Page 23 of Saints & Sinners

“Hard not to,” Marnie chimed in, running her chip over her ketchup fingers. “But hey, look on the bright side—they haven’t kicked you out yet. Or done anything to mess with you.”

Somehow, the fact that Hunter hadn’t followed through on his threats didn’t make me feel much better. His silence was more unnerving than anything.

“Please don’t jinx it,” I muttered, watching Hunter and Silas grab drinks from the display fridges.

Lucas chuckled, standing up and brushing off his hands. “There’s Ver,” he said, nodding toward the doors. “She needs my help with something in her dorm. Probably scaring off anotherroommate—it’s like the hundredth one she’s done that to.”

I believed him.

Veronica, standing near the entrance, was sucking on a lollipop, her mullet pulled into two low pigtails. The contrast between how innocent that looked and the sharp glare she shot in my direction was almost laughable.

Yeah, she definitely still didn’t like me.

“I’ll see you guys later,” Lucas added, giving us a quick wave before heading over to join Veronica. Marnie and I muttered our goodbyes, watching as they left the canteen together.

I let out a sigh, my attention drifting back to Hunter and Silas. They seemed engrossed in a conversation, Silas more than Hunter.

Marnie looked over her shoulder and gave me a comforting smile. “You know you’re always welcome to stay in my dorm. We even have a spare bed if you want it.”

“It’s fine. I’ve made too much of a fuss about it already. Hunter just has to learn how to deal with it.”

Marnie raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. The look on her face told me she thought I was way in over my head, and perhaps, deep down, I was.

Living with the boys was like walking on the edge of a cliff—you never knew when you’d slip into the abyss.

Just then, Hunter turned his head, scanning the room. Like a magnet, his eyes found mine. I froze, yet his expression didn’t change.

I quickly tried to look away, focusing on the half-eaten plate of chips in front of me. But the weight of his stare lingered, and I knew then that I was screwed.

Marnie had jinxed it.

Hunter Cain was finally out to get me.

No—scratch that. Hunter Cain was on a mission to make my life a living hell. Every day that passed, I regretted every single second of my decision to bite my tongue and stay in his dorm. And he knew it. He thrived on it.

For example, the other morning, I was half-asleep when I walked into the bathroom, grabbed my toothbrush, and started brushing my teeth.

Then I froze.

The bristles tasted... off.

Slowly. Very slowly, I turned my head, and there he was. Hunter leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, smirk locked and loaded.

“How’s the taste, Bambi?”

No.No.

I spat into the sink, gagging before pointing an accusing finger at him. “What did you do?”

He shrugged, all innocent-like. The audacity. “Nothing. Just figured you should know Silas used that last night... to clean his shoes.”

My mouth dropped wide open, and his reaction was to simply walk away laughing.

I had never felt more homicidal in my entire life.

Then there was yesterday morning.

At 5:00 AM sharp, my world exploded with the shrillest ungodly alarm known to mankind.

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