Saint

He’s trying to be brusque and downplay the significance of his actions, but I see right through his bullshit.

I fold my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes up at him.

“Is that why you’ve been acting like such a dick? You thought your steady ride was being jacked?”

His jaw tenses. “I don’t like when someone else touches what’s mine.”

“I’m not your—” I start but his hand comes up to cup my face, and his thumb pulls at my bottom lip.

“You keep saying that, and you keep being wrong,” he murmurs. A moment of silence stretches between us, and it’s heavy with some new emotion. I’m not sure what, or rather, I’m not sure I want to dig too deep into what it might be.

At length, I finally whisper, “What now?”

Instead of answering me, he leans down and presses his lips to mine in a quick kiss.

Pulling back so we’re a breath apart, he answers, “Now, you just look forward to tonight because when I come to your room, you’re not getting rid of me until morning.”

I shiver at the heated promise in his words.

Saint and I resume our nightly activities together, and it’s as good as ever.

At least, it would be if he wasn’t acting weird. Again.

After we’re done, and we’re just lying together talking, he’s started back in on trying to get me to leave Angelview. This time, he’s switched tactics and is now suggesting other private schools for me to attend.

“St. Hildegard’s supposed to have an excellent swim team,” he points out to me a few days before Thanksgiving Break. “Plus, it’s an all-girls school, so I don’t have to worry about any strange dick chasing after you.”

I prop myself up on my side and gaze down at him with a frown.

“We’ve been over this before,” I say, releasing a sigh. “I’m not leaving. Besides, I can’t afford any other school. I’m only here because of my scholarship.”

Which is something I’ve told him a million times. I don’t know if he’s just not listening to me, or if he really doesn’t get it.

“I could help you,” he replies. “Cover your tuition for you. It’s just one more semester, right?”

I gape at him. “You’re not doing that. No way in hell will I take your money.”

He lets out a growl. “Come on, Mallory. Anywhere is better than this shithole.”

I’m certain that’s not true. I could be back at Rayfort High, which would be a thousand times worse than anything I’ve experienced here so far. I can’t tell him that, though. I can’t tell him anything about what’s waiting for me should I ever go back to my hometown.

I shake my head. “You’ve got to give this up, Saint. You’re not going to convince me to leave.”

His expression tightens and he looks momentarily upset. Frustrated and anxious. He always looks like this when I shoot down his suggestions for different schools. I can’t help the tug of worry in my gut. Saint rarely looks affected by anything.

But my continued presence at Angelview?

That worries him, which terrifies me.