Page 63 of Ruthless Legacy

I ignore the chuckle that so many women think is sexy. Saint’s hot, but he does not, and never has done it for me. “Relax, Tink. I won’t be sending you off to meet your maker today.”

“So there is a day coming. Wanna give me a heads up about what day that is, so I can put it on my calendar?”

“This is why I like you, Tink. Most people would cash in a favor and ask me not to kill them. You’ve never done that.”

I shrug like it’s no big deal. “You weren’t the only person gunning for my head, so why waste a favor?”

I feel LJ’s nails fisting the back of my shirt as she whimpers behind me. I know she’s scared, but I can’t reassure her. Not when negotiations have only just started. He’s pulled me back here for a reason. He wants something from me. I’m about to earn another favor from Saint. He just doesn’t know it yet.

“Is that why you ran away? Thought you’d be safer here?” He smirks at me. “You were, you know. Safer here. So why did you clue me in on where you were hiding?”

I suck my teeth and roll my eyes. Of course, that’s the rumor going around Nags Creek. “We both know I’m not hiding. I’ve never hidden anywhere in my life, and I didn’trun away. I relocated for school.”

He nods. “That’s the other thing I like about you. You’re serious about your education, though I wonder what other favors you did to afford to go to school here.”

He’s playing with me. I used up two favors with him already. The first was to make sure Moira and Scott weren’t scam artists. I want that favor back. And the second was to get LJ out of danger. “Cut the shit, Saint. You know how I got here and who’s footing the bill. Now, are you gonna tell me why you really came for a visit or not?”

He’s unbothered by my outburst. “Believe it or not, Tink. I came to get a look at the town and see for myself that you’re okay.”

Shit. He’s being serious. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“After you reached out, I started hearing some troubling things about that fancy school you go to and your new town. I wanted to check things out for myself. I’m surprised you didn’t add the school to your original request.”

Okay. It’s time to go, because the last thing I need is for Gabriel St. John to be taking it upon himself to check out anything that has to do with me. “It’s a cool town. Has a nice beach. You should probably take The Wall out there to get some sun. Catch some waves. He’s looking pastier than usual.”

He looks over at his guard. Walker Andretti doesn’t react to my taunt, but I’m sure he’s trying to decide if he can get away with smacking me. He hates me. Always has. Like it’s my fault I know his bosses secret. We both know it’shisfault. He wasn’t as vigilant as he should have been the night I found out. I don’t even understand why it’s such a big deal. Nobody would care.

I flick my gaze to his right hand, to make sure his twitchy trigger finger is nowhere near his holster, when I hear Saint say, “What’s your story, Angel?”

LJ presses even closer to me. We’re practically conjoined twins at this point. I know she’s probably having flashbacks to the last time we were in an office in the back of a club. I’ve got her back now, just like I had it then. “She’s mine. End of story.”

Saint laughs at my outburst. First real fucking emotion I’ve seen from him tonight and he’s laughing. Great.

“Tink, I’ve known you a long time, I’ve seen you bullshit your way out of a lot of things, fight your way out of a lot of others, but the one thing you’ve never been where I’m concerned, is a liar. We both know she’s notyours.”

“Oh, but she is.”

He drops his feet to the floor and leans forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “Is that true, Angel? Does Tink here have your pussy on lock?”

I’m so proud of LJ when she says, “Thea’s given you her answer. What else is there to talk about?”

Her answer seems to satisfy whatever question he was really asking. The thing is, Saintdoesknow me. He knows prior to coming here I was never into women, but I’ve claimed LJ for the second time. He knows that means she has my loyalty, the same way Sasha does. I don’t give that out indiscriminately, and her response didn’t contradict what I said. That’s good enough for him.

He leans back, propping his feet up again. “Alright ladies. I’m sorry to have disturbed your evening. Please take advantage of a booth in our VIP lounge, or our entertainment suite, on the house.”

“We’ll pass on that.”

When we reach the door, he says, “See you around, Tink.”

I look back at him. “God, I hope not.”

“Why does he call you Tink?” LJ asks when we’re settled in the back of a cab.

“That’s what you want to ask after we barely escape from the big bad gang leader?”

“I’m sure I’ll have other more pertinent questions after the shock wears off, but yeah. I wanna know.”

“It’s short for Tinkerbell, because he says I get into and out of places that nobody else can unscathed, like I’m sprinkling a bunch of magical pixie dust.”

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