The Sainthood : A Dark High School Romance (The Complete Series)

by Siobhan Davis

  “We should go now before we lose her,” Bry suggests. “The others can follow us.”

  I nod. “We’re going to trail her,” I call out, backing away. “You have her coordinates. Follow us.”

  “Lo, wait.” Saint stops what he’s doing, straightening up. “I’d prefer if you stayed with us.”

  I don’t have time for his bullshit right now. “I’m going with Bry. I’ll see you there.”

  I walk off with Bry in the direction of his Chevy, ignoring the slew of expletives peppering the air behind me.

  “He really doesn’t like me.” Bry chuckles.

  “Don’t pretend like it’s not mutual,” I drawl, eyeballing Bry as he opens the passenger door for me.

  “He needs to get over himself,” Bry says.

  I wait for him to slide behind the wheel before I reply. “Saint doesn’t trust easily, and if you grew up with Sinner and no mother, you’d understand.” The reality is, it goes beyond trust. Saint doesn’t like many people I’ve come to realize. He would be perfectly happy living on an island with only me and the guys.

  “I grew up without my birth parents, and I’m not a raging asshole,” Bry admits.

  “You’re adopted?”

  Bry nods.

  “I didn’t know that,” I admit.

  He shrugs as he turns the key. The engine rumbles, purring steadily, as Bry reverses from his spot. “I was adopted when I was a baby. My parents are the only parents I’ve ever known, and they’ve never treated me any differently to my two brothers. Most times, I actually forget I’m adopted.”

  I could’ve sworn he said he had three brothers before, but I was obviously mistaken. “They sound like good people.”

  “They are.” He swings the truck around.

  “Then you’re luckier than Saint. He had a shit upbringing. Don’t be so hard on him. I think if you both let your barriers down, you’d find you have a lot in common.”

  Bry snorts. “I doubt that. But I’m sorry for whatever he’s endured. Sinner is a sick bastard, and I can’t imagine growing up with him as a dad.” Bry moves the truck forward as Caz comes running toward us, slamming his hands down on the hood.

  Bry jerks the truck to a halt, scowling in annoyance when Caz rounds the hood, climbing into the back seat.

  I roll my eyes. “Seriously?”

  Caz grins, popping his head through the console to smack a kiss on my cheek. “Don’t act surprised, queenie. You know what he’s like.”

  “Queenie?” Bry’s tone is suffused with amusement.

  “My status has been upgraded from princess, thanks to our marriage.” I smirk. “Or that’s the official line. Truth is, I’ve always been a motherfucking queen, and they know it.”

  Bry throws back his head, laughing as we start our decline.

  “You’ve always been queen of my cock,” Caz supplies, grinning as he sits back, spreads his thighs, and places his hand over his crotch.

  “Thanks for stating the obvious,” Bry deadpans as we jolt up and down over bumpy terrain.

  “I get it,” Caz replies. “I’d be a jealous prick too if I lost my chance with the only girl who matters.”

  “Caz.” I glare at him through the mirror. “Zip it.”

  “It would never have happened,” Bry says, eyeing Caz briefly through the mirror. “I’ve made my peace with that, and I’m glad Lo is in my life as a friend. Doesn’t mean I want to hear the deets of your sexual exploits, so keep that shit to yourself.”

  “I only said she was queen of my cock,” Caz adds. “It’s not like I told you about the time she—”

  I swivel in my chair, the leather squelching in the process, pinning Caz with a lethal look. “Say one more word and I will follow through on my cockblocking threat. Don’t fucking push me.”

  Caz grins, and I flip him the bird. Asshole was winding me up. At least it distracted me from worrying about Mom.

  We make it onto the road in time, spotting Mom’s car in the distance. Bry keeps pace with her, staying far enough back that she doesn’t suspect she’s being followed. It helps that she doesn’t know or recognize Bry’s truck.

  “Switch your phone on,” Caz says, lifting his head from his cell. “Saint’s been trying to reach you.”

  I power up my cell, spotting the missed calls from Saint and Diesel. I return Saint’s call first.

  “You okay?” are the first words out of his mouth when the call connects.

  I roll my eyes and count to ten in my head. “I’m fine.” My tone is clipped. “What is it?”

  “Granddad called me when he couldn’t get you to let us know your mom left her cell with the tracker behind at the house. She also figured out Lincoln was tailing her, and she managed to ditch him.”

  I’m glad we left when we did, or we would’ve lost her. “I don’t have a good feeling about this,” I admit as the tiny hairs lift on the back of my neck. “She wanted to ensure no one knew where she was. Why?”

  “I don’t know, but we’ll find out soon enough. You should answer the pervert. He’s worried about you.”

  “I’ll text him. See you soon.” I end the call and type out a brief message to Diesel letting him know I’m okay and I’ll call him later. Then I power off the cell and repocket it.

  We trail Mom to the center of Lowell, watching as she parks in the main parking garage in town and hops out with her car keys dangling from her fingers and one hand firmly holding the strap of her bag. Bry kills the engine, and we exit the truck where Bry parked it at the curb across the road, following Mom from a safe distance.

  She strides with confidence toward one of the most popular Italian restaurants in the square. We hang back behind the giant water feature in the center of the square, watching surreptitiously as she enters the restaurant and is led to a table at the front by the window. We have a front-row seat as Sinner stands to greet her, clasping her cheeks in his large palms and kissing her on the lips.

  Rage swirls in my gut, and my fingers itch to pull out my gun and riddle his body with bullets through the glass.

  Caz maneuvers behind me, linking his pinkie with mine, and it helps to calm me down.

  We watch as Mom sits down across from the bastard, setting her purse in her lap. A waitress pours red wine in her glass, and she takes a large gulp as Sinner leans across the table, talking to her while she drinks.

  “I wish we could hear what they’re saying,” I mutter, growing more and more uneasy. Something is off, and pressure weighs on my chest, mixing with the knotted balls in my stomach, accelerating my anxiety to epic levels.

  I’m furious at Mom—for a lot of things—but she’s the only parent I have left, and I don’t want anything to happen to her.

  The longer they sit across from one another, the more the bad feeling grows in my gut, until I’m wound so tight, I’m in danger of snapping.

  Caz senses my mood, wrapping his hand around mine and squeezing.

  Mom doesn’t even look at the menu, allowing Sinner to order for her when the waitress reappears. By the way she’s knocking back wine and clutching her purse tight, I can tell she’s on edge, and that’s not helping my anxiety.

  I jerk my head around at the sound of approaching footfalls, my anxiety dipping a little when I see the cavalry coming toward us.

  “What’s going on?” Saint asks, shoving Bry out of the way so he can flank me on my other side. Bry snarls, gnashing his teeth. Saint ignores him, focusing on me.

  “They’ve just ordered,” I explain, keeping my eyes on their table. “And now your dad is trying to take her hand across the table, but she’s having none of it.” If I wasn’t so anxious, that’d raise a smile.

  Sinner’s loving look fades as he yanks his hand back, narrowing his eyes at Mom. She smiles, loosening the death hold on her purse and setting her wineglass down. Sinner’s nostrils flare as she speaks, and it’s clear he doesn’t like what she’s saying.

  I watch, in horror, as she unzips her purse, removing a gun. My heart slams behi
nd my rib cage, and panic lurches up my throat when she stands, pointing the gun at his face.

  In the middle of a packed restaurant on a busy Saturday night.

  With tons of innocent bystanders and witnesses around.

  “Fuck.” Galen drags a hand through his hair. “What the hell is she doing?”

  “I think that’s obvious,” Theo murmurs.

  It’s clear Mom has reached a breaking point. That the gang rape has messed her up more than I thought. Tightness spreads across my chest, and I watch the scene unfold as if I’m not here. I’m floating on a cloud overhead, watching Mom walk around the table and press the gun into Sinner’s forehead. His palms are raised, and he actually looks scared. Mom’s mouth flies as she shouts at him.

  Loud screams reach our ears through the open doorway as the diners surrounding their table notice what’s going on. Some stand, and others run toward the door, knocking chairs over in their haste to get away. Others stay rooted to their chairs, staring in shocked horror at the crazy woman pointing a gun at her male companion.

  I snap out of the haze I’m in, nudging the guys out of my way, as I take off running toward the restaurant.

  CHAPTER 27

  I SHOVE PAST people fleeing the restaurant, most of them either crying or screaming, pushing them aside as I race inside. “Mom! Don’t!” I yell to be heard over the noise.

  Her head whips around to mine, and Sinner makes a grab for the gun while she’s distracted. The gun veers wildly around, and a shot goes off. The screaming accelerates, and several diners dive to the floor, covering their heads with their hands. My breath stutters in my chest, and my eyes widen in horror as the bullet whizzes through the packed restaurant.

  “Shit.” Saint reaches my side, his eyes darting wildly around the room as more diners scream and shout, making a beeline for the exit. The bullet lodges in the back of the bar, narrowly missing the bartender, and he ducks down as he scurries away while bottles shatter over his head, raining alcohol and shards of glass everywhere. “Theo!” Saint roars as the others emerge from the crowds swarming out the door.

  “We’ve got this,” Galen shouts.

  Mom turns back to her fiancé, pinning him with eyes loaded with venom, as they grapple for control of the gun. Her fingers are curled tightly around the weapon, and I’d challenge any man to pry it away from her. “Take your hand off. Now.” She wets her lips. “There’s no need for anyone else to get hurt.”

  “Mom.” I sidle up beside her. “What the fuck are you doing?” I hiss.

  “What I should have done months ago.” A dry laugh bursts from her lips. “What I should’ve done years ago.” She presses the muzzle of the gun to his cheek, and a clicking sound rings out as she readies the gun.

  “Stop!” I gently clasp her arm. “You can’t do this.”

  “It needs to end, Harlow!” she screeches. Her hand shakes a little, and she exudes nervous energy by the bucketful. Sinner looks up at me, pleading for my help. Little beads of sweat dampen his brow, and his Adam’s apple jumps in his throat. In this moment, he’s genuinely scared of her and terrified she’s going to do it. I wish to fuck I could let her, but I can’t.

  “I know, Mom. But not like this.” I lower my voice, speaking softly to her as if she’s a child.

  “This is the only way.” She sniffs. “Keep your hands up in the air where I can see them!” she shouts, pressing the gun to his temple. I drop my eyes to where Sinner’s hand is going for the gun in his pocket. He’s an idiot if he thinks he’d get away with shooting her before she gets there first.

  “Do it,” Saint says, leveling his dad with a stern look.

  “Let’s talk about this, sweetheart,” Sinner says, raising his palms, as commotion rains around us.

  Saint grabs his dad’s gun from his pocket, not trusting he won’t try it again.

  “There is nothing to talk about, you sick bastard.” She shoves the gun harder into his temple, and he winces. “You think you own me. That you can manipulate me and my daughter, well, that ends now. You are scum of the Earth, Neo. There isn’t another living soul on this planet I hate more than I hate you.” Her eyes burn with loathing. “I despise you and everything you stand for. You—”

  Sirens blare in the distance, distracting us all and cutting Mom off midsentence.

  “We need to get out of here now, Lo,” Saint says in a low tone only I can hear.

  “Mom.” I press my mouth to her ear, saying the only words that stand any chance of getting through to her. “If you do this, like this, I will lose you too. Please don’t do that to me. To Dad. He made me promise to keep you safe.”

  Her tortured eyes meet mine. “I have to, Harlow. He won’t stop.”

  “We have a plan,” I whisper. “He will be stopped. I need you to trust me on that.”

  The sirens grow louder as Theo, Caz, and Galen come racing across the now empty restaurant toward us.

  I watch the cogs churning in her mind, spotting the instant she makes her decision. “You can thank my daughter for saving your life,” she barks before slamming the gun to the side of Sinner’s head with force, knocking him out cold.

  “Go with Bry,” Saint instructs, taking the gun from Mom’s hand. “Go to the cabin. Galen, you go with them.”

  “Come on, Giana.” Galen slides his arm around Mom’s shoulder. She’s virtually comatose; standing mute and rigid, and I’m guessing she’s in numbed shock as the adrenaline wears off.

  “Theo, pull the car right up out front,” Saint instructs, and Theo races out the door without waiting. Caz grunts as he lifts Sinner’s unconscious form, slinging him over his shoulder, while Saint strides to where the manager is cowering inside the door, fingers clutched around his phone. “I’ll deal with him. Get the fuck out of here now,” Saint roars over his shoulder.

  Galen scoops Giana up, his face contorting in pain, but he doesn’t complain as we run out the door.

  Bry stayed outside, and it was a smart move because there are a few diners lingering outside, recording on their cell phones. We need to keep his identity protected, and if anyone had caught him inside the restaurant with us, his cover would be blown. “Bry’s gone for the car,” I tell Galen, pointing at his retreating form in the distance. “Follow him while I deal with this.”

  Galen doesn’t argue, taking off in the direction Bry has gone, while I whip my gun from the waistband of my jeans. I point it at the nearest couple. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I will if you don’t cooperate,” I shout, angling my gun so it’s roaming the people still here. A guy tries to slip behind the water fountain, and I pop off a warning shot. It embeds in the side of the basin, cracking the stone, sending water gushing over the edge onto the ground. The guy’s cell drops to the floor, smashing into pieces, as he falls to his knees, cowering and whimpering.

  “Hand me your cells. Now!” I add when they’re too slow to move. The sirens are growing closer, and time is running out. “Put them in my pocket,” I shout as they approach me. “You!” I glare at the guy still crouched on the ground. “Pick up those pieces and hand them to me.” I know enough to not leave his shattered cell phone on the ground.

  I lower my gun when I have all the phones in my possession. “You didn’t see anything tonight.” I drill them with a look. “We have your cells which means we know everything about you. You breathe one word about what you witnessed tonight, and we will come for you and your family.” A woman sobs, clinging to her husband, but I’ve no time to feel remorse. “Do you fucking understand?” I roar as Galen shouts at me in the distance.

  They nod vigorously. “Then what the fuck are you still doing here?” I yell. “Go. Now!”

  I sprint away as the sirens blare loudly, confirming the police are almost here. I race toward the curb where Bry has the car idling, sliding into the back seat. Bry floors it out of here, taking a left up a side street, just as police enter the square from the opposite direction.

  No one speaks as Bry maneuvers his way out of Lowell
using alleyways and back roads. Mom has her head pressed against the window, and her eyes are closed. She’s clutching her purse to her stomach, and her limbs are stiff, betraying her emotions.

  I have so much I want to say, yet I don’t even know where to start. And having this conversation in a car, when we’re fleeing to safety isn’t wise, so I keep my lips closed, waiting until we reach the cabin to interrogate her.

  I hate that we’re placing our safe haven at risk by going there, but there isn’t any other option. Saint knows that, and it’s why he suggested it. I tap out a message to Diesel, letting him know what’s happened and asking him to meet us there. We need to get Mom out of the country tonight, because Sinner will want her dead for this.

  I only start relaxing when we move onto the highway and Bry steps on it, putting as much distance between us and the carnage we left behind. I punch coordinates into the GPS app on my cell and pass it to Bry, poking my head through the gap in the front seats. “This is where we’re headed.” He drops my cell into his cup holder, nodding.

  “You took care of shit in the restaurant?” I ask Galen.

  He turns to face me. “It’s handled. Theo wiped the camera feed inside, and I’ve no doubt he’s wiping the cameras in the square as we speak. Caz retrieved the bullet from the bar, and Saint will dispose of the gun, as well as ensure the manager doesn’t speak to the cops.”

  “I got the cells from the idiots outside, but there were a ton of witnesses. Someone is bound to have recognized Sinner.”

  “Sinner will deal with that,” Galen says. “He has a bunch of cops on payroll. He’ll make it go away because he looks weak if word gets out.”

  Mom nods off at some point on the journey, and I take the opportunity to grab a little shut-eye myself.

  “Lo.” Someone shakes my shoulders. “We’re here.” I blink my eyes open, stifling a yawn as I stare into Galen’s piercing green eyes. He presses his lips to mine briefly. “You hanging in there?”

  I nod, looking around me. The truck is parked at the front door to the cabin, and it’s open. “Where are Mom and Bry?”