Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Still freaked,” Katie replied. “She had security doubled and wants me to move back into the main house.”
We turned the topic to other things, running down the clock. Katie’s, not mine. She had an early meeting with her advisor. I had something to do before class too.
“I’ll text you,” she said, picking up her stuff to go.
I waved her off and waited.
Waited.
And waited.
The door flew open and in they came. I watched them get their food and leave through the same doors. Gathering my things, I followed.
I didn’t have to keep my distance or trail them. I knew exactly where they were going.
Breaking away outside the doors, I took a shortcut to the music hall. It was early enough that there weren’t many people on the terrace. I got nasty looks from them all the same when I plopped down at one of the tables.
Saylor got up and planted herself in front of me. “What do you think you’re doing? This spot is Royals only.”
“That includes me, doesn’t it?” I flashed my ring finger—just that finger. “Marrying a Royal makes me a Royal.”
“Actually, it doesn’t. Especially if you don’t make it down the aisle.”
I spoke to her but watched the steps. “Is that a threat?”
“Course not.” She moved into my line of sight. Saylor was impeccable as usual in a two-tone, black-and-white pleated dress. She wore her hair in a tight bun with little wisps hanging down, framing her face. How could someone be so pretty on the outside and sour on the inside? It was like biting into a cinnamon bun and finding it filled with pickles. “I’m not stupid enough to threaten a murderer.”
I slid off the stairs, focusing on her. “Are you stupid enough to protect one?”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t play innocent. Gabriella’s been denying it, but you know your fellow fork-tongued harpy better than anyone. You know she’s lying,” I sang. “Gabriella pushed Annika off a cliff and left her to die. Natale was cracking under the pressure to come clean after the truth lists. The police were looking at them both as the main suspects, and if he cracked, the shining heiress was going down.”
The smirk melted off Saylor’s face.
“Have you asked yourself where Gabriella was when Natale was attacked?”
“She wasn’t anywhere near him,” Saylor snapped. I caught her quick glance at her table where Everleigh, Piper, and Gabriella were waiting. And watching us. “She was inside dancing with everyone else.”
“Riigght,” I drew out. “Inside that dark, packed, oversized fort with dozens of people too busy grinding up on their dates to keep eyes on her. There’s no way she slipped away for a second.”
“Slipped away to do what? Kill some guy she wouldn’t touch on a dare? Gio and Gabby hated each other. Some sad, lonely Dreg made up all those lies on the truth lists, but if you really want people to believe they’re real, Pussy Muncher, I’m sure the honor board would be happy to boot your ass for cheating on your SATs.”
I hummed. “Are you sure they hated each other? Absolutely positively positive?”
“Yes.”
“Then, what was she doing with Natale out at the Bluffs?”
“They were working on a project. An anon sent Annika lies about them out there cheating, and she blew into the beach house and attacked her. Gabby was just defending herself.”
I laughed out loud. “And you bought that load of bullshit? Yikes, Saylor, I thought you were smart.”
Her eyes narrowed to slits. “So this is your play? Throw suspicion on everyone else to cover up what you did to Gio? You can’t possibly think that’s going to work.”
“This isn’t a play or a game.” Movement out of the corner of my eye drew me back to the stairs. Up they came, locked in heated conversation. “It’s just a reminder of the lesson you taught me, Burkhardt. Royals will do anything to protect their money, reputation, and status. You guys came after my sister to protect a secret. If you heartless cockroaches could do that to her, why would Natale be any safer?”
I got up—our noses inches away as we stared each other down. “Giovanni told me something very interesting before I was knocked out and he was murdered.”
Something flashed in Saylor’s eyes.
“The only tie stronger than money is a secret,” I whispered, repeating what she told me that day in her mansion. “And he knew a tasty one. You should ask your friends what they’re hiding.”
Pulling out my phone, I opened the pictures of Gabby bouncing on Giovanni’s lap and shoved them right in her face. “I mean, what else they’re hiding.”
“Wha—? That’s not—”
I blew past her.
“Come back here!”
Ignoring her, I marched straight for their table and pulled out a seat. Levi, Owen, and Wesley stopped chewing and stared at me like I was a corpse that fell out of the sky—with hostility and disgust.