You people are sick. And I think I’ve heard enough.” I get up from my chair and turn away, walking briskly to the door.
“You can leave, Sasha. I can’t force you to cooperate. It would never work unless you’re a believer. But those girls, they’re counting on you. Their fate rests in your hands.”
I stop for a moment, but I don’t turn to face her. “I’m not the savior of Company girls, Madeline. I’m just a recovering Company girl myself.”
“You were never a Company girl, Sasha. You were a Company assassin. There’s a big difference. You had it better than most. You and Harper both had it better than all the others. You have no idea the torture they endure. You were a very sheltered child in that respect. And now you’re a very sheltered adult. But I know you’ve met Sydney Channing. Now that is what a Company girl looks like. And Nick is out there now, killing them as fast as I can save them, Sasha. Did you know he’s been killing Company kids for years? Hmmm? You’re on the wrong side.”
Nick? What? I try my best not to react and spit out my words. “You’re a liar and my answer is still no.” And with that I grab the handle of the door and pull it open.
“The fourth door on the left is a washroom, Sasha Cherlin. You should wipe that blood off your face before you leave. Makes you look like a fighter. Best to keep up your high-society appearances.”
“Fuck you.”
I exit, slamming the door behind me on my way out. But I touch my bleeding lip as I walk towards the door she was referring to, and open it up.
Julian is standing in front of the mirror. He looks my reflection in the eye as he messes with a tie around his neck.
But when he turns I realize it’s not a tie. It’s a white collar. I have to let off a laugh. “A priest? Are you fucking kidding me? You’re like twenty years old. There are no twenty-year-old priests.”
“Twenty-four, Sasha. Just like you. And celibacy was my only option after Nick took what was mine.”
“That’s enough, Julian,” Jax says from behind me. “The car is ready, Sasha. Let’s go.”
“She’ll find out eventually, Jax.”
“Go home, Julian. You’ve done enough damage tonight.” And then Jax takes me by the arm and guides me with his other hand on the small of my back.
“What’s that mean?” I ask, as we shrug our coats back on. “What the fuck? He’s a priest because Nick took… what? His promise? Did Nick kill some girl he was promised to?”
He ignores my question until we exit the mansion and head back towards the car. “Forget Julian. He’s never been entirely sane. Let’s get out of here. I had no idea she set this up.”
I sigh as I climb back into the car. So tired. So ready to just go home and sleep in my bed and try to forget this day ever happened. Everything about it was bad.
Well, I think as Jax climbs into the car on the other side of me, maybe not everything. I know I should be fuming at Jax, but the comfort I felt in his arms earlier… that was unexpected. It was nice, actually. And the sex was amazing.
I’ve always tried to find the good in the bad. Even back when I was a kid, I was known for making the best of things. Knock me down, I get up. That’s how it’s always been.
So I make Jax the reason I get back up tonight.
I want more of that. But I need to figure out what his role is in all this before I let him touch me again. I can’t afford to lose myself to lust.
I have a bad feeling I fucked up.
Madeline, Julian. The empty estate. I shouldn’t have given in to Madeline’s demands to meet Sasha tonight. I should’ve waited until the house was full. Even one child in there would’ve been better than none.
How will Sasha trust me when everything she saw tonight pointed to Company? And I have to admit, looking at it with Sasha’s eyes, that’s exactly how it appears. She has no idea what Madeline has been doing all these years.
Fucked. Up.
“So,” Sasha says as the car pulls away to begin the hour-long drive back to the airport. “Did you find me some underwear?”
My laugh bursts out. I look over at this girl who surprises me at every turn.