Page 87 of Saint

“What you don’t know iswhy.” Kole takes a deep breath, looking me over. “He said he was taking you to the Valentine’s Massacre party, which I found odd that you even agreed since you usually avoided us.”

“Liam was insistent.”

Not only that, but he was also convincing.

At the time, I still wanted to be closer to him, and he guilted me for all the time I spent focusing on school and work. I thought it was the only way to prove to him I cared. Because I did, not knowing all the other sides of him.

Kole nods. “He said he wanted to play a prank on you—for fun. But Liam never did things just for the fun of it. He always had ulterior motives. So, when he asked me to be on that road wearing a mask, I couldn’t risk turning him down and him sending someone else instead.”

His voice deepens with his story as a chill runs up my spine, remembering that night differently.

“I made sure the tire would blow before I climbed in. That was the plan. But when we got out of the car to check on it, I realized the real reason he wanted me there.” Kole’s gaze is nearly pitch black. “Apparently, Liam had found our Dark Desires messages on your phone after you fell asleep on the couch one night.”

My messages with Saint.

My fantasies.

“It’s why I delete them after we send them now,” he says, like he’s doing me a favor. “He was pissed you were screwing around on him, even if he didn’t really give a shit that it made him a hypocrite. And since the only reason he was with you was to piss me off, he figured I’d be just as irritated as he was.”

“Because he didn’t know you were the one on the other end of the messages?”

Kole nods. “He tried to convince me you should pay for what you were doing to us. He had a plan.”

My throat turns to sandpaper when I try to swallow. “What plan?”

“He wanted to act out the things you shared with me in the app.”

“Just like you—”

“No, Violet.” Kole shakes his head, and his voice deepens. “Not just like me. He wanted to film it.”

“Why would he do that?” Tears burn in my eyes, and I try to blink them away. “Because I hurt his feelings? He was doing worse to me. Why would he even care?”

“It wasn’t just that,” Kole says. “He was pissed and rambling. He said Sigma House betrayed him, and he’d found a way to make them pay for it.”

“Using me?”

“I don’t know.” Kole’s eyebrows pinch. “I stopped listening after that. I looked over at you sitting in the car, and I couldn’t think. I couldn’t even ask him, even though I should have. I just—”

“Killed him.”

“Yeah.” He holds my hip and runs circles over it, even if now nothing feels comforting. “He was going to hurt you.”

“And only you’re allowed to do that, right?” I huff.

Kole grips my face in his hands and forces my attention on him. “Exactly. Because I hurt youfor you, Violet. Because you told me from the beginning that’s what you want. But I’d never hurt you for anyone else.”

His stare holds mine, and I believe him. Through all the unforgivable things he’s done, I know he wouldn’t. Because every action—good or bad—has been for me.

Kole presses his mouth to mine and steals my life. He breaks my heart and rips my thoughts to shreds. He forces my lips to part with his tongue and devours everything I have.

It’s simple.

It’s complicated.

We’re nothing and everything, and I can’t look at it too closely, or I’ll run scared.

Even then, he’d just chase.

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