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Saint
I remember watching Coyote Ugly and thinking how it must feel to have a group of friends you could trust. Like always, I’d try to relate with the characters I’d be watching, since it’s about as close as I would get to feeling it, but it was always a fleeting moment. So I started reading, which gave me more in-depth feelings of what it felt like to live a life that isn’t yours to live. Tillie and Madison haven’t been in my life for long, but to imagine my life without them in it would cripple me.
We’re dressed up and I don’t know why. Denim washed Levi’s with a slit right below my left ass cheek, a black drop-top, and a Gucci belt is secured around my waist. I’m wearing black heels with thin straps crisscrossing over the top of my foot that I hadn’t been able to find an occasion to wear them for, and my hair and makeup are probably the best they have ever looked.
“Daddy Bran Bran left the Tesla.” Tillie wiggles the “key” to both Madison and me, just as Bailey walks into the room dressed and ready. “We are getting into so much trouble tonight.”
Madison finishes her lipstick, popping her mouth open. “We’re having a boy and girl.” She hasn’t said much since Bishop dropped her back off after her scan. She almost seems more tense than usual, which I’m begi
“Madison!” My heart swells. “Congratulations!” It takes me a second to realize her shoulders are tight and her brows are knotted together in distress. “Wait, what’s wrong?”
She flicks her perfectly manicured fingernails. “I’m so happy, Saint. So happy.” There’s a long pause, and I’m almost afraid of what she’s going to follow up with. “But I don’t know how to fix us.”
Tillie and Bailey move in closer and I lean against my dresser to face where she’s sitting on the stool.
“I would usually say give him time, but I don’t think you should.” I squeeze the wood of my vanity, stained a pure white. “In the weeks I have been around my gloriously unique brother, I have found one thing that is constant, and that is he likes honesty, despite the fact he’s so good at keeping secrets. I think you need to bare it all with him. I’ve seen him when you weren’t here, Madison.” I bore my eyes into hers. “It broke me in one thousand different places to see him the way he was.”
Tillie clears her throat. “Are you saying that she should maul him?”
Bailey snickers, blowing out a catcall.
“I am.” I shrug. “Maul. Him.” I smile down at her. “Make him realize what he’s been missing for so long.”
“Fine.” Madison brushes back her hair. “But for right now, we’re getting you into trouble. Which, by the way,” she turns and narrows her eyes at Tillie, “why are we playing with Brantley like this?”
“Simple!” Tillie says matter-of-factly. “He shouldn’t have fucking allowed her to be taken away.”
I push off the vanity and we all make our way out of my bedroom and down the gloomy hallway. Heels click against the ancient wood floors when we hit the foyer.
Bailey pauses, grabbing my arm. “Wait! We need some pre-drinks.” She dips into the kitchen and I laugh, shaking my head.
“Bays! Hurry up! I’m scared right now that he’s going to come home, take one look at Saint, and ruin our night!” Tillie calls out loudly, fixing her hair in the large Victorian-style antique mirror that hangs on the wall.
“Too late!” Brantley slams the front door closed just as Bailey is rounding the corner, the cheesy smile she had on her face sliding off like makeup on a rainy day. She lowers the two bottles of vodka as we all jump in place, turning to face a furious—no, livid, looking Brantley. “Where in the fuck do you think you’re all going? Hmmm?”
Bishop and Nate step through the front door and pause, their eyes flying around the group of us.
Bishop’s eyes turn to slits on Madison before going back to Nate. “See? The fuck did I just say?”
Nate’s brows are raised at Tillie, but he doesn’t do anything to hide the tiny smirk on the corner of his mouth. “And where the fuck do you think you’re going pregnant that doesn’t involve riding on my dick?”
“And, we’re caught,” Madison whispers.
Brantley’s dark eyes hit me and I swear I feel the reverberations throughout my bones. He doesn’t need to say anything, because I already know he’s pissed.
“We were going to the movies…” Bailey lies effortlessly, attempting to save us.
“Yeah?” Brantley’s eyes remain painfully focused on me, but he’s still talking to Bailey. “You’re a shit liar, Bailey. I suggest you work on that so you don’t disgrace our family name.”
Bailey flicks off the cap with her finger and raises the bottle to her lips. “Oh well, my bitches. I tried.”
Brantley points to the back patio. “Outside. Now.”
“Wait—shit!” Tillie calls out just as I turn around, but it’s too late. I forgot all about the massive slit in my jeans beneath my ass cheek.
Hands are at the back of my neck. “Out-fucking-side.” He shoves me forward and I turn to look over my shoulder to see him pointing at Tillie. “You better beat her ass tonight, Nate, or I swear to God…”
Tillie blows Brantley a kiss. “Then don’t try to take her away from her family again!”
I hit the back doors and the cool air whips me across the face. “What’s your problem?” I turn to face him, but it’s too late. His hand is already on my mouth.
“Shut the fuck up and listen to me, because I’ve been real patient with you so far, but that ends now.”
My breathing hitches, my chest swelling against his when he smashes me against the wall. His other hand dips into the slit in my jeans and he squeezes the fat on my ass. And there is a decent amount of fat on my ass.
“You ca
I stay in this position, his hand over my mouth and his other tight on my ass. Slowly, I feel the tension release and his thumb work circles over the curve. “
“There are people who want to hurt me, Saint, and the only way they can do that is through you. Do you understand?”
I nod.
“Good.” He releases my mouth, moving his arm around my neck to pull me in farther. I need to crank my head to look up to his full height.
“Is that it?” I brave. “That’s all the trouble I’m in?”
He laughs. “Oh, for now.” His dimples sink into either side of his face. “This will be finished in bed later, but for right now—” His mouth is on my earlobe as he nibbles on the thin skin. He whispers breathless words into my ear and I smirk, bringing my arm up to hook around his back. I win.
“Yo, we’ve got a problem.” Nate opens the door wide. He looks at Brantley. “Your mom is here.”
“What?” Brantley tugs me under his arm and moves us farther inside, his footsteps far too wide for me to catch up fast enough.
There, standing at the threshold of the front door, in all her dark-haired beauty is Veronica—I don’t even know her last name.
“Well,” she says, looking around at us all. “I’m glad you’re all here because I’ve got something to say.” I squeeze into Brantley, staggering closer to his protection. My hand ducks beneath his hoodie until my palm is pressed flat against his abs. I relax.