Page 41 of Secrets Unveiled

“How do you feel?” Saint asks. My eyes close as I lean into him.

“So tired,” I whisper through a yawn. If I don’t lie down, I’m sure to fall asleep in this chair.

“We need to take her home. She’s about to pass the fuck out,” Saint says over my head. But it’s Saxon’s response that shocks me.

“Go. I’ll get Ophelia home.” I’m instantly scooped into strong arms, floating through the air as I curl up into Saint’s chest.

“And Saint.” Saxon speaks again. We stop moving then.

“I’m glad she’s got you. Take care of her. Don’t fucking break her heart, you understand me?” My heart aches from that blessing I never thought I’d get.

“Always,” Saint responds as he carries me out of the meeting room and to his Tahoe. How it got here I’m not sure, but I’m glad it is. I wouldn’t have been able to stay awake on his bike.

SAGE

I wake up in Saint’s bed, the space beside me cold and untouched. The faint sound of voices coming from the kitchen draws me from the comfort of Saint’s bed. I need to tell the guys about Dante and what he told me. They need to know about Frankie.

I’m still wearing the sweatpants and t-shirt from the club, so I make my way out of the bedroom and towards the voices in the kitchen. When I enter, Saxon, Saint, Finn, and Brooks all stand around the island. Saint sees me first, his eyes a mess of exhaustion and something else I can’t identify. The rest of the guys finally notice my presence and turn to look at me.

“How do you feel?” Saxon asks, his tone apologetic but still laced with that deep grumpiness that never goes away.

“Fine. But I need to tell you what Dante told me before I forget the details.” Their eyes shift back and forth from one another. I hadn’t known if he wanted Brooks or Finn to be aware of the situation, but the subtle nod he gives me lets me know it’s safe to talk. The guys are a part of the club as well, so it doesn’t surprise me he trusts them to know the details.

“Wait, Frankie, as in Uncle Frankie?” Brooks asks, his eyes landing on Saxon as he gives him a slow nod. I go through everything Dante said from the meetup at the café to his arrival on campus: his warnings, and then the sudden drive-by. I hadn’t seen the vehicle or shooter at all. One minute, Dante was talking, and the next minute, I was face down. Saxon and Saint are not too pleased with me secretly meeting up with Dante, and I can’t blame them. It was stupid of me to go off on my own, but the desire to know more about my father trumped all my rational thoughts.

“Finn, are you able to pull up security footage from the campus? See if they were able to catch anything—make, model, license plate—that can help us. Whoever did this must have been tailing Dante,” Saxon says to the room. My heart suddenly goes to Dante and whether he had a family. Would they know by now? He’s dead. I knew the feeling too well—receiving a call that your family member had passed, but to be murdered was a different emotion all in itself. So many questions pour in, and some will never have answers. I ache thinking about it.

“Yeah, no problem,” Finn replies. Like Saint, Finn knows his way around a computer. There isn’t much Finn can’t do. That’s what makes him so lethal, dangerous, and terrifying. “Give me a couple hours. Brooks and I will be back with what we find.” The brothers say their goodbyes, and they each give me a kiss on the cheek before leaving on their bikes.

I glance at the clock on the microwave and see that it’s 7:45 p.m. I had quite literally slept away the afternoon. I was more tired than I’d realized.The high from the adrenaline had quickly subsided after the whole ordeal.

“I’m going to shower. Order some food for dinner. I’m starving. I don’t care what you order, just order something,” Saxon says to Saint and me. I watch his back disappear into the foyer and listen as his footsteps carry him upstairs.

The moment the click of the door echoes through the house, I’m moving. I need his warmth. I need his touch. I need… him. He meets me halfway. Strong arms encase me in a shadow of force that lifts me off my feet. My legs instinctively wrap around his waist as I bury my face in the crook of his neck. I’ve never felt so light in my life. Effortlessly, he holds me to him. Our bodies are pressed so hard together I don’t know where he begins and I end.

“Are you okay, baby?” A whisper of a question. So much had just happened in the last twelve hours. Our ruse is up—Saxon knows about us. Saint took the brunt of Saxon’s reaction to the news. Dante is dead. Frankie has been a snake in the grass for seven years. Oh my God! Is Ophelia okay? I hadn’t even thought about the well-being of my best friend. What does that say about me? My head is swimming with inky black liquid that I can’t sort through. It’s all so much, too much.

“Sage, talk to me.” When I don’t answer him, he finally pulls away, setting me gently on the island’s surface. The cold of the granite seeps through my body, giving me chills even though I’m in sweats.

“I’m okay. How’s Ophelia? Where is she? How are you?” I speak so fast he puts his hands on my thighs, spreading them so he can step closer to me.

“Shh, she’s fine. She’s with Owen. She didn’t want to go home alone, so he insisted she could stay with him.”

“What about you?” I ask, raising my hands and placing them gently on the sides of his face. Black and purple discoloration covers his left eye, a cut on his eyebrow has just started to scab over, and the puffiness of his bottom lip is going down. He still looks awful from his injuries. He’s still stoically beautiful, though. It almost makes him sexier with his bruises. I’m convinced nothing could make this man unattractive.

“Better than ever.” His lips press against mine. Saxon was still visibly angry at our secret, but oddly enough, his comment at the garage makes me feel like he’s okay with this. Well, maybe not fully okay, but accepting. We kiss slowly, gently, delicately. Neither of us wants to pull away. Pressing his body against mine, his warmth caresses me like a warm blanket on a rainy day. He compliments me as I do him. My form fits in the pocket of his chest like two pieces of a puzzle, carved to fit perfectly. I’ve known Saint for the majority of my life. He’s been best friends with Saxon since they were twelve and I was six. As far back as I can remember, he’s been a pillar in my life. A second protector, always here, always watching, always caring for me as if I’ve always been his. Maybe it was inevitable we’d find ourselves in this situation. Two people colliding in a world of chaos, providing stability in this otherwise hectic life.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper.

“Don’t do that, Sage. I’d go through beating after beating if that meant I got to keep you. I can handle him. What I can’t handle is being here and seeing you every day, never having the chance to make you mine.” Another soft kiss, and a smile spreads across my lips.

“You know what, you’re kind of a romantic, Saint. Who would have thought?” I joke, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose.

“Just don’t tell anyone. I have an image to uphold.” His lips curl into a dangerous side smile, awakening the butterflies in my stomach. “Let’s order some food, or I might die of starvation.” Saint turns to open the drawer with all the takeout menus we have stashed away. Picking up the menu for the Thai restaurant the three of us love, we place an order and wait for Saxon to return from his shower. In the meantime, I cuddle up next to Saint on the couch, no longer afraid anyone will see or catch us. We sit and flip through Netflix, settling on the newest action flick.

For the first time in a long time, I feel content, at ease, and just so fucking happy. Even when the darkness of the truth lingers in the background. We’ll have to figure out this whole mess with Frankie, but until then, I allow the fears and darkness to hide in the shadows. I grasp onto the light for as long as I can. This night is mine before chaos is unleashed.

SAGE

---