The Sinners - Ruby Vincent Page 0,4
“Damien.”
I heard movement. A grunt. Then the door opening and closing.
“There,” said Rio. “Any other requests?” His father sounded amused.
“No one touches her while I’m gone.”
“Who are you speaking to? Young Ember will remain untouched while you handle the matter. I’m stepping out of your way, son.”
I inched my foot forward, touching my boot to his heel.
“One last thing, Ember’s done with the Horsemen after they make the drop. I’m taking her back to the academy and then we’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”
Rio’s eyes sharpened. “You have some attachment to this girl?”
“None,” he said clearly. “Do you agree?”
“Yes,” he responded after a beat. “Go on. I expect word by tonight that our money is incoming.”
“Right.”
Royal lingered. He pushed back on me ever so slightly, and then he left.
My eyes shut on the click of the lock.
I was going to die.
Royal bought me time and nothing else. My aunt and uncle would not pay. Their first call would be to the police and their second would be to their conscience to let it know they were satisfied in doing what they were required to do.
I was threatened and Uncle Harrison wasn’t moved to release my money. Eli was beaten and neither one called to ask if he was okay. Short of kidnapping and ransoming Aunt Violet herself, my uncle would not be giving the Horsemen a cent.
I jerked as fingers brushed my wrist.
“I’m certain you won’t be any trouble.” Rio’s velvety voice tickled my ear. “Let’s do away with these.”
Freed, I bolted out of the seat and ran to the triplets. “Clay. Cas. Are you okay?” Rio’s man didn’t react as I pushed him out of the way. Straddling Clay, I gently cupped his battered face and kissed the only part of him not swelling. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered.
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”
Clay placed his hand over mine, pouring waves of comfort into me though he was the one hurt. He warned me no one could know they were covering my debt. I never imagined this would be the retribution.
His healing split lip cracked, dripping blood as he offered me a grin. My heart ached for so many reasons on top of that smile. Since the day the Angels came into my life—the day Clay Walker stole a kiss—electricity singed my blood like I’d stuck my fingers in a socket. Wild. Dangerous. Reckless. But sleeping with Cassius, being near Clay, and battling Royal awoke a soul that died thirteen years ago.
Unheeding of those watching, I pressed a feather-light kiss to his weeping lips. A touch so gentle and it rattled my being. Clay claimed the last of my strength, drawing it through our kiss, relinquishing me to trembles and a begging need to cry.
“What was that for?” he asked softly.
I would die today. My last request from this world was a kiss from Clay. It was the least heaven owed me.
“Do I need a reason?”
Moving over to Cassius, I cradled him against my chest. “Are you okay?”
He burrowed into my bosom. “Better now.”
The urge to laugh, cry, and smack him battled for dominance. I settled for holding him closer. “You look even worse than Clay. I don’t have to ask if you mouthed off.”
His chuckle rumbled my chest.
“You,” I said to one of the brutes. “Get me a first aid kit. There has to be one around here.”
The man didn’t move, of course, cutting eyes to Rio.
“Give it to her, Jay,” said Rio. The gang leader swept off his coat and draped it over the desk. “We’ll be here a while. Might as well get comfortable.”
Jay rescued the kit from the desk drawer and handed it to me without a word. Rio’s men stood silent and intimidating, watching over us with guns aloft as I treated the results of their handiwork.
“Where else?” I asked, pressing the gauze to the cut above Cassius’s eye.
“I’m fine, Em.”
“No, you’re not.” I probed his torso. “You’re favoring your left side.”
“Jay deals a solid punch to the ribs,” he admitted. “But I can take a beating.”
“Are you sure it’s not broken? Hiro—”
“Hiro said some choice shit to Rio when he tied you to the chair. He got worse for it.”
I quieted. Hiro warned me of the consequences of disrespecting Rio and the sharp-tongued, fiery-eyed Angel broke them for me? And for me he was beaten, offered up to die, and shot.
Please let him be okay.
Reaching for Clay, I was stopped by a hand on my forearm. He took the gauze from me