How Sinners Fight - Eva Ashwood Page 0,58

want to start shit with us?”

Cliff’s jaw twitches. “Sophie is mine.”

It’s barely a whisper, so quiet I almost miss it.

But I don’t, and I fight the urge to barf up everything I just ate for breakfast. My heart slams in my chest, adrenaline surging through me at the cold possessiveness in his tone. The words, so similar to Gray’s declaration seconds ago, have an entirely different, fucked up meaning coming from this asshole.

I belong to the Sinners because I’ve chosen to belong to them. Just like they’ve chosen me.

I sure as hell haven’t chosen Cliff, and whatever fucked up claim he thinks he has on me, it scares me almost more than his threat of putting me in jail.

For a second, I think Gray might take a swing at him. Actually, it looks like all three of the Sinners are thinking about it.

“Are you fucking sure you want to play this game?” Gray’s voice is so full of fury it makes a shiver run down my spine. “Because if I were you, I’d back the fuck down right now.”

Cliff’s focus flicks to me, his eyes narrowing. My skin crawls under his gaze, like he’s reached out and touched me against my will, and I force myself to remain completely still. He wants to see me flinch—whether it’s toward him or away from him, I don’t think he cares. He just wants to get a reaction from me, and I refuse to give him that.

He finally tears his gaze away from me, settling it back on Gray. “You’re making a mistake,” he says calmly. “Shouldn’t waste time on trash like that.”

So much for keeping my fucking cool.

I can’t take it anymore. Pushing my way through the Sinners, I face Cliff full on.

“Fuck you, Cliff. The way I remember it, you were more than willing to waste time on trash like me. Do you tell every girl you get a hard on for that it’s fucking fate?” I mock, my lips twisting into a cruel smile. “That it’s meant to be? A connection that I shouldn’t be able to deny?”

There’s a laugh from the crowd that’s slowly been gathering around us. I swear, the drama that seems to follow me everywhere I go is probably more entertaining for these people than whatever reality TV show is popular right now.

Cliff flushes, and a vicious thrill runs through me. It takes him a long second to find words, but when he does, he growls them out.

“You better watch the fuck out,” he says, angling his threat at the guys and not at me, because apparently, he thinks he’d be able to pull me down just fine on his own. “My father won’t stand for anyone besmirching my family name.”

I crack a smirk. He sounds like fucking Draco Malfoy, a sorry little asshole who still needs daddy to do everything for him. But before I can say anything, he turns and stalks off. The other two Saints turn and follow him, Aaron casting a glance over his shoulder as they go.

When the crowd realizes there isn’t going to be a fight, they slowly disperse around us, but my head is still reeling from everything.

“He’s fucking serious, isn’t he?” I ask as Gray turns around to face me, his eyes scanning my body.

Not that I didn’t think Cliff was serious, but to hear him get so pissed about stupid little me? It’s fucked up. I don’t understand why he’s this goddamn obsessed with me, besides the fact that I beat his ass up for trying to assault me. Is he so butt hurt about that?

Elias makes a noise in his throat, still staring at the spot where Cliff and his buddies disappeared around the corner. “I guess it’s war, then.”

“Good.” Gray’s eyes are steely. Coming up to me, he wraps a possessive arm around me, pulling me close to the broad hardness of his body that fits so well against the softer curves of mine. “It’s about time someone taught that bastard a lesson.”

As we walk the rest of the way to class, I can feel every beat of my heart. It pounds out a heavy rhythm, but the emotion that’s making my pulse quicken isn’t fear. It’s amazement.

For the first time in my life, I’ve got people on my side, something almost like family.

Family.

I’ve never really known what that’s like, never experienced it before.

But if this is what family means?

I think I like it.

16

The next couple of weeks pass quicker than I would like. Somehow,