Page 82 of Brutal Kingdom

“Jordy, you play chess?”

Shaking her head, she says, “I push the pieces around the board and let Pepper tell me what I did wrong.”

“Nonsense, dear. You’ve come a long way.” She points to me. “The two of you should play sometime.” Her eyes twinkle with mischief and she cackles. “Oh, wait. You already have.”

“Pepper.” Jordanna scolds.

“You did. He just didn’t know it.”

Pepper’s smiling fondly at Jordanna. I can see it. Last semester, Jordanna was playing chess, with all of us as the pieces on her board.

“I have a gift for you before you leave, Jordanna.” The butler materializes once again a box in his hand. Jordanna opens the lid, then slams it shut. “If this is another heirloom you want to pretend I need to track down, you can keep it. I’m still navigating the cluster fuck from the last favor I did you…”

The old lady laughs again. Who started the rumor that she was old and crotchety? Or maybe she is, and Jordanna just speaks her language. She’s certainly not sitting in awe or reverent of her money. She talks to her like she does everyone else.

“This doesn’t need to be tracked down. It’s a pendant that belonged to Imogen. If you look closely, you’ll see it bears the markings of the Bendevire family crest.”

Jordanna rubs her hand over the etchings, and says, “Maybe I should send this to Daniella.”

“I spoke with her. She agrees you should have it.”

“Who’s Daniella?”

“The former Italian Ambassador’s wife, and Elijah Summers, great great granddaughter.”

My eyes cut to Pepper’s. She nods and says again, “Capture the king, or protect the queen?”

THIRTY-THREE

LOGAN

It’s parade your kids around your friend’s day, at the country club and I couldn’t get out of it. For the next few hours, parents will brag about their kids’ accomplishments in hopes of attracting a match. They’ll do this every month or so until their offspring makes a suitable union or leaves to “travel” the world. Traveling means rehab, but we’re not supposed to mention that.

Since I have my match on my arm, I’m saved from the awkward silences when they shove someone you don’t find the least bit attractive in your face. “What is she doing here?” Bella hisses when Jordanna walks into the room. “Did you tell her about this?”

My heart skips. Literally fucking skips like it’s strolling through a field of daisies. I guess I’ve gotten some sort of stamp of approval from Pepper, because Jordy’s being nicer to me when we’re alone. There’s still tension there, but she’s not always biting my head off. “When? Better yet, why would I do that? We’re supposed to be keeping her away from the Kingsley Elite so she doesn’t feed them that ridiculous story about being an heir.”

“Somebody told her about this.”

“Maybe she’s here for my father. See?” I point across the room. “It looks like she’s heading to the press area.”

“Why would you let him do that?”

“If he invited the press, why would I stop him? Jordanna is insignificant. Telling him who he can and can’t give an interview to would make him question why I’m getting involved. What would I tell him?”

“You tell him you’re getting involved, because one day these decisions will fall to you.”

“One day. But not today, and since I’ve never interfered before, doing so now would look suspicious. Davis is not someone we want suspicious.”

I didn’t invite Jordanna, but I’m glad she’s here. I get to see her and watch Bella get bent out of shape from having to be in the same room as her. She’s still trying to pretend Jordy’s filing a frivolous claim to this inheritance, but everything I’ve come across says otherwise.

Pepper Dane isn’t someone known for getting involved in property or land squabbles, and I looked into Daniella Rossi. She’s a legitimate blood relative of Elijah Summer, and for as far as I know, no one from that family has ever been in contact with Bella. I believe Imogen existed and that the Feldings came from her branch of the Summer family tree. Disowned or not, you can’t change biology.

I feel Bella’s eyes on me, so I make sure not to let mine follow the woman I’m crazy about across the room. Everyone thinks I’m still looking for a way to destroy her. Make no mistake, Iwillbe coming for my pound of flesh. But it’ll be satisfying for both of us, because I plan to have her bound and gagged, struggling beneath me, with her eyes wide open.

As for Bella, her downfall is long overdue. The more I hear, and the more I see, the more I’m convinced she and her father orchestrated this little engagement plan. This was the endgame for a long time now.

Dad told me account fluctuations are normal, but they’re hiding the truth. They’re not destitute, but they definitely don’t have as much money as they pretend to. The Lance’s have failed to disclose that they did in fact lose money with Penn Waldorf. There are a lot of financial documents to get through and I’ve asked the PI to focus on the withdrawals that are annotated as spa trips. Dad’s not worried, but I go to school with a bunch of pampered princesses. They don’t spend that much money on spa days and pedicures. The cash withdrawals are how we hide our fun expenses. Drugs, booze, sex, bribes, gambling, and blackmail. If nothing else, our parent’s generation has taught us to never leave a paper trail.

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