Page 102 of Fallen Saint

Alek stumbles backward, running a hand over his gaping mouth. “It seems I have been played a fool by all.” When he focuses his attention my way, I instantly avert my gaze, revealing my guilt. “You knew?”

Deep-seated guilt washes over me. “Yes,” I whisper, unable to lie a second longer.

“No.” His gasp kicks me low, and I swallow back my shame. How could I have done this? I’m no better than the vile human beings surrounding me.

“Sorry, Saint, but he has to leave here alive. Whatever happens to the girl is none of my concern.” Borya waves his gun my way, but I don’t flinch.

“Is this what you wanted?” Alek cries, gesturing toward me. “For them to kill her?”

“Of course not!” Saint snaps, shaking his head angrily.

“Then what? What could they give you that means more to you than your freedom? And Zoey’s?” Alek isn’t trying to play the game. He appears stunned that his number one trusted confidant could betray him this way.

“Willow.” When he finally speaks, the room falls quiet. “She means more to me than you’ll ever know. And I would do anything, side with anyone, to set her free…from you.”

Oscar watches on, aroused by Saint’s dominance.

“What did they promise you?” Alek wants to know it all. And so do I because there is a catch. There is always a catch.

Saint squares his shoulders as he shifts slightly to use his body as a shield to shelter me from Borya’s gun. “Your death,” he replies with nothing but pure spite. “I was supposed to kill you, share your secrets with them, and protect them how I did you. I do all this…and Willow is free. They would ensure she leaves this country safe.”

And there it is. The truth.

I can understand why he didn’t want to share it with me because I would have told him no. But now, it’s too late. He was never coming with me. There is no out for Saint, and there never will be. As long as he’s alive, he’s enslaved to them all.

“Change of plans,” Astra says, untouched by Saint’s admission. “I will let you live, Aleksei, because Saint is your dirty little secret, isn’t he? He knows everything. Shame on you for showing weakness yet again. I was going to kill you, maybe torture you a little, but it will be far more fun knowing you’re alive to see us destroy your legacy. You’re done.”

“That wasn’t part of the deal. He has to die!” Saint shouts, anger vibrating from him.

I can’t wrap my head around this because it seems so…implausible. But hasn’t it always?

Saint sided with these monsters, promising to protect them and reveal Alek’s secrets, on the proviso that I was to leave unharmed and that Alek died by his hand. He did all of this for…me.

But you can’t trust a snake. They have played us all.

“He was never supposed to leave here alive! You promised me she would have your protection. You were to grant her safe passage back to America.”

Oscar walks toward Saint, appearing to want to console him, but Saint punches him in the face, his nose squishing under the impact. “If the deal is off, then don’t you fucking touch me, you sick asshole.”

Oscar howls in pain as he cups his nose, blood pouring through his fingers. The fact Saint hasn’t pulled a weapon means he’s unarmed. But his hands are just as fatal.

His violence seems to have stirred something in Astra who looks over at Borya in concern. They are afraid of him. They know he can end them just as easily as they can end him. But the catch is, they need him.

Alek won’t spill the details on what they need. They want to take over his empire, but they don’t want to do the dirty work. They want to expand on his loot but not start from scratch. “Okay, let’s come to a compromise.”

Borya waits for Astra to continue.

“We give you Aleksei, but she has to go too. She is a liability.”

“Absolutely not,” Saint snarls, removing the buttons on his jacket, one by one. When he sheds himself of such gentlemanly attire, shit gets real. “She leaves here. Safe. And beyond these walls.”

“And what happens then? Who will look after her? We were the ones who were supposed to do that. But I’m sorry, that isn’t going to happen now.”

“I can look after myself,” I spit in a not so convincing tone as Saint curses under his breath.

They only seem to realize I am standing here.

“You have caused so much trouble, little girl.” Astra arches an eyebrow, examining me closely. “Do you really think the wolves won’t tear you apart? Everyone wants to know what is so special about you. How someone so…insignificant could bring a powerful leader to his knees.”

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