I hold a hand out toward Gray.
His eyes lower slowly toward my peace offering before he rebuffs the last chance I’m giving him and quickly whacks my open palm with the end of his bat.
“Fuck!” I yell as I try to shake the sting away. “Alright, I probably deserved that, but I’m telling you that—”
A doorbell rings somewhere, a small smirk creases my lips, and Gray turns his attention toward the open door behind him for a moment before narrowing his eyes back in my direction.
“Too late.”
Thirteen
The Devil’s Saint
Gray
“Do not move,” I warn Lakyn as I head toward the door and step into the hallway. I wasn’t entirely sure I heard the doorbell, but the smirk on his face tells me that my ears weren’t playing tricks on me.
“I won’t have to,” he replies with a laugh.
I give him a level stare before I turn away from the door and walk down the other end of the hall and take a right. Once I’m in front of the main entrance, I wait again to see if the doorbell really rang. I’m not worried about Lakyn going up to fuck with Penn and Aiden again since they’re both armed with whatever they were able to get their hands on.
I’ll have to start training her again as best as I can so that this never happens again, I tell myself as I lean toward the peephole and look out into the night once the doorbell rings again.
I’m a little confused when I don’t see anyone at first, but then the person I’m assuming is Lakyn’s ride steps away from the door, puts her hands on her hips and looks up the length of the building. She taps the screen of the phone, and I watch as her hands move quickly before she puts it away again.
She steps toward the door, clearly frustrated, and raises her fist, but before she has the chance to knock again, I brush my fingertips against the dusty door frame just above me, and flip a small switch to unlock the front door.
She’s much smaller than Aiden.
Blonde, a perky little body hidden under an oversized sweatshirt, but defined by a pair of leggings, and a million dollar smile—and I can smell the bullshit on her breath before she even opens her mouth.
“Hi! I’m Beatrix,” she says brightly holding out a hand. “I’m here to take Lakyn off your hands.”
Her smile falters slightly when I don’t take her hand or return her friendly little greeting. Instead, I look her up and down. I can’t help but think of what a beautiful pet she’d make for someone.
“Come in,” I finally say in a soft tone, taking a step back and allowing her to enter. “Um, I’m Gray.”
“Thanks,” she replies as she pops a stick of gum into her mouth. “Want some?” she inquires, holding out the small treat toward me, and I shake my head. She shrugs as she shoves the gift into her pocket and tosses her hair behind her shoulders. “Has he been giving you trouble? Is that why you look so damn doomy and gloomy? What I am even saying? It’s Lakyn, of course he has,” she continues with an eye roll. “Know what your problem is? You’re too good looking and that’s what he likes—the kind of guys that look like they aren’t real cause let’s be honest, who the hell looks like you really; chicks too, though, but between you and me? I think he’s more into guys lately. Not that I care, but don’t mention it in front of him or he’ll lose his shit.”
I raise an eyebrow wondering how it’s possible that she can talk so goddamn much, when she takes a step toward me and narrows her eyes conspiratorially, “I wouldn’t be able to talk you into keeping him, would I?”
“What? No!” I exclaim in shock.
She gives me a dejected look as she shrugs, “It was worth a shot. Alright, where’s Prince Not So Charming?”
“It’s about fucking time!”
I turn and glare at Lakyn who’s making his way down the hallway toward us. Beatrix scoffs before she lets out a heavy breath. “Keep your pants on, Lakyn—try something new for once.”
“I told you not to move,” I say to him in a soft tone.
“He’s not much for listening if you haven’t noticed,” Beatrix intercedes with a laugh. “But I’m pretty sure you’ve had more than enough of his company for the evening, so we’ll head out now. It was nice to meet you, Gray,” she says with a wave as she reaches past me and grabs Lakyn by his arm.
I lean over and quickly slap another hidden button that slams the door shut and locks it in place. Beatrix raises an eyebrow curiously at me, then glances up at Lakyn, “What the hell did you do this time?”
“The usual,” he answers with a shrug. “He just doesn’t have a sense of humor as you can see.”
“What did he really do?” she asks me.