The Sinners - Ruby Vincent Page 0,95

a fireplace dominated the majority of one wall.

This is a place to hold a book club.

I brushed aside the curtains, peering through the window at the Infiniti squarely in view.

Not a place to help a twisted psycho lay a trap for the man I love.

Nolan arrived minutes following my text sharing where I was.

“Which car?” he asked without skipping a beat.

I pointed through the window. “That one second to last on the end.”

Nolan took out his phone. “Yeah. Second to last on the end. The silver car. He has dark hair and a black suit.” Nolan turned on me. “When is he coming out?”

“Now.”

“He’s coming now,” he repeated, pushing me aside. Nolan pressed his forehead against the window searching for him. “Where are you hiding? If he sees anyone, he’ll run. Also— There! I see him.”

I pushed in, straining to look. A dark figure materialized out of the shadows. He walked with deliberate steps to the car—perfect in the way he blended in.

Nolan gazed in palpable excitement as he walked around the car, peering in the windows, and trying each door handle. He stopped at the driver’s side door. It was hard to see from our angle and the weak light coming from the light post, but he seemed to be pushing the window down as far as it would go. After that, he walked away.

“Where is he going?” Nolan growled. “What the hell happened? Did you do something?” he flung at me.

“What did I do while I was standing right next to you?”

“You—” He cut off. “Wait. He’s back and— What the fuck?”

He came back all right and, in his hand, he hefted a large stone from the garden border. In paralyzing slow motion, he heaved the rock over his head and swung, smashing the window.

“Holy shit,” Nolan cried over his laugh.

Everything happened at once. Security jumped out of their hiding places and swarmed him. Their shouts and orders to put down the rock reached us through the window. I snapped the curtains closed, not able to bear it any longer.

“There,” I exclaimed. “You got what you wanted. The deal was you tell me their names the millisecond it’s over.”

Hollering, Nolan pushed the curtains back. He feasted on the sight of him on the floor, the top half of him blocked by the car as security wrangled his hands behind his back.

“You did hold up your end, didn’t you?” He tsked. “Which kinda makes me feel bad that I have to tell you I lied.”

The blood drained from my face. “You what?”

Nolan lifted his shoulder, eyes only partially on me as he watched.

I ripped the curtains closed. “You lied to me?! You don’t know who attacked Eli!”

“Yes and no. I know one of the guys who attacked him. Couldn’t guess who the other is but I’m sure he’ll tell you if you ask nicely.”

“Who is it? Tell me!”

“Hmmm,” he hummed, screwing up his face. “I don’t know. Seems like a better idea is making you help me take down all of the Horsemen trash that’s invaded our school. Maybe I’ll tell you after that.”

He was enjoying this. The bastard was so obviously getting off on my rage, the threads snapped on my self-control.

“I knew better than to trust you,” I said. “That’s why I didn’t.”

Nolan’s grin faded as mine grew.

“I lied too, dumbass.” Raising my voice, I called, “Royal.”

Creaky hinges sounded in the space and in he walked. My dark prince. Perfect and untouched.

“Wha— How?!” Nolan shot to the window and the man still face down in the asphalt, most likely pleading his innocence. “What did you—”

“My fault.” Cassius strolled inside and threw himself in an armchair. A step behind him, Hiro entered the room.

“I hung around for half an hour waiting for some guy with Royal’s hair and build to make an appearance,” said Cassius. “I lifted the poor guy’s keys, locked them in his car, and then came out of nowhere saying I noticed an Infiniti with the keys on the seat and if it was his. Took the cellphone too, so he couldn’t call for assistance.” He winked at me. “How’d it go, baby?”

“Amazing. He broke the window. It was so perfect, it could have been scripted.”

Harsh lamplight fell on Nolan’s bloodless lips.

“Did he give you the names?” Royal asked. He stalked closer, slinking through the gloom as he, Hiro, and Cassius spread out.

“No,” I said. “He’s claiming now that he only knows one name and he won’t give it up unless I help him with