“Because of me.” I say what he’s thinking, closing my eyes, wishing I could rewind time.
When I wake, we’re back at the house—at Lo’s house. Saint helps me from the car and into the house via the garage, and I know he’s thawing, thanks to Lo. Her kindness and generosity have taken the edge off his anger. A layer of stress leaves my shoulders, but the knot of guilt inside me churns faster.
“Oh my God.” Giana, Lo’s mom, rushes across the kitchen toward me. “Galen, what happened?”
“I ran into an ambush Saturday night,” I lie. “It’s why we were lying low.”
She bends down, checking my bandaged ribs, and it’s only now I remember I’m shirtless. “Have you been taking meds?” she asks. “And icing it?”
“Lo gave me some stuff before we left.” At the mention of her daughter, her eyes well up.
She glances over her shoulder before fixing her gaze on Saint. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.” None of us know what bullshit Sinner has fed his fiancée, so we’re treading on eggshells here.
“I still can’t believe she begged Sinner to join the ranks or that he agreed.” Her eyes plead with Saint. “She’s doing this for you, right?”
Saint shuffles awkwardly on his feet while I drag my aching body in the direction of the refrigerator. “She’s not with me,” Saint says.
Giana looks confused. “She isn’t? I thought—”
“She’s with all of us,” Caz says, walking into the kitchen with Theo.
Wow, way to just drop it on her. And it’s not even the truth. She’s really only invested in Caz and my cousin.
Giana’s cheeks flush. “You don’t mean—”
“She’s our girl, and we’ll take care of her. You have our word, so you don’t need to worry about anything,” Saint adds.
“I… I… I don’t know what to say,” she blurts, as Sinner walks into the kitchen from the direction of the living room.
I grab cold water from the refrigerator and close the door.
“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.”