Page 52 of Tainted Saints

“I–I didn’t mean—”

“Didn’t mean what, Duchess? To point out just how much better you are than us? How fucking poor we are, that we can’t even get new bedding for the dogs that are abandoned on the streets?” He’s shaking, anger pouring off him in waves that hit like a punch to the gut. I know it’s a sore subject for him. That kind of money would see us set for life, and the fact that she thinks nothing of it and just giving it away highlights the stark difference between us.

“Better than you? You think that’s what I believe?” she questions, her voice thick with the tears that tremble on her lashes. It guts me to see them, and I want to growl at Lan for making her hurt. “You have more than I ever will, Landon. Look around you. How can you believe that being locked away in a basement with no food for days on end is better than this? Of having no freedom, no choice in who I see or where I go? Who I’ll spend the rest of my life with? Tell me, which life would you rather have?” Her body vibrates with the force of her desolation, her jaw tight as she calls Lan out.

I watch as the fight drains from him, his throat bobbing as he swallows, and I feel the pain of her statement in my very soul.

“Fuck, Duchess,” he breathes out, dropping to his knees in front of her. Bolt scoots out of the way as Lan takes her face in his hands. “I’m a bastard, I shouldn’t have said that shit. It’s just a fuck-ton of money, baby. It took me by surprise.”

“I would give you every fucking penny, drain my account dry if it would free me from him,” she whispers, and tears sting my eyes at the confession and the hopelessness lacing her tone. “Being rich has never bought me anything but misery.”

“You will be free,” he vows, bringing their foreheads together, and I watch, my chest tight as they both close their eyes and breathe each other in for a moment. “We will free you from him. I swear it, Aspen.”

A shiver cascades across her body, and I grasp her closer to me, nuzzling against her neck.

“You have our word, sugar. He will not rule over your life forever,” I tell her, my lips brushing against her ear.

“Trust us,” Blaine’s deep rumble sounds from the other side of her.

We hold her between us, and I know that the promise we just made is set in stone, sacred. We will get her free from her father, whatever it takes. We are her Saints now, at her disposal to do with as she sees fit. To avenge her and protect her.

ChapterTwenty-Three

“Bella Notte” by Peggy Lee

ASPEN

We spendthe rest of the afternoon and early evening watching Marvel films because apparently, Forest is obsessed with superhero movies. Lan made me a delicious early dinner of chicken salad and some of the yummiest, homemade focaccia I’ve ever had. The man has a gift and I am more than okay with being a part of it.

After our little hiccup earlier, Forest said my donation would be more than perfect, if that’s what I wanted to do. Apparently, they’ve been wanting to add an extra area to hold more animals and revamp the outside area, plus about a million other things, so the money would enable all of that to happen.

It felt amazing knowing that something which has never helped me get what I want is actually going to make such a difference, and a satisfied glow filled me as I snuggled between Forest and Blaine on the sofa.

The hours seemed to go past too quickly, and then all too soon, it was time to meet the others in their gang.

Butterflies flutter around my stomach as they lead me out into the cool night and down the steps. We walk around the back, and in a small lot are the three black motorbikes that I’ve seen the guys with at school.

I come to a standstill when realisation hits me.

“I get to ride on one?” I ask, a wide grin tugging my lips upward.

“You get to ride on the back of mine,” Lan states, walking over to me and holding out a helmet.

“You guys don’t wear helmets,” I pout, my eyes narrowing as I watch Forest and Blaine get on the backs of their bikes, no helmets in sight.

“That’s different. Put the helmet on, Duchess,” Lan commands, not even giving me a chance to do it myself.Overbearing arse.“And you’ll need this too.” He shrugs out of his leather jacket, leaving him in just a hoodie.

“It’s freezing out!” I complain, but again he just bypasses me and drapes it over my shoulders. The heat of his body seeps into me, even over my own wool jacket. I feed my arms through the sleeves even though I don’t want him to be cold. I can’t help it, I love wearing their clothes, being utterly surrounded by them.

“Good girl,” he murmurs, his eyes almost feral as he takes me in. I shiver, but not from the cold. No, this is all due to the animal magnetism Landon Capaldi exudes. Threading our fingers together, he leads me over to the last motorbike, letting go of my hand to swing his leg over and settle onto the seat. “Hop on, baby.”

With excitement making my pulse quicken, I do as he orders, glad I wore trousers as I copy his move, sitting down behind him. His arm immediately comes back, pulling me closer, and I gasp when I feel something hard pressing into my stomach as I wrap my arms around him.

“Why do you have a gun?” I breathe out, the reality of who exactly the Saints are hitting me all of a sudden. They are leaders of a gang. A gang who clearly needs guns.

He sighs, his back moving as he releases a heavy breath. “Anytime we’re not at school we have guns, Duchess. In our line of work, we have no choice.”

Taking a shuddering inhale, I press closer to his back, breathing in his leather and lavender scent, letting it calm me. The gun doesn’t bother me per se, there’s a comfort in knowing that he can protect himself and the rest of us. What bothers me is that they’re in enough danger to warrant carrying one at all.

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