Page 3 of No Saint
I knew I was being unfair to Monroe, but seeing Wolf that day, of all days, had me feeling raw. In a weird way, though, it reminded me that I would be okay.
Brent had broken my heart, but I’d survived Wolf’s ripping it out. Granted, I’d cracked my own ribs and held my chest open for him.
Wolf’s truck pulled onto the street, leaving a cloud of dark exhaust. A niggling sadness washed over me as I watched him disappear. At one time, Wolf had been my home, my safe harbor, my everything. In my darkest hour, his tattooed arms had felt like the only thing holding me together. We had been bonded in ways I could barely explain.
I used to think we would always find our way back to each other. Back when I couldn’t have fathomed the amount of damage a person could do to another.
Closing my eyes, I fought the knot in my chest and focused on my breathing. “My mind is calm,” I whispered. “Pain is weakness leaving the body.”
That was a good one. Wolf had caused me plenty of pain, and he’d definitely been my weakness.
“You and those damn affirmations,” Monroe mumbled.
Those affirmations had become so habitual that I’d almost forgotten it was Wolf who’d introduced me to them in the first place. His mom had used them to help her accept that she wasdying. So, when I had felt like I was breaking, he started giving them to me in little notes, thinking they might help. In a messed-up way, those stupid little quotes were all I had left of him.
“You know what’s better than hippy positivity?” Cassie said, ramming the car into gear. “Setting shit on fire.”
That was the truth. What I needed to do was leave all thoughts of Wolf Brookes there, at that gas station, focus on setting my ex-boyfriend’s car on fire, getting revenge, and feeling better about my crappy life.
A few minutes later, we turned onto Brent’s dead-end street, and Monroe looked over her shoulder. “You sure you want to do this?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“If we get caught, you might go to jail for arson. Your parents…”
In my anger, I hadn’t really considered all the ins and outs. With my dad sick, the only thing standing between my parents and homelessness was the small amount of money I managed to contribute each month. It was a constant weight on my shoulders, and one Brent had known all about. Yet, he’d still cheated…
“I’m burning that car.” This was for me. The first thing I’d done for myself in a long time. “If you guys want out, though, I understand.”
“No!” Cassie said. “I want to burn shit.”
“You know I’ve always got your back.” Monroe turned to the front again. “That’s why I’m double-checking.”
Cassie slowed to a stop across from Brent’s house, with its grime-covered windows and random couch on the overgrown lawn. “You have got to be kidding.” She pointed toward Brent’s drive, where his dark-green Challenger was parked.
It took me a second to process the sight of Wolf standing beside the driver’s door—the driver’s door with a smashedwindow. He popped the lock just like I’d seen him do a hundred times, to a hundred other cars.
“Oh, fuck no.” I threw open the door. Notthatcar. That car was mine.
Wolf slipped behind the wheel, which meant I only had seconds.
“What’s got you so pissy, Jade?” Bellamy’s voice drifted across the street.
I turned, annoyed at the sight of his smirking face leaning out of the driver’s side of Wolf’s truck. The engine was running, and I knew he’d be ready to flee the second Wolf got that car started.
Flipping him a bird, I stormed forward. I couldn’t even shout at the prick, or I might wake someone from their hangover and ruin my whole plan. Well,hewas already ruining my whole plan.
Monroe never mentioned Brent’s name, but Wolf must have put two and two together. Most likely thanks to a certain video and my penchant for rage-arson. It pissed me off that he knew me that well.
The Challenger’s engine roared to life before I’d even made it up the drive, the sound breaking through the Sunday morning quiet. Screw Wolf and his superhuman hot-wiring skills. And screw me for finding it so hot. Bad boys were so high school. I was supposed to be older and wiser now…mature.
“Wolf,” I practically growled his name as I came to a stop beside the shattered window.
His gaze met mine, and my heart stuttered in my chest. Time seemed to pause, an age of unspoken feelings pinging between us. At least until he broke the trance by ramming the stick into reverse.
“Don’t you dare!”
The rumble of Wolf’s truck speeding off sounded, and a slight smile crept over his lips. “Really wish I had time to chat, but…” He gripped the passenger headrest. The tendons in histattooed neck popped when he turned to look through the back windshield. Tires screeched, and the scent of burning rubber filled the air before he backed out of the driveway, taking out a row of trash cans in the process. Well, if anyone had been asleep before, they weren’t now.
