Bad Boy Saint (Bad Boy 1)

Celia: Didn’t even make it to the end of the night. Come over and we’ll have some tea while I finish unpacking.

Amy: Tea? I’ll bring some beer.

Celia: Better bring some hemlock as well.

Amy: That bad? I’ll bring some chocolate, too.

Celia: You are my savior…

I smiled, glad that even if I hadn't been able to hook up with Hunter at the beach party, I was free now, on my own and away from Spencer. I'd be able to spend all my free time with Amy. She always lifted my spirits.

When she arrived, slipping in my open door, she reached into her bag and pulled out two beers.

“There you go,” she said when I took one and opened it with an extra bottle opener I’d snagged from the kitchen at home. I opened hers and we sat on the tiny two-seater sofa. We clinked bottlenecks and then each took a sip.

“What the hell happened to you?” she said, leaning closer to peer at me. “Don’t tell me. Some guy looked at you and Spencer the rat bastard decided to use you as his personal punching bag.”

“He and I got into a fight.” I felt my cheek. “Is there a mark?”

“Damn straight there is. He’s such a monster. You could charge him for assault.”

I shook my head. “He's Assistant DA. I doubt anyone would believe me.”

She took her cell and snapped a photo of my cheek. “Evidence,” she said and shook her head. “To add to my file. Just in case you ever want to press charges."

"If I did, no one would believe me. Spencer's a pillar of the community. A leader in the Church. The second most powerful attorney in Boston."

"I know," Amy said and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. "It sucks. Just put your head down and forget about Spencer. You're free of him now."

I nodded and took a sip of beer.

"I hope so."

My first day back at Harvard was exciting and tiring, rushing from class to class, getting to know the where all my classrooms were, meeting up with my fellow dorm mates, and of course, trying to keep up with all the reading and assignments. It was going to be a lot of work, but I welcomed it. I was so glad to be on my own and away from Spencer for the first time, I didn't care how much work I had.

Graham called me early Tuesday night and asked how things were going.

"Great," I said, plopping down on the sofa to rest. "I really like my philosophy class. It sounds great, plus I'm taking astronomy. I love it so far."

"You are such a geek," Graham said with a laugh. "Astronomy…"

I smiled at the gently chiding but proud tone of his voice. "What are you up to, now that you're a free man?"

"I'm going to watch Conor Saint in a fight at the gym tonight."

"What?" I said, surprised that he would go, considering what had happened at the beach party. "Why? I thought you and Hunter were on the outs."

"Nah," he said, sounding tired. "No harm, no foul. Besides, he's decided to join up. He's going to Parris Island in a few weeks. He'll be gone for who knows how long so I decided to go meet him for a drink and watch the fight for old time's sake."

"He really wanted to go into business with you, Graham. I hate Spencer so much…"

"Forget Spencer. You're a free woman now."

"When I talked to Hunter, he said if he joined, he wanted to go into special operations," I said, a sinking feeling inside of me. "He'll be doing dangerous things, going behind enemy lines."

"Yeah, but better that than stay here and get mixed up in the mob."

"I know," I said and chewed a fingernail. "Maybe Amy and I will show up, watch the fight with you guys."