Page 16 of Saints & Sinners

Brandon walked past him, chuckling. “You don’t pay attention; that’s why.”

“Says the one who was flirting with that girl from the Healers Sector. Let’s hope none of the Celestials caught on.”

“Fuck off. I was just trying to be nice.”

Silas burst into laughter, collapsing onto the sofa with his legs sprawled out and arms lazily tucked behind his head. He said something else, but the words barely registered as my attentiondrifted toward Hunter by the kitchenette.

I took in the sight of him, his hair a tousled mess, the dried mud clinging to his neck, and how his uniform effortlessly fitted his muscular frame. The sight of him, rugged and unbothered, made it impossible to focus on anything else.

Damn him.

“You’re real quiet over there, Cain.” Brandon’s voice was cautious but clear as he sat beside Silas. “Did Azrael get to you too?”

My eyes went back to Hunter as he grunted in response, a noncommittal sound that could have meant anything. He was awfully hard to read, not that I was any good at reading people.

“Did you hear about the new girl speaking out in Sariel’s class?” Brandon said, and my stomach immediately twisted into knots.

Silas frowned. “Grace?”

“Yeah, apparently, she spoke up after Veronica made a comment or something.”

Silas sat up a little straighter at that, his brown eyes narrowing. “Really?” A smirk crept onto his face. “Bet Veronica’s pissed.”

Hunter’s voice cut through the conversation, flat and unimpressed. “Since when do you two girls’ gossip?”

Silas grinned up at him. “Well—”

“Go shower. You stink,” Hunter muttered, brushing past them without giving either Brandon or Silas a chance to respond.

“It’s called musk,” Silas replied, puffing out his chest in mock offense.

Hunter leaned in and took a sniff, his expression unchanging. “Pretty sure it’s called shit. Now go take shower.”

I fought hard not to smile at the exchange as I watched Brandon give Silas a playful tap on the back. Their footsteps faded into the hallway, and I let out a slow breath, closing my eyes as I leaned my head forward in relief.

“You know, if you’re going to eavesdrop, you should probablylearn to hide better.”

My eyes snapped open, and through the small gap in the doorway, my gaze locked with Hunter’s across the room. He stood by the sofa, hands pressed against the edge as he leaned forward with his head tilted slightly.

“I hear a glass to the door works just as well.”

Heat flashed through my cheeks, and I hoped that it wouldn’t be visible in all that was mighty as I stepped out from behind the door. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

His lips twitched into a faint smirk as he stood upright. “So, that you’re willing to do.”

I raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore how his presence seemed to dominate the room. I was a mouse stuck in his trap. “Usually, I like to make my own decisions.”

He hummed softly, pushing away from the sofa and strolling toward me. His eyes locked onto mine even as the distant sound of the shower filled the air, followed by the muffled shouts of Brandon and Silas arguing somewhere down the hall.

I swallowed hard as Hunter stopped just a few feet away. The height difference wasn’t so noticeable from a distance, but it was impossible to ignore up close as he towered over me.

He reached for one of my curls without warning, and I had to fight the urge to flinch. His fingers gently tucked it behind my ear, and I could feel the goosebumps prickling across my skin. My body betrayed me with a slight shudder, and his lips tugged into a knowing smirk before he turned to walk away.

Frustrated, I blurted out, “I know a lot more about this world than you think.”

He paused mid-step, glancing back over his shoulder. “And? Do I look like a man who cares? Because if so, that’s wildly misleading.”

Glaring, I ignored that and took a few steps deeper into the room, trying to hide the fact my legs were shaking. “Look, I maynot be an Ascendant, but I grew up around this life. If knowing that hell exists doesn’t scare me, then why should you?”

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