My eyes meet Saint’s across the tables, and I see the same concern in his gaze. Theo is restrained, like the rest of them, so he can’t even check in with Diesel.
OMG. What a fucking epic clusterfuck. Either Diesel is a part of this and he’s protecting his boss or his boss knows his days are numbered and he’s done something to Diesel and the other men. Neither scenario is reassuring, and a blanket of dread washes over me.
“Why murder the commissioner?” I inquire.
“To send a new message. So they know we aren’t to be messed with. Also, it gives me leverage over you.” Sinner removes the gun, tucking it in the back waistband of his pants, so his hands are free to push my dress up to my waist. I knew he’d get arrogant, and now I just need to bide my time for the perfect moment to strike.
“Get your filthy hands off my daughter!” Mom screeches, panic clear in her tone.
“Such a pretty young pussy,” he says, cupping me through my panties. “I’ve traded you in for a younger, hotter, sexier model,” he tells Mom, sliding his fingers back and forth across my crotch. “Jealous?”
“Why are you telling us all this?” Theo shouts in an attempt to get him back on track.
Sinner licks a path up my neck, deliberately eyeballing my guys as he does. I breathe a sigh of relief when his hands withdraw from my crotch and my skirt pools over my thighs, covering me.
Tears shine in Mom’s eyes, and her face is pale with guilt.
“Always so inquisitive.” Sinner tips his bottle at Theo. “I don’t trust that weasel Randall. He helped reunite me with my backstabbing fiancée, and he says he wants to put our relationship back on an even footing, but I don’t buy it.”
That fucking bastard Randall double-crossed Diesel. We’ve been two steps behind the entire time.
“That conniving cunt is only keeping me on his side because he doesn’t want the truth coming out. Until we find that Leydon evidence, he’s our biggest threat.” Sinner’s gaze roams around the room. “You are here tonight for a couple of reasons. One being I trust you. Should this get ugly, I wanted you all to be aware of the facts so you can do what is necessary to protect the sanctity of The Sainthood. And I have a new plan for retrieving that evidence, one you will play a part in.”
I stare at the heavy curtains blanketing all the windows, wishing I could see through them, to know what the fuck is going on outside because the team should be here by now.
“Why are we here?” Saint asks. “We know you don’t trust us.”
“Tonight is about repentance, my son.” He fists a hand in my hair, tugging my neck back. “I was going to slaughter you all.” He shrugs casually, like it’s no biggie. “Let’s be honest, you deserve it for daring to betray me. But I gave it more thought, and I believe a better punishment is having you watch me claim what is yours.”
Sweeping his hand across the table, he sends silverware and glasses crashing to the ground. “I’m going to fuck what’s yours right here in front of you. Then every man will stick his dick inside your wife while you watch.” He cups my breast through my dress. “I’m going to keep her for a while, until I’ve broken you down. Then you either recommit to The Sainthood and me or you can fucking die with your whore.”
CHAPTER 46
SINNER GRABS MY neck, thrusting me forward over the table as he hikes my dress up to my ass. Mom screams, thrashing about in her chair, while Alisha stares absently into space. I’m not sure how much she heard or if she’s with us at all.
“Time to party, dudes,” Sinner roars. “Go forth and mingle.”
Terrified screams rip through the air as the underground section of the ballroom is uncovered, and men grab petrified young girls, dragging them up the stairs.
“Get the fuck off me!” Mom screams when Baldy straddles her chair, tearing at her dress while grazing his teeth along her neck.
It’s now or never.
Sliding my hand around my front, I unclip the metallic belt on my dress, removing the two daggers stowed there. I wait for the telltale sound of Sinner lowering his zipper before I swing into action, thrusting my arm back, embedding my dagger firmly in his thigh.
Sinner roars, stumbling back, and I spin around, yanking my dagger from his thigh, blood immediately spurting from the wound. Sinner doubles over, pressing his fingers to the wound to stem the blood flow. Baldy hollers, moving to climb off Mom, and I react on instinct, tugging his neck back and dragging my knife across his throat.
Mom screams as he falls forward on top of her, blood spilling everywhere. Shots ring out behind me, mingling with girlish screams and cries as the room descends into chaos.
Windows shatter, in perfect uniformity, raining glass on the ballroom as commotion outside in the hall confirms the cavalry has finally arrived.
“You fucking bitch,” Sinner yells, lunging at me.
A shot whizzes past his ear, narrowly missing him, and he dives under the table as I sidestep him.
“Fuck.” Alisha’s hands shake as she holds Sinner’s gun, pointing it wildly around the room. She must have stolen it from him when he was bent over, distracted by his injury. “Aagh.” She cries out as her ankle is yanked from under the table, and she goes down hard. The gun flies across the room, but there’s no time to go after it, because Sinner has Alisha in his grasp, and that spells nothing good.
Lowering to my knees, I crawl under the table in time to see Sinner pull a knife from his calf. He drives it into Alisha’s chest, and I scream for help, moving toward Sinner as Saint and Galen drop to their knees on the other side of the table. “Alisha needs help,” I shout as Sinner scrambles off to one side, making his escape. Shots pepper the air, mixed with screaming and crying. “Help her,” Saint yells, pushing Galen under the table, while he climbs to his feet, going after his father.
I want to stay with Galen, but I don’t know if Theo, Caz, and Bry have managed to free themselves, and Mom is still tied to her chair. Gunfire echoes around us, chilling my bones. Innocents are going to get caught in the crossfire if this continues.
“Keep your head down,” Galen roars as I scoot back on my heels, crawling out the way I came.
Cautiously, I poke my head out from under the table. Mom is where I left her, but her head is down, chin lying on her chest. Baldy is slumped at her feet, his glazed eyes vacant and his throat a bloody mess. I flick my attention back to Mom, anxiety ratcheting up a level when I notice blood pouring from a bullet wound in her shoulder. Fuck. That shot Alisha fired must have hit Mom. Panic bubbles up my throat, but I force myself to remain calm as I crawl around the back of her chair, dodging the bullets whizzing back and forth across the room.
Casting a furtive look around the space, I hurry to cut the bindings on Mom’s legs and arms. I don’t see Theo or Caz, but Bry has Scraggly Beard in a headlock as they fight for possession of the gun in the bastard’s hand. I cut through the rope securing Mom’s ankles while I watch Bry, fear creeping up my spine. Until Scraggly Beard visibly weakens, his eyes shuttering, body slouching, and Bry pries the gun from his loosening fingers. Without hesitation, Bry pumps two bullets in his chest before joining the general melee.
Diesel’s crew is fighting The Sainthood as scared young girls huddle under tables and along the side of the room, trying to stay out of the line of fire.