Page 24 of The Sinner (Haven Grace Prep 1)

“You heard me. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll break up with her.”

He chuckles, amused by all of this. “And if I don’t?”

I smile, looking like I’m going to leave, before turning back around and swinging a right hook into the side of his head. It feels good to do that, being as I’ve wanted to for years—even as a kid. His eyes narrow on me as he grips his jaw.

“The fuck, man?”

I get into his face. “I told you, break up with Savannah and stay the fuck away.”

“Why, so you can have your way with her? Not a fucking chance.”

Another punch lands straight to his nose and I feel the bone snap against my fist. This time, he reacts, coming at me swinging. He lands one hit to my head before I knock him to the ground with a kick to the stomach. I climb on top of him, pummeling my fists into his face repeatedly. One for taking her attention from me when we were younger. One for having it all the time I’ve been gone. One for standing in the way of my plan. One for getting everything that was always meant to be mine.

“Get off him!” a guy screams.

Before I know it, two bouncers from the bar are pulling me away. My hands are covered in blood, and I grin evilly as I watch some guy help a dazed Brady get up. Judging by the look in his eyes, I know I got my point across.

I’m ushered into a small office-like room with two men that I don’t think it would be smart to try and fight. One of them pulls out a phone and calls the police, telling them they’ve got someone who needs to be picked up. I roll my eyes, thinking about my mom having to bail me out. It won’t be the first time, but it’s still something I’d like to avoid.

“How much do you want to pretend like you didn’t see anything tonight?”

They share a look before shaking their heads. “We don’t take bribes from arrogant pricks like you who think money solves everything.”

If only they knew me. “Let me explain. That guy tried to rape my girlfriend. I was only protecting her.”

One of them starts laughing, like it’s the most absurd thing he’s ever heard, and the other smiles in amusement. Still, there’s no way they’re budging. Guess I’m spending my night in a jail cell.

I’M STARING UP AT the ceiling, counting the tiles, when my name is called. I stand up to find a familiar face, Travis Kennedy. He’s a lieutenant here, and used to be good friends with my father before his arrest. I smile as he looks me up and down and shakes his head.

“Grayson,” he greets. “What are you doing locked up? Like father, like son?”

I give him a hug, being as it’s been years since I’ve seen him. “Why can I say? I had something I needed to take care of.”

He leads us away from the cells and to the front. “I never took you for a homophobe. You’re lucky Mr. Laurence doesn’t want to press charges. His boyfriend has been screaming ‘hate crime’ for hours.”

“Hate crime?” I ask, confused, until the other words sink in. “Wait, boyfriend? Brady is gay?”

Looking at me like I’ve grown an extra head, he nods. “Wasn’t that why you beat the shit out of him?”

Suddenly, it all makes sense. Why she doesn’t talk about her relationship with him. Why he dances with her at the studio. Who that guy was who was helping hi

m up after I pummeled his face in. He isn’t Savannah’s boyfriend. He has a boyfriend of his own.

If she’s pretending to be dating a gay guy, there must be a reason for it—and I’m determined to find out what that is.

“Hey, Travis, do you happen to have Savannah Montgomery’s new address? I’ve been trying to find her since I got back to town, but she doesn’t live across the street anymore.”

He looks hesitant at first, but ultimately types the name into the computer. I may have found what I need after all.

9

Savannah

I wake in the morning, feeling more alone than I usually do. As I go into the kitchen, I notice the house is still clean. Yesterday, when cheer practice was canceled, I danced for an hour before Brady had to get ready for his date with Jacob. So, having nothing better to do, I cleaned the house. However, usually that doesn’t stop my father from messing it up.

Walking down the small hallway, I find his bedroom empty. Of course. I grab my phone and make the usual phone calls, finding him at the hospital this time. Well, at least there’s that. They tell me he had a drunken accident at a friend’s house and managed to step on a nail that went right through his foot. I cringe at the thought, but it serves him right. Maybe if he was sober, it wouldn’t have happened.

I make quick work of taking a shower and getting ready for school, being able to enjoy the clean house for a change. Once I’m done, I hear Brady pull up and head out the door.

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