Understanding dawns, and I shake my head as bile swims up my throat. “There are many things I’m prepared to do to see this through, but letting those assholes have sex with me, one after another, is not one of them.”
“That’s not happening,” he agrees. “If it comes down to it, we’ll find a loophole.” I’d like to believe his words, but the troubled look on his face speaks volumes, and acid crawls up my throat at the thought of what that psycho has planned for me.
For all our sakes, I hope Sinner doesn’t make that a task, because if I have to resort to murder to avoid being abused by him and his buddies, I won’t hesitate to take out every one of them, consequences be damned.
CHAPTER 9
Harlow
WE ARRIVE ATthe training facility on the outskirts of the sprawling town of Mantiss just after lunch. High wooden gates conceal the compound, and a tall gray wall borders it on all sides. Barbed wire sits atop the wall along with several mounted cameras.
Security is clearly tight, but is it to keep people out or to keep the trainees in?
Saint presses the button on the small keypad attached to the wall, and after he has confirmed our names, the gates automatically open to let us through. Saint drives along the winding driveway for a few miles, and I stare out the window at the thickly wooded area. All I can see on every side are trees and more trees. It’s been raining, and drops of water drip in a steady line from the branches, adding to the soft rivers of water trickling down the gravel driveway as we advance.
The driveway gives way to a large opening, and an impressive building comes into view. Saint parks in front of the entrance, and I hop out, eager to stretch my limbs after so long in the car.
“Here,” he says, rounding the car and holding out an iPhone. “This isn’t secure, so be careful what you use it for. Check in daily.”
“I will,” I agree, slipping it into my pocket, alongside my burner cell. “Thanks.”
“They won’t let you take weapons with you. I’ll safeguard your knife.”
“I’m not parting with my knife.” I fold my arms, stabbing him with a warning look. “And I’ll gut anyone who attempts to take it from me.”
“Lo, you can’t ruffle feathers here. Sinner will go apeshit if you embarrass him.”
“You say that like it’ll deter me.”
“I know it will because you’re too smart to be this dumb.” He steps right into my face. “The quickest way you’ll get out of here is to pass all the tests and keep your head down and avoid trouble.” His hand lands on my hip. “If you piss him off, he’ll devise the worst initiation tasks imaginable.”
“He’ll do that anyway.”
“We don’t know that for sure, and it’s not smart to antagonize him.”
I know he makes sense, but it’ll kill me to act like some Mary Sue; however, I don’t have any choice. Bending down, I roll up the end of my jeans and unstrap my Strider SMF from my calf. Straightening up, I hand it to him. “This feels like I’m handing my firstborn child to the devil,” I admit, and he grins.
He unsheathes my knife, admiring it. “I’ll guard it with my life.”
“Don’t use it,” I warn, narrowing my eyes to slits. “I don’t want some murder attributed to me while I’m gone.”
“I’ll try to refrain from murder and mayhem.” He smirks, cocking his head to the side. “But I’ll make no promises.”
“Of course, you won’t.” I roll my eyes, taking in my surroundings as Saint eyes the locket around my neck.
“Where’d you get that?” His eyes burn with jealousy, and I’d love to tell him Diesel gave it to me, but it’ll only end up smashed on the ground if I admit the truth.
“My dad gave it to me.”
“You weren’t wearing it at the warehouse.”
Shit. The obvious lie would be to say I had it at the cabin, but I don’t want the guys to know about that place.
“I thought I’d lost it, but apparently, I left it behind at training. The chain was broken so Diesel got it repaired. He just gave it back to me.”
He opens his mouth, to ask more questions, I assume, and I need to shut this down. “I should head in.” I gesture at the door. “They’ll be wondering what’s keeping me.”
He looks like he wants to argue but thinks better of it, and I release the breath I was holding.
