Page 291 of Vicious Saint
“I was talking with Archer earlier…”
Motherfucker.
No good questions ever come from Hendrix aftertalkingwith Good Guy Archer. Therefore, I already know the little shit’s about to get his teeth knocked out.
“And?”
“And…he mentioned there was an accident in The Pit a few weeks ago…shortly after we ended. With Gunner’s cousin getting set on fire or something.”
This. Fucking. Guy.
Can never keep his self-righteous nose out of everyone’s business.
I could pretend to fall asleep…but what’s the point? The question I know is coming will just be waiting impatiently for me to answer tomorrow.
“What about it, Jimi?”
Hendrix’s swallow can be heard from all the way from behind her neck. “Did you…uh…have something to do with it?”
37
Hendrix
It’s Monday morning after my near abduction, and let’s just say the world around us looks a hell-of-a lot different. For starters, I’ve watched the entire weekend as scary men in suits got assigned to every corner outside the Lavell mansion, and Vic’s techs installing some souped up surveillance systems all throughout it too.
The front, back, side, everywhere within a five mile radius has been planted with his tech company’s newly advanced censored cameras and AI facial recognition programs. Types that the Secret Service would probably use. But, then again, I’m pretty sure it’s Vic the Secret Service relies on to protect politicians.
As much as I knew there was brilliance behind Vic and his company, the power hadn’t fully dawned on me until seeing him in action.
A courtesy he was adamant about upholding, not wanting Theory or me to feel like we’re being smothered.
I mean, we were, butpolitelyfrom the shadows.
What else has fully dawned on me is how much this man, along with Saint and Carlo, are no. Longer. Fucking around.
Another thing Vic reassured me of when demanding Theory and I remain on school grounds during the week.
“Trust me, kiddo, this is for your own good,” Vic tries to convince me amidst overseeing operations with the metal detectors installed at school.
Parents of the kids made it clear with Headmaster Beaumont they aren’t happy, given detectors usually come hand in hand with sketchy neighborhood kids and public schools.
Notsuper expensive elite ones.
A bit ridiculous, given extra security isn’t something a parent should stick their nose in the air about, but who am I to judge when I’ve been doing the same?
“You have like twenty guys surrounding us and the building,” I remind him, even though I doubt he needs it. “It’s drawing even more attention than I’ve already been getting.”
Like I said…hypocrite.
He pauses whatever instructions he was giving one of the guys working a computer, then turns to me, not a lick of joking in his expression. “You could’ve been seriously hurt that night, Hendrix. Or worse. I’m not sure you’re fully grasping the severity of what happened.”
He’s not exactly wrong…I’ve been as busy compartmentalizing feelings as he was upgrading his level of security.
Almost being abducted and watching your boyfriend assist in murder will do that to you. It’s why I needed to spend this time focusing on Saint, his pain, his past, and how I can tell he’s been feeling guilty about me getting caught up in his family’s drama.
There’s also the fact he admitted to torching Gunner’s cousin…over something the guy said about me.
So, yeah. Any foreseen trauma of mine will have to take a back seat.
