Page 10 of The Rise of Saint (The Sins of Saint 1)

I smirked. “Asking where we are going implies you’re going willingly. Asking where I’m taking you states that you have no say in the matter.” I shrugged. “Which, in this case, is better suiting.”

She squirmed in her seat, her cheeks ash-white, her fresh make-up no longer able to hide the circles under her eyes. “Stop screwing around.”

I scoffed. “Such a mature response. I can see we have our work cut out for us.”

She turned to face me head on. “Forgive me if my main concern isn’t speaking in a mature fucking way.”

“Something we’ll be dealing with in days to come. Now, when that door opens, you get out and follow James to the private jet. Do not even think of running.”

She narrowed her eyes at me, disdain screaming from the swirls of her emerald irises. “And where the hell would I run to, exactly? And judging by how easily we just drove in here, I’m pretty sure you have everyone working here on your payroll.”

“You’re quite the observant one.”

Her door opened, James extending his hand, but she kept her eyes on me, not moving.

“It happens when you live around people whose sole purpose is to hurt you.”

With those expensive high heels Elena had her wearing, she stepped out of the car, and I followed, closing the door behind me. More lightning cracked across the sky, followed by a loud rumble of thunder before rain started to pour down. If I were a superstitious bastard, I’d see it as the universe’s way of telling me bad shit was about to happen. But I didn’t need the universe’s warning. I already knew bad things were to come, because I was the one bringing them.

6

Mila

I had never beenon a plane before, let alone a private jet. As I set foot inside, it was like stepping from that cursed elevator into the luxury suite of his hotel again. I smelled the strong scent of rich leather, custom wood veneer adding more than a touch of elegance to the interior. Natural shades of tan, beige, and umber welcomed me, and the click of my heels was muted by the lush, beige carpet. It was a strong display of wealth and power. It was also a reminder that my chances at fighting him, surviving him, were slim. There was no way a girl like me could compete with this kind of power.

I bit my lip as I glanced around. If this was under any other circumstances, I’d probably be bouncing off the wall with excitement. But it wasn’t. And I was everything but excited. In fact, I had never been this terrified in my entire goddamn life. I tried my best to be brave, to keep the expression on my face from giving me away. The last thing I wanted was for Saint to think I would cower while I withered away through whatever he had planned for me.

James helped me out of the trench coat I wore before showing me to my seat. I let out a breath when I sat down, the comfort of the wide armchair doing nothing to settle my apprehension. “Where are we going?” I looked up at James, but he didn’t even blink at my question, let alone answer. It was as if he didn’t hear me at all, ignoring me like I wasn’t even there.

Saint took a seat across from me, no longer wearing his suit jacket. His tie had been loosened a bit and the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up mid-arm.

“Who are you?” My voice shook, my hands on my lap with fingers weaved together.

“You can call me Saint.” He answered like I just asked the world’s dumbest question. “I’m the man who owns this plane—”

“And let me guess, half the world?”

James handed him what looked like a glass of bourbon. “Hopefully, when this is all over, I will own the whole fucking world.”

“I meant to me.”

He cocked a brow. “I don’t understand.”

“I meant who are you to me?”

That arrogant smirk appeared on his face once again. “That’s a very odd question to ask.”

“And this is a very fucked-up situation.”

“You have a foul mouth, Mila.”

“My choice in words is not really a concern for me right now.”

For the longest time, he studied me while nursing his expensive drink, leaning back in his chair like a man who didn’t have a care in the world. If I was a clever girl, I would have looked away, not demanding an answer by keeping his gaze. But I wasn’t a clever girl—at least not now.

“Are you going to answer my question?”

Saint smacked his lips as he took a sip of his bourbon and cleared his throat. “Unfortunately, you aren’t ready for all the answers just yet.”

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