Sinners & Saints (Sinners & Saints #1) (16 page)

“So, basically you’re a stalker,” I say
to Cody after he tells me everything he knows about a certain waitress named
Anika.

           
“No!”
he argues. “I am not a stalker. All because I know a few things about her does
not mean I’m a stalker.”

           
“You
find out her name from one of the other waitresses, then you spend a week
finding all her social network accounts and every day you go and view them. God
forbid they would’ve been locked because you would have to send a friend
request.” I narrow my eyes at him. “Personally, I wouldn’t be shocked if you
created a fake page to become her friend.”

           
“Whatever,
man, you gonna help me or what?”

           
I
sigh. I enjoy Cody coming to me for help. “I’ll think about it.”

           
“What?!”
He stands up from his seat. “You’ve been dying to get me to hook up with some
girl
—
may I
remind you about the prostitute you hired for my birthday last year.”

           
“Yes,
I remember. You spent the whole night discussing your five year plan with her
while she was half naked in your bed.”

           
“And
I got to know her. She was prelaw at Columbia, ya know?”

           
“How
do you think I met her dumbass? You think I just have high priced hookers on
speed dial?”

           
A
confused look appears on his face. “Is that supposed to be a trick question?”

           
“Look,
I’ll help you,” I say putting out my cigarette. “You want to get her this
week?”

           
His
eyes widen. “That quick?”

           
“Why
the hell would you wait longer?”

           
“I
need to prepare myself…” He trails off, trying to find an excuse.

           
“Basically,
you need to get over being an insecure pussy.”

           
“I’m
not insecure!” He points his finger at me frowning. “And call me a pussy one
more time.”

           
“You
get scared around the girls when your shirt is off.”

           
“I
don’t like my body being exposed.”

           
“When
you say shit like that, it makes me want to punch you in the face.” I can’t
further chastise him because my phone is ringing. I grab it and look at the
caller ID. It reads Dick’s office, but of course his secretary will be the one
on the other line.

           
“Hugo,
how are you doing?” She sounds more chipper than usual.

           
“Outstanding,
Denise. How’s life on my father’s lap?”

           
She
clears her throat and reveals her usual bitchy tone. “Your father needs you to
attend a cocktail party tonight hosted by Gail Chambers.”

           
“No,”
I answer without hesitation.

           
“He
said that might be your answer given last time you went to one of her events.”

           
“It’s
not my fault Mrs. Chambers doesn’t have a good sense of humor.”

           
“You
talked about bulimia running in her family,” Cody whispers to me.

           
I
shrug.

           
“Your
father will be there tonight with Kelly. You don’t have to wear a tie, but
dress formal.”

           
“Didn’t
I say no?”

           
“Yes,
but you and I both know that you’ll be there. It starts at nine, don’t be
late.” She hangs up the phone. Bitch.

JULIET

           
“Oh
God,” I roll my eyes, laughing at the text my mother just sent me.

           
“What
is it?” Poppy asks.

           
“My
mum. One of my requirements for getting to move here early is to attend all the
events on this list. The first one is tonight. Do you know a Gail Chambers?”

           
“Yeah,
she’s planning on running for Mayor,” Jordana answers.

           
“Are
any of you going?”

           
“Probably
not. Gail Chambers invites people based on her moral and wealth standards.
Cody’s family are black democrats and Poppy’s parents are undecided and new
money. My dad’s a musician and my mom’s a feminist and I’m a girl that likes
girls. We are the definition of liberals to her kind.
 
They’re all God fearing, conservative,
and against abortion and gay marriage and made up of old money… basically it’s
a Republican party.”

           
“Ugh,”
I groan. “I’ve interacted with Republicans before. Loathsome creatures.”

 
          
“You
should look forward to it then.” Jordana deadpans.

           
“Unfortunately,
I must attend,” Hugo states, entering the room with Cody behind him.

           
“Let
me guess, your father is interested in investing in her campaign, isn’t he?”
Jordana asks.

           
“Yes,
I’m for certain he is,” he says, sitting next to her. “You know the Republicans
are always hell bent on regaining full world domination. Besides, if she wins
the election he’ll have more access to property on the island.”

           
“You’re
not Republican, are you?” I ask him because I wouldn’t be shocked if he was for
the hell of it.

           
“I
claim nothing. It’s all a waste. Government is full of corruption and the ones
that don’t want to join the club still tend to become failures in the eyes of
the narrow minded public.”

           
“Like
Obama,” Cody says.

           
“I
did vote for Obama,” Hugo admits.

           
“Really?
Why vote?”

           
“His
wife is hot.”

           
I
laugh a little, shaking my head at him. “So, you want to go to this thing
together then?” I ask.

           
He
looks at me for a moment. His one blue, one green eye shining with curiosity.
“Will we be on time?”

           
“Probably
not,” I answer truthfully.

           
“Okay
then.”
 

11

HUGO

I’m waiting on Juliet to come down. I
check myself in the foyer mirror again. My hair is combed to the side. I’m
wearing Hugo Boss black everything. No tie. I remind myself of Johnny Cash a
little. Now if only I had my fucking sunglasses.

I hear her heels coming down the steps.
I turn around and Juliet appears. She’s gorgeous of course. What I like about
her is that she doesn’t need to do much. All she has on is eyeliner and a dark
color red lipstick. Maybe more plum than red. That’s it. No fake eyelashes or
drawn on eyebrows nor beauty mark. She’s wearing a strapless green cocktail
dress and dark red heels. She wears the jewelry she usually wears. A gold
nameplate necklace around her neck and the diamond and gold bracelet she always
fidgets with when in deep thought. He hair is down but pulled back and hangs
over her left shoulder. She’s holding on to her dark red clutch that has a gold
buckle on it. My eyes are raking over hers, but I just realize that hers are
doing the same to me.

           
I
stare at her eyes a little too long. Her brow quirks up and her lips curl.

           
“Come
on, we’re gonna be late,” I tell her.

           
“Yes,
Juliet, you look ravishing,” she says once we get outside. “I say that because
obviously you saying we were going to be late to a party we’re already late to
means that you do think I look great in this dress and you’re putting your
defenses up because you don’t want me to know that you’re fantasizing about
taking it off.”

           
She
really has no filter and because of it I never know how to respond. I just wait
until we get in the Phantom. “Yes, Juliet, you look stunning.”

           
I
look at her and she is already meeting my gaze. “You don’t look bad yourself.”

           
“I
do try my best.”

           
“No
need to try harder,” she says back. She keeps looking at me and I keep looking
at her. Now I’m looking at her lips. Now she’s smiling, knowing that I’m
looking at her lips. Now I’m going to look away because I just really need to
look away. Without my sunglasses there is no barrier, no wall. I am now bare in
my defiance.

SCARLETT

I don’t have to wait long for Tom
Keegan and his dish for the night to come in the room.

           
They
come in stumbling and laughing, ready for a fun night. The fun will have to
wait and the reckoning will have to begin.

           
His
eyes still once he sees me sitting on the couch with a glass of champagne in
hand.

           
“Hello,
Tom,” I greet him and the brunette in the tight green dress she probably got
from Forever 21 pops gum in her mouth.

           
“Who
the hell is this?” she asks him, gesturing her hand at me.

           
“Uh…
listen, go down to the lobby.” He pulls a few hundred out of his wallet.

           
“Excuse
me?” Her neck rolls back in disgust.

           
“Just
go, damn it. I’ll send for you in a minute.”

           
She
snatches the cash out of his hand. She looks back at me, popping her gum then
rolling her eyes for dramatic effect before leaving out the room.

           
“I
see we’re still picking up girls on Lexington.”

           
“How
the hell did you get in here?”

           
“You’d
be amazed who I know at the hotel, especially given our times here together.” I
pour myself another glass of champagne. “Fascinating that you still use the
same Parkview Suite. Out of all the other rooms to use at the Ritz Carlton,
you’ve always chosen this one. I know it’s not for the view.”

           
“I
see you’re still high maintenance.” He sits in the chair across on the right
from me.

           
“Only
cause you spoiled me. You do remember spoiling me, don’t you, Tom? It was very
easy to do. Especially at my age.”

           
His
jaw hardens. “What do you want, Scarlett?”

           
“I
hear you’re planning on investing in NeoLock.”

           
He
laughs harshly. “Yes, I heard you were engaged to Townsend.”

           
“That
I am and this NeoLock deal could really be good for my fiancé.”

           
“You
mean good for you,” he interrupts me. “You always wanted to be on top.”

           
“I
love being on top, straddling the power and wealth that comes with it... you
always enjoyed me on top.”

           
“I
don’t know what you want me to do. My father is in charge.”

           
“I
know. I’m shocked he’s still alive. What is he pushing now? Ninety?”

           
“Ninety-one.”

           
“Ninety-one.
God, I would hate to live that long. Too old, too used. I won’t even be able to
use my looks and charm anymore. You all love them young.”

           
“I
was drunk,” he desperately says.

           
“And
I was fifteen.”

           
“You
seduced me.”

           
“Maybe
so, but God man, you were what
—
forty-one?
Forty-two?”

           
Here
come the tears. “I had never done that before. You knew that. You came at me.”

           
“I
came at you because I knew, Tom. That is the whole point. I came at you because
I knew you were weak… and it helped that my boobs had a growth spurt.”

           
“You’re
sick. You’re sick just like your fucking father.”

           
“I
know… it’s ironic.” My jaw hardens at the image of my father and the way his
twisted joy gleamed in his eyes. “But,” I sit down the champagne glass on the
table, “like his disturbed nature I also inherited his agility, which is why I
was quick to plant drugs in your drink that night.” I giggle. “Also the
pictures I had taken of us.”

           
“You
really think you can just throw that fucking shit at me? You think anyone would
care after nine fucking years!”

           
“Yes,”
I slowly state. “Scarlett Brayson, girl with a bad reputation, finally reveals
the root of all her evil. People will weep for me, say sorry for all the
judgment because I was just a young girl without a father being taken advantage
of by an older, rich and powerful man who my father trusted as a friend… and as
Godfather to his child.”

           
He
wipes away the mild tears and sneers. “I’ll see what I can do.”

           
“You
do that.” I stand up, grabbing my purse. “In the meantime, I’ll try to find
another way to stop an investor in case you fail. Have a nice night, Uncle
Tommy.”

           
He
winces at the nickname I’ve been calling him since I could speak.

           
“Scarlett.”
I stop at the door and look back at him. He turns his head around and looks at
me. “I may be shit, but you and I both know that I wasn’t the start of it all.”

           
My
grip tightens on the door handle and the image of the broken glass appears. So
much broken glass surrounding me. Now is not the time for it. So I smile and
move on because at the end of the day I could give a fuck about the past.

JULIET

We arrive at the Chambers Townhouse. It
smells of cigars and old money. The family’s butler escorts us into the living
room where the rest of the guests are. The men are smoking their cigars and the
women are clinging to their pearls. Laughter and arrogance all around. A woman
wearing a blue long-sleeve cocktail dress who looks to be in her fifties
approaches us.

           
“Juliet
Spears?” She smiles, hoping she’s guessing correctly.

           
“Yes.”

           
“Hi!”
She pulls me by the shoulders and plants a kiss on each cheek. “I’m Gail
Chambers. Your mother is one of my oldest friends from my year abroad at
Oxford.”

           
“Oh,
yes!” I’m trying to sound excited. “Lovely to finally meet you; thank you for
inviting me.”

           
“Of
course, my dear.” She averts her eyes disapprovingly at Hugo and forces a tight
grin. “Hello, Hugo.”

           
“Mrs.
Chambers,” he smirks and plants his hand over his chest. “Always obliged to see
you.”

           
She
practically stabs him with her stare. “Juliet, your mother told me you were
staying with Eleanor Ashworth.” She gives me a somewhat sincere look. “Now if
you do feel…” her eyes sway towards Hugo before looking back at me,
“uncomfortable, please feel free to stay here.”

           
“Um,
so far…” I look at Hugo, “it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

           
He
looks at me knowingly and impressed.

           
She
forces a smile, but her eyes seem disappointed in me already. “Very well, I’d
like you to meet my family.” She places her hand on my back and ushers me near
the bar where a group of older men are laughing, drinking cognac and smoking,
probably discussing the wonderful world of golf and sailing. I notice Hugo
stays near us.

“Donald, darling.” Mrs. Chambers grabs
the arm of the grey haired man with a cigar in his mouth. Looks to be the
Arturo Fuente brand. I can tell by the label that has the picture of the
founder on it. Mum doesn’t know, but I’ve been smoking cigars with Dad since I
was sixteen.

           
“Donald,
this is Juliet Spears, daughter of Nigel and Jacinda Spears and granddaughter
to Northstrand.”

           
“Ah
yes, I do some trading with your family’s company,” he tells me as he shakes my
hand.

           
“Wonderful.”
I never know what to say to people who tell me they do business with my family.
What am I supposed to say
—
‘Yay, thank
you for adding more money in my trust fund’?

           
“Nathanial,”
she calls for a boy who is talking with his friends. Oh God they look like polo
players. All wearing sweater vests. Nathanial is wearing a yellow sweater vest
over a blue collared shirt. He resembles my ex a little bit. His eyes and hair
are brown like his also. He really resembles Mr. Chambers.

           
This
is my son, Nathanial. Nathanial, this is Juliet Spears, daughter of my old
friend Jacinda,” she introduces us. “He’s studying global affairs at Yale
University… and he’s single.”

           
Nathanial
gives her a look while his cheeks turn red. “Mom.”

           
“What?”
She acts shocked. “I’m just informing Juliet of young eligible bachelors.”

           
“It’s
okay,” I say amused. “My mum would have done the same thing.” Which doesn’t
shock me that this woman used to be mates with her.

           
“Well,
I must get back to my other guests, but Juliet do enjoy yourself.” She leaves
us and Donald continues to entertain his friends. Nathanial and I continue standing
here in awkward silence.
 

           
“So,”
he finally says, smiling that million-dollar smile. He has a perfect set of
teeth too. “You’re from England.”

           
Wonderful
icebreaker. “Yes, I am.”

           
“I
know a few people there. How are you liking the transition from there to here?”

           
“Oh,
you know, it’s all pretty much the same. The difference between the rich and
poor are the incomes and the average millionaire is only the average dishwasher
dressed in a new suit.”

           
He’s
confused now.

           
“George
Orwell.” Hugo comes beside us and passes me a glass of champagne. “
Down and Out in Paris and London
.”

           
“That
is correct,” I say, trying to mask the effect he has on me. “I guess the game
is still going strong.”

           
He
smirks knowingly at me. I want to win the game, but I do love that Hugo knows
the things I know. It sort of turns me on. Okay, not sort. It
totally
turns me on.