Page 98 of Soulless Saint

I posed the question to Damien.

“About them putting me at risk. What kind of risk?”

“There are insurgents in our territory,” Sloane replied for him. “The Sons. They’ve all but declared war and right now, we’re waiting for them to make their next move. As I know you’re aware, there can be a certain amount of… collateral damage when these things happen.”

My heart squeezed painfully in my chest, remembering Mom.

She’d been collateral damage.

…because of the Saints.

And like an idiot I went and followed directly in her footsteps, walking the path that on some level I knew could and very likely would lead me directly to an early grave. No passing go. No collecting two hundred dollars. Just six feet of earth that I could already feel like a physical weight on my chest.

“Okay,” I said, chewing my lower lip. “But why would you have any reason to believe that I’m at risk? What if I just—”

Damien shook his head. “It’s too late for that.”

“But—”

“I’m sorry, but I made a promise and I don’t intend to break it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kaleb slung the question at his Dad and, um, yeah, what did that mean? A promise to whom?

“Until we get this situation sorted out with the Sons,” Damien said, ignoring his son, pointing two fingers in my direction. “You’ll be under Saint protection. Now, since you’re in Santa Clarita, the majority of the time that’ll mean sticking with Hardin and Kaleb. But if they aren’t available, I’ve asked Pope to be your shadow. He’s a good guy and you won’t even know he’s there. Now, have you ever shot a gun? We can get you—”

“Whoa,” I said, a laugh bubbling hysterically from my lips. “Hold on a fucking second. I didn’t agree to anything here. What if I don’t want your ‘protection?’ ” I asked, putting air quotes around the word, barking a hollow laugh. “What? Like that does anyone any good? Why don’t we dig up my mom and ask her what she thinks?”

It was a low blow, and I knew it, but I couldn’t help it, I was seething. The indignant anger burning away whatever remained of the panic trying to claw its way up my throat and suffocate me.

Damien’s face went a shade of red, a vein in his temple throbbing.

“What is she talking about?” Kaleb asked.

Damien sucked his teeth, breaking his staring battle with me to sigh at the table, the red shade bleaching from his face as he scrubbed his hands over it and then dropped them back to the table with a defeated thud.

“She’s talking about Eden Matthews,” he replied, and just hearing her name come from his vile mouth had me both wanting to cut his tongue out and cry at the same time.

“Matthews?” Kaleb asked, the look on his face like he was finally putting something together. I guessed his Daddy dearest never told him about the woman he tried to steal away from a perfectly happy marriage? The one he got killed when her daughter was barely five years old.

It didn’t matter that supposedly he was crushed by her death. Or that the whole reason the Saints separated was because he couldn’t stand to live on the same streets where she once walked. It didn’t change the fact that if she’d never met him, she’d still be alive.

“I’m sorry, am I missing something?” Kaleb asked.

Damien sighed again and the tension at the table ratcheted up a notch. Sloane looked between me and her husband murderously. Hardin looked like he was gut punched, like he knew something the rest of us didn’t. But Damien? Damien looked very suddenly like a man on death row and he had no right to look so damn hurt.

“I’m out of here,” I announced in a huff, shoving out from the table, but Damien rose with me, his expression daring me to defy him.

“Sit down, Rebecca.”

I moved to leave, but Kaleb’s hand, still holding mine, stopped me. I tugged on my arm, but he wouldn’t let go. “You can’t leave, Vixen. Not without us. Not until this is over.”

“Ugh,” I growled, ripping my hand from his. “I don’t want your protection. And I don’t fucking need it.”

“You do,” Kaleb argued and something in his eyes kept me rooted in place. “Even without all this fucking bullshit going on with the Sons, there’s more.” He shared a look with Hardin, who nodded. “We didn’t want to freak you out,” Kaleb continued. “But I found a tracking device in your purse.”

And cue freak out in three…

Two…

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