Ruthless Saints

Carson pins her with a serious look. “We need to talk about your contract.”

“Okay.” She nods, looking at Carson with a world of respect in her eyes.

When they start to leave, I say, “Hey, she’s my personal protection. Shouldn’t I be a part of this conversation?”

They both stop, and then Carson nods for MJ to come into my apartment. He shuts the door, and I watch as they both cross their arms over their chests.

“You did good,” Carson says, his voice brisk.

“Thank you.”

“Contract extension of one year,” he mutters.

“Fee?” MJ asks.

Carson thinks for a moment. “Name your price.”

My eyes keep darting between them because this is not how I thought the conversation would go.

“Two million for the first twelve-month period. To be negotiated at every extension.”

My eyes go wide on MJ. “Two million? I freaking feed you.”

She doesn’t even glance at me, her eyes locked on Carson as he replies. “Contract accepted.”

“What?” I gasp. “That’s a lot of money!”

Carson’s eyes snap to me. “It’s not negotiable.”

I throw my arms up in the air, then scowl at MJ. “You’re paying for dinner.”

She just grins at me.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I ask, “Why are you so cold toward each other? You’re both important to me, and the way you interact makes me uncomfortable.”

“We can’t form an attachment,” MJ explains. “You’re my priority, not Carson.”

“MJ needs to focus one hundred percent on you,” Carson adds. “She’s your custodian. Not mine.”

I begin to frown. “Why don’t you have one?”

“Mine got married,” he mutters, “and I prefer to work alone.”

Still my introvert.

Carson walks to me, and wrapping his hand around the back of my neck, he presses a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll see you later.”

“Okay. Be safe,” I say, giving him a smile.

He doesn’t even say goodbye to MJ as he leaves, pulling the door shut behind him.

“Yeeeaaah… I’m going to have to get used to the way things work in your world.” Then I pin her with another scowl as she engages the lock on the door. “And here I’ve been the one paying for our dinners?”

She gives me a cute apologetic look. “You were always so happy feeding me.” She slides up to my side and lifts an eyebrow. “Things looked good between you and Carson?”

Instantly a smile spreads over my face.

“Oooh, that good?” she teases me.

Tilting my head, I look at my friend. “All because of you.”

“What did I do?”

Reaching for her, I wrap her up in a tight hug. “You told me the truth, and it made me see Carson for who he really is.”

MJ pats my back. “I’m glad I could help.”

Pulling back, I give her a playful glare. “You’re not just my friend for the money, right?”

“Well,” she teases me, then her face softens. “No. Just think of it as danger pay, Hailey.”

“Damn, you really have a way with words,” I say. “You can make everything sound much better than it really is.”

She wags her eyebrows at me. “Just one of my many skills.” She checks the time. “You need to get ready, or you’ll be late for work.”

“Shoot!” I dart to my bedroom. “How much time do I have?”

“Twenty minutes.”

After my shift at the restaurant, I was so tired, I came straight to my apartment to have a nap.

Walking out of the building with MJ so we can get something for dinner, she suddenly stops and shoves me so hard behind her, I stumble. “Stay back, Hailey,” she snaps.

“Huh?” I grunt in the most unladylike way ever. Then only do I see the group of men waiting on the pavement.

“I told you you’d regret it,” the guy who asked me on a date says vindictively.

I count six men, and the sight of them makes fear race down my spine.

Shit. This is bad.

Can MJ take them all at once?

Her stance is on guard as she threatens them, “Leave while you can still walk.”

The main guy laughs. “Teach this bitch a lesson.”

A squeak escapes me as they move in on MJ. She darts forward and slams the heel of her palm into the first guy’s nose. Blood spurts from him as she moves to the next guy. MJ grabs hold of his shoulders and knees him in the crotch. I cringe, thinking that’s going to hurt.

Then the main guy comes at me.

Oh shit.

Knee him, Hailey. You’ve seen how MJ does it.

Someone grabs hold of me from behind, and before I can shriek from the fright, I’m pushed to the side, and then Carson darts past me.

The main guy takes a swing, but Carson blocks it effortlessly by grabbing hold of his arm, and then he flips him over his shoulder, slamming him against the hard ground.

My eyes dart everywhere, trying to keep an eye on MJ while watching Carson in badass mode. He runs toward a guy coming up behind MJ, and then my man is airborne, kicking the ever-loving shit out of the guy.