Page 16 of The Devil's Saint

Saint’s grandfather is gone, and my mom...

Fresh tears sting the corner of my eyes. Where is she?

I try to think back to the last place I saw her, but all I can see is death and hear the screams of the chaos that was all around me. It’s all I can hear, penetrating my eardrums like a never-ending beat.

How could this happen? There’s no question that the Garo men are dangerous, but Jesus... Never in a million years did I ever think it could be like this!

Have I been so blinded by Saint that I didn’t see this coming?

My mind replays the events over and over. He betrayed me. The weight of that truth of it is almost too much to bear.

The sting of betrayal, along with what happened tonight and not knowing if my mom was safe, is overwhelming.

“I’m fine,” I lie, wrapping my arms tightly around myself and opening the car door to get in. “I need to find my mom.”

Colton gives me a sympathetic look before climbing into the passenger seat.

“She was frantically trying to find you. She almost got herself killed. Chains had to knock her out to get her in a car.”

“Is she okay? Is she hurt?”

“She has a few minor cuts and scrapes and some smoke inhalation from the fire, but she’ll live.”

Chapter Eight

Calebsitsintheback seat with us, holding Jordin close.

No one says anything for the longest time, and then Colton’s voice breaks through the heavy silence, demanding answers. “Who the fuck was it?”

Saint’s eyes linger on me in the rear-view mirror, but I look away from him to the stars in the night sky.

“I don’t know,” Saint replies, his voice laced with a cold determination. “But I’m going to find out.”

Jordin’s voice breaks through the tension, heavy with exhaustion. “Where are we going?”

“Back to my house. I told everyone to meet us and stay there until we find out who’s behind this and why,” he replies.

“How did you make it out?” Jordin’s shaky voice asks Caleb.

“The cops showed up, but we managed to escape before they caught us. I don’t get how they knew our location, but the bastards had us all by the fucking balls,” he tells her.

“This has a setup written all over it. Who else would have known about tonight? Everything we do is arranged at the last minute. It had to have been one of the other bosses. They’re the only ones who know the location. Not to mention, the grounds were heavily guarded. How the fuck did they get past them without us hearing the gunfire?”

Saint exhales heavily in frustration. “They must have used silencers,” he says, smacking his fist down hard on the steering wheel. “They would have known we would have been unarmed.”

“But you had a gun. I saw you use it,” Jordin says, confusion evident in her tone.

“Weapons are generally forbidden. We follow our own rules,” Saint clarifies, his voice firm.

“And thank fuck we did. Otherwise, we’d all be six feet under,” Colton interjects, making me shudder. “They killed so many of our men, we don’t know who’s left.”

“Shut the fuck up, Colton,” Saint spits in frustration.

Colton turns back to look at me, but I gaze out the window. “Shit. I’m sorry, I didn’t think…”

“That’s your problem. You never do,” Saint replies sharply.

We continue the journey consumed by an uncomfortable silence, the weight of all that’s happened tonight pressing upon us.

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