arena, following the lights. As soon as we step through the door, Laney whimpers slightly.

  Cal is standing in the middle of ring with Tessa tied to a chair. It looks like she must have been putting up a fight or pissing him off, because she’s in anything but good shape. A part of me wants to roll my eyes at how typical it is of her, but the bigger part is too focused on how to get the three of us out of here alive.

  “Well, look who decided to join us after all,” Cal says, and Tess looks at us with her mouth duct-taped shut and fear in her eyes.

  She tries to scream something, but Cal turns around and backhands her across the face. Delaney screams, making a move to run toward her sister, but my grip on her hand keeps her from going anywhere. She struggles against me, but as soon as her eyes meet mine, she stops.

  “All right, you got me here,” I tell him. “Let the girls leave. This is between you and me.”

  He starts to laugh, making the two goons with him laugh, too. “The boy thinks he’s some sort of comedian.” His eyes find mine, and there’s something sinister in them. “What do you think, that I’m just going to let them walk out of here? I can’t do that. You all know too much.”

  I swallow harshly as everything starts to make perfect sense. “What happened to Ashton?”

  “What?” The question catches him off guard.

  “You needed me to replace Ashton because he ‘met an unfortunate fate,’ but you didn’t say what happened to him.”

  Cal smirks. “Just figuring that out now, are you?” He holds his gun up and points it at me, pretending to shoot. “He was a lot like you. Wanted to stop fighting. Didn’t like the amount of people who were dying by his hands.” He snickers. “The only way out of this is in a fucking body bag.”

  Shit. He didn’t lure us here to get what he feels is owed to him. He did it so he can kill us all, and I led Delaney right into his trap. My blood runs freezing cold, the reality setting in. If he wants to kill me, so be it, but he’s going to have to go through me to get to her. I just hope to hell I can get her out of here, even if it isn’t with me.

  “Listen, you don’t want to do that,” I tell him. “There’s a guy. He’s completely in love with her and the son of the district attorney. He’s obsessed. I guarantee you he won’t stop searching until he finds out the truth about what happened to her. And he was there last night.”

  “Just another name on my checklist.”

  I give him an incredulous look. “The DA’s prized son? You really think that’ll be easy to get away with?” I carefully move so that Delaney is behind me. “It would be so much simpler to keep her alive. Tessa, too. You know your brother. Is he just going to accept that both his daughters died?”

  It looks like I have his attention as he raises a brow. “All right, wise-guy. What brilliant idea do you have in mind?”

  “Take me.” A gasp sounds from behind me, but I do my best to ignore it. “You can use me for whatever you want. Keep me locked in a cage if you have to and tell everyone I died, but let them go.”

  “Knox, don’t do this,” Laney pleads.

  “How do I know they won’t say anything?”

  I shrug, defeated. “Because who are people going to believe? Two girls who have been known to get in to trouble lately, or an established businessman? You cover your tracks like a fucking professional. Are you really afraid of them bringing you down?” He seems to be genuinely considering the idea, so I go in for the kill. “Their deaths will only create more problems for you. This way, you win.”

  It takes a very slow minute, but as he nods at one of his guys, I exhale in relief and turn to face Delaney. Her face is soaked with tears, and no matter how many I wipe away, more only replace them.

  “Please, don’t.”

  I press a kiss to her forehead. “I have to, baby. I have to.” Another kiss to her lips. “I want you to go, and I want you to be brilliant. You were always meant for amazing things, Bambi. Go become a doctor and cure cancer, or solve world hunger. You’re going to be so great, I know it.”

  She shakes her head. “I can’t leave you here.”

  “You can, and you will. It’s the only way.”

  “I don’t want to. I love you.”

  Hearing her say those words, even after all I’ve done, is like music to my ears, but fuck does it sting. “I—”

  The radio Cal has sounds with some sort of alarm, cutting me off. “Hey boss, we got company out here.”

  My eyes widen. No. No! Fuck! Within seconds, Cal pulls his gun back out and points it at Delaney and me. I shield her with my body, but if he shoots, it could go right through me and hit her.

  “What the fuck did you do?” he rages.

  I raise my hands in surrender. “Nothing. I swear. I didn’t tell a soul.”

  His lip curls into a snarl, and he turns to the two men with him. “Go handle that, now!” The goons run off for the entrance while Cal stays completely focused on me. “You think I’m fucking stupid, boy? Do you not know who you’re up against? I’ve killed a hundred little fuckers like you—cocky bastards who think they stand a chance against me.”

  “Whoever is out there, they’re not here because of me.”

  Nothing I say can get through to him again, that much is clear. “Delaney, get out from behind Knox. Let me see that pretty face.”

  “Don’t,” I mutter under my breath, and she listens.

  “Delaney!” Cal yells, cocking the gun and putting it at Tessa’s head. “Fucking now!” She tries to stay strong, but I can see she’s breaking as she steps into view. “That’s better. Step away from your boyfriend. I don’t want him trying anything heroic.”

  The further she gets from me, the more my chest tightens. Cal is clearly getting enjoyment out of this drama because he watches me with a devilish smirk. The sick piece of shit is probably getting off on this, watching his own nieces fear for their lives. He’s a soulless prick—devoid of any real emotions.

  “You almost had me fooled,” he says, shaking his head. “What was that? Just a distraction until your backup arrived?”

  “Cal, I promise you. I had nothing to do with whatever is going on outside. My plan can still work.” I try taking a subtle step toward Delaney, but he points his gun at me—a silent order not to move. I raise my hands. “Just let the girls go. You can still get away with all this.”

  “No, he can’t.” Jackson appears out of fucking nowhere on the other side of Delaney, holding a gun pointed straight at Cal. “Dominic Callahan, put the gun down!” It’s then that we both notice the badge hanging around his neck. He’s a cop?

  Cal throws his head back laughing, with his gun still pointed at me. Good. Better than the alternative. “I should have known you were a fucking pig.”

  “It’s over, Cal. Just put the gun down, and I won’t be forced to shoot you.”

  Focusing all his attention on me, Cal narrows his eyes. “This is all your fault. I help you, and this is how you repay me?” He grunts. “I should kill you. Take you out with me just for the hell of it.” His expression changes to one that sends a chill down my spine. “But given how much you fought to protect her, I think it’ll be more painful if I take her instead.”

  “Don’t!”

  It all happens in slow motion. Cal turns his gun toward Delaney, and I immediately start rushing her way as he pulls the
trigger. The second his gun fires, Jackson empties his entire clip, but my only focus is to save Laney. The impact of the bullet in my chest is almost a relief, knowing I made it, but the pain is excruciating, and I fall heavily at her feet, unable to control my own momentum.

  “No!” she screams. My shirt feels wet, but warm, though I feel really cold. “Knox? Knox!” I try to respond, but I can’t make my mouth shape the words. The faint sound of Jackson calling for help meets my ears as everything starts to become hazy. “Please, Knox! Knox!”

  But the pain is too much to bear, and I let myself slip under, knowing she’s safe.

  32

  DELANEY

  There are some things in life that nothing can ever prepare you for. How hard parenting actually is. The first time you lose your mom or dad. And watching the life leave the eyes of the man you love. There’s no cure for it. No way to rid yourself of the traumatic memory. It’s like your world moves to the next chapter and you can’t go back no matter how much you want to. Everything just goes forward.

  The sound of Tessa’s heart monitor is a constant reminder of hearing Knox flat-lining so many times I lost count. I sat in the corner of the ambulance, watching them send electric shocks through his body with an unmatched panic. And when they pulled him into the hospital, all I could do was stare at the amount of blood he left behind.

  “Laney?” My sister’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. When she sees the look on my face, she sighs—knowing exactly what I was thinking about. “I love you.”

  I give her a sad smile but don’t answer. Not because I don’t love her, but because the last person I said those words to never got the chance to say them back. There isn’t a thing in the world I wouldn’t sacrifice to hear it come from his voice, all deep and sulky. He’d probably make it sound indignant—like it’s a bad thing to open up to someone and let them in that way.

  A knock at the door gets our attention. “Mind if I come in?”

  The doctor is young, probably fresh out of residency, but thorough to a fault. Since the second we got here, he insisted on having us both checked out. I got a clear bill of health, pending a psychiatric evaluation, but Tessa is going to end up being in here for at least a day or so for observation.