He shuts the door behind him then leans back against it. I stand in the middle of the room, facing him, and wait for him to make the first move, or tell me whatever it is he brought me here to say.
I grow uncomfortable and self-conscious under his intense gaze.
“I’ve never had a normal relationship before,” he begins.
“Okay.”
He pushes away from the door and strides closer to me. “I mean, I’ve never dated a girl just because I wanted to date her. Every relationship I’ve been in, if you can even call them that, has been used as a tool to manipulate those around me in some way.”
I know he has a pretty cynical view of people, but that kind of motivation for a relationship is honestly kind of heartbreaking. “You’ve never once just … loved someone?”
He shakes his head, coming to a stop about a foot away from me.
“Not until you, Ellis.”
I lose my breath a little at that. “Are you sure?”
He frowns, his eyes flashing with irritation. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.”
That I one hundred percent believe, actually.
He reaches out and cups my face, his touch firm and warm. I shudder at the small amount of contact. “Saint—”
“I’ve never had a normal relationship, and I’ve never wanted one. Until now. That’s what I want.”
“What about your father? Nora?”
“I don’t give a shit,” he hisses. “I want you regardless of who our parents are and what they want to do to each other.”
That’s kind of an odd thing to say. I know Nora wants revenge, and Saint’s dad probably wants her dead, but it feels like there’s something else at play here that he’s not revealing to me.
“Do you know something I don’t?” I nervously ask.
Instead of answering my question, he slides his hand from my cheek to cup the back of my head and pull my face closer to his. He presses his lips to mine, and my knees shake as I go weak and needy for him in an instant. I’ve missed this more than I thought. His tongue runs along the seam of my mouth, and I open it to allow his tongue to sweep inside.
I sense that he’s as desperate as I am, but he’s also much better at keeping himself in check. Letting out a moan, I expect him to take things up a notch, but instead he breaks the kiss. His fingers grip my hair, and he tilts my head back so he can press his forehead to mine.
“You’re going on spring break with me,” he growls.
It’s not a question. It’s a command, and it makes me nervous. At the same time, though, I feel a thrill of excitement shoot through me. “I don’t have a passport.”
“Then we’ll go somewhere you won’t need one. I don’t care. I’ll make it happen.”
“Okay,” I murmur without even giving it a second thought.
“Good girl,” he rumbles, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead.
He steps back and I break somewhat from his thrall.
What the hell did I just agree to?
28
Saint’s invitation, or rather order, to go on spring break with him fills me with anxious butterflies all week. I’m so nervous, in fact, that I put off calling Carley to ask for permission to go with him. By Friday, though, I know I can’t wait any longer. Saint has started asking me what her answer is, and the guy is the most impatient person I’ve ever met.
When I call her in the afternoon, she doesn’t answer, so I leave a message and go about the rest of my day as normally as possible.
That mentality doesn’t really work for me because later that evening I’m pacing my room, just waiting for her to call me back. She’s going to be shocked when I ask her for permission to leave campus for spring break, and even more so when I tell where I’m going and with who.
I pause in my pacing and have a moment of panic, wondering what she’ll think when she finds out I want to go on a trip alone with Saint, of all the people on this campus. Carley’s a pretty chill, trusting guardian, but even she might have a problem with me jetting off with the boy who’d publicly humiliated me.
When I think about it like that, I can’t say I blame her.
As I’m stewing in my erratic thoughts, a sudden knock on my door makes me jump. My first thought is that it’s Saint, come to find out if I’ve gotten a response from Carley yet. I don’t really want to face him until I’ve heard from her, but a second knock sounds, harder and more insistent than the first. I groan, knowing I have little choice in the matter. If it’s Saint he won’t give up until I answer the door.
Shoulders slumped in defeat, I drag my feet across the room and twist the knob.
My blood runs cold when I see who’s standing on the other side.
It’s not Saint.
It’s Ghost.
“What now, minion?” I hiss.
He gives me a cold smile. “With a greeting like that, it’s no wonder all these rich fuckers hate you.”
“I’m sorry, let me try again,” I bite out, my voice dripping with sarcasm and contempt. “Killed anyone lately?”
He chuckles. “Not anyone you need to worry about.”
I can’t tell if he’s joking, but the very real possibility that he isn’t makes me shiver with dread. “What is it?” I demand. “What does Nora want now? We just had dinner together on Sunday.”
“I’m not here to take you to Nora,” he says, his gaze twinkling with dark amusement. “I’m here to take you to see Jenn.”
I blink. “Jenn?”
He nods. “Yes, Nora has very generously arranged for you to meet with Jenn. You should be grateful.”
I want to snap that nothing about Nora is generous, but I keep my mouth shut. That’d probably just anger him, and I don’t really want an angry Ghost escorting me around.
“Why is she letting me see Jenn all of a sudden?” I murmur, glancing up and down the hall to make sure no one is around to see our exchange.
He just shrugs. “Not my business to know. My job is just to get you there.”
I bite back the snarky reply bubbling up in my throat. My need to see Jenn again just to know she’s okay is stronger than my desire to tell Ghost to shove it.
“All right, fine,” I huff. “Can we just go then?”
He steps out of the way, extending his arm and bowing slightly at the waist. I roll my eyes and clench my hands into fists as I move past him. My shoulders remain tense and my gaze is constantly swinging back and forth as we make our way through the building. I pray no one sees us. I’m not ready to try and explain Ghost to anyone, and I don’t even want to think about what Saint would do if he discovered us together.
By some strange stroke of luck, we make it to his Charger without running into anyone, but I don’t relax as we climb inside and take off away from campus. Once the threat of being spotted passes, my mind immediately returns to Jenn.
“You’re certain you don’t know why Nora is letting me see Jenn?” I ask, thinking that he’s likely holding out on me.
He shakes his head and shrugs. “Nope. Not a clue.”
“Will Nora be there, too?”
He shoots me a look. “She’s busy.”