I got Saint to grab my bag from reception when they first arrived, and my locket is securely fastened around my neck. It gives me some comfort walking into the lion’s den, knowing the conversation is being recorded.
“I’m covered in cuts and scrapes from this week,” I say, convincing myself it’s not a lie if I evade the truth. “More now,” I add, piercing them with a knowing look.
I will tell them what happened with John, and how his brother is pulling the strings, but only once we are away from here. Instructor Corr needs to pay, and losing his job will be good enough for me. Both men are sexist pigs, but I don’t want their deaths on my conscience. I’m hoping to get away without mentioning how I staged things Saturday night so it looked like Bry and I had been fucking in the hallway, because I don’t want Bry’s death on my conscience either.
“I’ll ask again.” A muscle clenches in Saint’s jaw. “How did that happen?” He grabs my wrist, holding my hand up, the long, thin cut evident under the clear Band-Aid.
“It doesn’t matter. I handled it,” I say, as the elevator pings and the doors slide open. Caz grabs my bag, and I storm out into the hallway.
Saint catches up to me, grabbing my elbow. “Who?”
“Forget it,” I hiss. “He’s not worth our time, or have you forgotten the shit we’re dealing with?” I yank my elbow out of his hold. “Drop it, Saint. Bry and I dealt with it. End of story.”
“Harlow. There you are.” Sinner strides across the lobby toward me. Out of the corner of my eyes, I notice Theo, Bry, and Galen lounging on the couches. Theo is on his tablet, Galen looks bored, and Bry is scribbling on a notepad. “We’ve just finished with Bryant, so you’re up.” He slings his arm over my shoulders, tucking me into his side as he pins me with a sleazy look that sends unpleasant shivers tiptoeing up my spine. He slants a condescending look in Saint’s direction. “Don’t worry, son.” He slaps him hard on the back. “We’ll look after your girl.”
“I thought I’d come with,” Saint says, shoving his hands in his pockets and working hard to appear casual.
“That’s not how this works.” Sinner points at the couch. “Park your butt there. This won’t take long.” Discreetly, I press in on the locket, activating the recording device.
Sinner digs his nails into my upper arm as he walks me through a set of glass doors at the rear of the lobby area and into a small conference room. “There,” he barks, pointing at a chair in the middle of the floor. It’s facing a row of chairs at the top of the room where the board members are waiting for me. Six assholes stare at me with blatant interest, and bile rises up my throat. Some of them I recognize from the basement in the warehouse and a couple from the engagement party at my house.
“Spread your legs and arms out,” Sinner commands.
Acid lines the walls of my stomach, but I do as he says, biting on the inside of my mouth as he enthusiastically pats me down. A few guffaws ring out at the top of the room as Sinner cups my pussy through my pants and fondles my breasts through my shirt.
“You can have this back after,” he says, removing my iPhone from my pocket. He checks the screen and eyeballs me, most likely wondering why I didn’t have it set to record. “Sit,” he barks, pushing me back on the seat.
He joins his despicable buddies, sinking into the empty chair in the middle of the line, leaning back, and gloating like the cat that got the cream.
“You’ve done us proud this week, Harlow. We’ve watched all your tapes, and your skill set is impressive.”
I rest my hands on my lap, steadying my nerves and keeping a neutral expression on my face as I stare into the eyes of the devil. “Thank you for the opportunity. I’ve enjoyed it.”
Sinner shares a grin with the man beside him, and I fight a shudder. The man has a shaved head, ink halfway up his face, and a dark, menacing look in his eyes that freaks me out like the first time I saw him in the basement. He tied me to the chair that time, his leering gaze upon me the entire time. “Your marksman skills at the warehouse didn’t go unnoticed either.” Sinner leans forward, pressing his arms on his knees. “I had plans for you, Lo, but this has exceeded our wildest dreams.”
He gets up, eliminating the space between us, crouching down in front of me. “You remind me of your mother,” he says, and that can’t be anything good. “But an enhanced version. With all the qualities I wish she had.” He runs his fingers along my cheek, and adrenaline pumps through my veins.
I want to throat punch him, kick him in the junk, and light cigarettes on his naked flesh before slashing at his chest, cutting into flesh and bone, and leaving him to bleed out on the floor.
But revenge takes time.
And I’m sowing the seeds.
So, I bite back my distaste and swallow the retorts begging to let loose on my tongue.
“I’m glad to see you’re cooperating.” He lowers his fingers to my neck, glancing at my chain, and I hold my breath. “This will work to both our advantages,” he says, raising his eyes to my face, “if you don’t fight me.” His fingers brush against my chest, and I force bile back down my throat.
“What tasks are being set for me?” I ask, working hard to hide the disgust and fear from my face and my tone.
Sinner leans in, rubbing his nose along my neck, inhaling my scent, and a low growl escapes his throat, prickling the hairs on the back of my neck.
My heart pounds, and my palms turn sweaty, and the urge to flee is riding me hard, but I grip the edge of the chair, reminding myself of the endgame. Despite my bravado, he senses my unease, and a devilish grin spreads across his mouth as he kisses my cheek. My skin crawls like a thousand fire ants just dug their way into my flesh, and I need a scorching hot shower to remove all trace of his saliva and his touch from my skin.
He walks back to his seat, and I relax a smidgeon.
“We have three important jobs for you.” He flashes me a wide grin. “Pass these, and I will induct you into the senior chapter along with the other junior chapter members upon high school graduation.”
I nod. “I understand.”
“While we have made progress into Lowell, controlling the supply chain in the public school and taking charge on the streets, the private academy remains a stumbling block. You will work with my son and his crew to rectify that.”
“I can do that.” Lowell Academy is my old school, and while I left under a cloud, this task shouldn’t be too difficult to pull off with the guys’ help. The girls will cream their panties when I rock up with The Sainthood, and I doubt it’ll take much to convince anyone to buy from them. Look how easily they wiped the board with Finn at Lowell High.
“You will attend Sainthood HQ once a month, on a day of our choosing, to manage some tasks for myself and the other board members.”
I’m guessing those tasks involve dropping to my knees and getting on all fours. My blood turns to ice at the thought of those assholes with their hands on me, and it won’t happen, but arguing the point will feed their sick perversion, so I nod, smiling, pretending I’m naïve. Sinner won’t buy it, but I’m not sure how much the others know about me.
“Of course.” I nod, and Sinner almost glows.