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“Hold that thought.” He lays a single kiss over my racing pulse before pulling away.
Saved by the bell, I muse as I watch him retrieve his cell from the bench. When he sighs heavily, I know that is, in fact, the case. “Sara just text me. Alek is headed this way.”
Sara has been keeping to herself since Hans’s death. I didn’t want to pry because we all deal with death differently, but I’ve let her know I’m here if she needs to talk.
Saint quickly reaches for the focus mitts, and we get into position. As I’m mid swing, the door opens, but we both ignore it and I continue training. Alek is watching us, which has Saint pushing me harder. He forces me to deliver some quick punches, but nods, indicating he’s going to trip me.
He doesn’t want Alek thinking I can defend myself because that would put an end to our training.
I punch high, bracing myself for a fall, but it still doesn’t prepare me for when Saint sweeps out his leg, sending my ass to the mat. A whoosh of air escapes me because he didn’t hold back.
“I told you to block,” he scolds. “Get up.”
Before I have a chance to move, Alek glides over like a knight in shining armor and helps me to my feet.
“Thank you,” I say breathlessly while he smiles.
“Alek, I didn’t see you come in,” Saint says, slipping off the focus mitts before turning off the music.
He seems to buy it. “I didn’t want to interrupt your training session,” he replies, his fingers still wrapped around my bicep.
Saint’s gaze drops to our connection, but he’s soon to recover. “I would hardly call it training. Maybe if she listened, she wouldn’t be on her ass half the time.”
I hate that he speaks about me like I’m not in the room, but I know why. We both have to pretend, but it’s getting harder and harder each day.
Alek lets me go, but he’s here for a reason. My mouth suddenly grows dry. “I’m glad you’re both here. I’ve been thinking about this for the past few days.”
“Thinking about what?” Saint asks casually, sipping his water.
“You’ve been good to me, Saint. Regardless of the circumstances of how you came to work for me, I have never seen someone excel at their job like you have.”
Not exactly a compliment, but I have no idea where he’s going with this.
“Which is why I’ve made this decision with a heavy heart.”
Heart? That’s rich.
“I’m a man of my word, and the terms were clear—you were to deliver Willow to me on the proviso that I grant Zoey’s freedom. As well as your own.”
Even though I know what he’s about to say, it still doesn’t prepare me for the bombshell.
“So it’s now time that I delivered. You are free. Both you and Zoey.” He spreads his arms out wide, like he’s liberating a nation, but all he’s done is ensured my imprisonment in this place forever.
Saint, for the first time ever, seems to be caught off guard as this has come out of nowhere, but has it? We were stupid to think we had Alek fooled. This entire time, the only people we were fooling were ourselves.
“Alek”—Saint pauses as it seems he needs a moment to gather his thoughts—“I am grateful for the offer, but she needs more training. She isn’t—”
But Alek elucidates that this isn’t a choice. It’s a warning. Saint leaves now with his life intact, or he never leaves at all, meaning his life will end within these prison walls. “You’ve done your job. I thought you’d be happy. You’ve fought so hard for your freedom; what could be more important than that?”
And there it is. A test.
“I am happy. But who will protect you? You need someone you trust, now more than ever with Chow gone.” Saint is grasping at straws because it’s clear Alek has made his mind up.
He sees us for what we are. He sees that I…love him.Saint is a roadblock, and Alek doesn’t want anything standing in the way. But I will never,neverlove him, and if he sends Saint away, he may as well kill me now.
“I thank you for your loyalty, but I can’t have Zoey here anymore. I am done with her.” And with a flick of his hand, he has cast Zoey from his life forever. She has served her purpose, and now that she is no use to him, he will discard her like a piece of trash.
“I will take Zoey away and ensure you never see her again, but I will return.” Saint steps forward, and the room suddenly grows smaller.
