Page 6 of Brutal Kingdom

He was watching me? Awesome, in a totally not awesome, since I screwed over his son kind of way. “Still,” I say, smiling politely, “I should be better aware of my surroundings. Especially since I’m using the school’s camera.”

He smiles. A practiced separation of his lips that doesn’t exactly convey what he’s thinking. Is he finding our exchange amusing, or is he secretly plotting to destroy me because of what I did to Logan? I’m assuming he knows. There’s no way his son would leave him in the dark about a potentially embarrassing story.

“I’m surprised you’re still working at the paper.”

Is he now? “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well, after your blow up with Logan, I guess I thought you’d be steering clear of him.”

So he knowssomething.“I can be professional. I assume you’ve taught your son to do the same.”

“Indeed, Miss Felding, indeed.” His phone pings, he looks down at it, and pushes a button to make a call. “If you’ll excuse me.” He steps around me, barking, “What is it?” into the receiver.

I exhale and give a little shake of my hands. Shit, that was intense. I’ve been preparing for what I’d do when I came face to face with the BPs. I didn’t factor interacting with their parents into the equation.

“You’re new here, right?” Bella says, giving the guy sitting on the grass the full weight of her smile.

He looks at her, Hal, Frankie, Tabitha, and then me, before closing his eyes again. I watch her eyes flash and her cheeks flush with anger, before she quickly covers it behind a polite tone. “I’m Isabelle Lance, the-”

“So?”

“So, I have my finger on the pulse of whatever’s happening at this school and after a proper vetting and trial period, I might let you become a part of my-”

“Nope.”

Tabitha and I exchange looks. I told Bella approaching this guy was a bad idea. Now, I’m glad she plowed headfirst into it, only to be thoroughly and completely dismissed.

“You don’t actually have a choice.”

There’s a lot riding on this for Bella. When she took over last year, there were no parties left to plan, and no fires left to put out. That little issue with the separated factions was a minor hiccup. She got them back in line, but they would’ve rejoined, anyway. Senior year is their last chance to form an alliance, that will last beyond college, with some of the most powerful families in the country. If you’re not in by graduation, it’s too late, and it’s a fight to maintain your rank in grad school. Bella needs a win, and this guy isn’t even willing to listen to her elevator pitch.

“Listen. I’m trying to give you a once in a lifetime opportunity to get in and meet the next generation of people who are gonna run this country.”

“Lance, was it?” He sounds bored and still has his eyes closed. “What makes you think I want to be on the in, with the people whothinkthey run this country?”

Think? Did he really just say that? We don’t think we know, and the only people who have the nerve to question it don’t do it to our faces or live around here.

“You’re new to our world so I can understand you don’t know about what happens behind the scenes.”

“Bella.” Tabitha whispers.

“We influence everything from the highest echelon of government to the world's leaders in import and export, and-”

“Bella…” The urgency in Tabitha’s voice gets my attention, and it’s the look on her face that makes me intervene.

“Isabelle!”

She cuts her eyes at me because I’ve used her full name and the tone I use when I’m exercising control. I shouldn’t be doing either of those things with her or in public. But I’m supposed to be showing I have her back and we need to figure out what’s got Tabitha so spooked.

“Maybe now isn’t the time for this discussion.” I nod my head towards the gentlemen who were passing a football around a few moments ago. They’ve stopped and are drifting closer. Whoever this guy is, has a security detail when he’s napping. Not the personal security company types we see at our parents’ functions. These guys look like they don’t mind getting their hands dirty.

“Perhaps you’re right, Logan. We’ll continue this later, in a more appropriate setting.”

She walks away as if she’s put him in his place. Tabitha’s silent, but continues casting furtive glances around like she’s afraid someone’s coming after us. Stepping closer, I ask, “What’s the issue, Tabby?”

“Yes. What the hell is your issue, Tabitha?” Bella snarls.

“Did you see those guys?”

---