I stared mesmerized by the faceless girl who’d swayed my decision with the strongest pull I’d ever felt since my ascent into the brotherhood. Then I paused, my brow stretching into a deep-set frown. All it took, was one breathless moment of recognition.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” With those harsh words my expectation shattered, crumbling around me like the godforsaken great falling. Because tonight, all hope laid with me, and I failed. “Get out.” I straightened.
“W-what,” she stammered, sitting up.
“There’s the fucking door. Go. You’re not welcome here! You don’t belong here.”
I’d seen many reactions from the women I’d fucked, hurt or rejected but this girl’s agony stole the very oxygen I needed to stay upright, to believe it wasn’t possible, to keep me strong, righteous.Righteous? I internally scoffed.
Her bottom lip trembled, the sparkle in those blue eyes dimming, those pink lips stretched in a smile a minute ago, curling downward. Disbelief, embarrassment, shock, anger, hurt. They all flashed over her face, racing one after the other, fighting to stay, fighting to take ownership of what she felt inside. Ultimately, pain won. I heard the hiccup of a sob as she slipped off the bed, grabbed her clothes and rushed out the door, leaving me feeling like the proverbial arsehole I was.
Hands on my hips, I stared at the closed door. Unbelievable. Fate had fucked me over, twice now. Playing with my emotions like they mattered none. Reeling me in, giving me a respite then yanking the very chains that kept me tethered to sanity. This time, I surrendered.
Saint had fallen.
Chapter 11 - Levana
“Asimple thing likelosing your virginity and you couldn’t do,” mother screeched as we walked in the door. She’d fetched me at the Royal Hotel and just as we reached home, I told her I hadn’t lost my virginity yet. “After everything I did to make you look good, you still couldn’t pull it off.” Her face tightened into a scowl befitting a wicked stepmother, but she wasn’t. I was blessed with a dreadful mother who didn’t feel an ounce of remorse for her daughter’s distraught demeanour.
“I told you,” I sobbed. “He just stopped and told me to get out.”
After Saint—yeah, that’s what I decided to call him. Go figure. After he practically chased me from the room, I raced out and quickly dressed. The guard outside the door, who had the decency to turn his back while I did, then blindfolded me and took me down several passages before I was ushered into a car and sent to the hotel, from where I texted my mother.
“What a waste,” she grumbled. “Now, I supposed I won’t get paid.” She tossed the keys on the sideboard table in the dining room as Eliana came downstairs.
“Hey, Lee—” She took one look at my face and broke off. “Stitch,” she whispered, sliding her arms around my waist. In the six-inch heels I still had on, I was much taller than her and rested my chin on her head. “What happened?”
“Nothing, that’s what,” mother hissed behind us. “You sister is a useless piece of rubbish that’s occupying a space—”
“Stop it, mum.” Eliana pulled back from me, screaming at my mother. “Can’t you see she’s hurting. Something must’ve happened to make my sister this upset.” She was breathing hard and I think she’d startled my mother into silence. “I’m sorry, Lee, that you had to go through that and then this.” She pursed her lips at my mother, looking so much older than her age. “As for your money, I’m sure we will find a way to get it back. Come on, Lee.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the stairs.
“Maybe you should quit school and go work in damn strip club, that’s if they’ll take you,” mother cursed behind us.
The tears fell harder, and I felt like I was about to drown in my own vomit sitting right at the tip of my throat. Upstairs, I stopped my sister at our bedroom door and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for the rescue, Lilo but I really need to puke right now and I’d rather you not see that.”
She shook her head, her jaw set in a grim line. “Nope. My sister needs me right now, so let’s go. Chop. Chop, before you offload right here.” She turned me toward the bathroom and gently pushed.
