Page 144 of Brutal Kingdom

“My mother has nothing to do with this.”

“I allow her to stay in that quaint little house for an affordable price. I can always raise the rent, or suggest that the women in town use a designer from somewhere else. When the work dries up, how long will she be able to pay her bills?”

“We’ll be fine.”

“Will she also be fine with people seeing a certain videotape of her daughter? Nothing ostracizes a woman in Kingsley Hollow as fast as a sex scandal. It’s hard to see who’s in it, but a little editing should fix that right up. And what about the little sister playing basketball at the University of Tennessee? A bad spill on the court could ruin her career forever. Don’t you think?”

“You’d do all that when we haven’t done anything to you?”

“I’d do that and more to anyone standing in my way. My great-grandfather swore he’d get revenge on Elijah and I’m seeing it through to the end.” He looks at me like I’m the latest prey caught in his trap. “You have forty-eight hours to withdraw your petition.” He says, as he walks away.

Jealousy and hatred have a long memory around here. It’s ingrained in the DNA of the founding families, but even I fell victim to the toxic air of Kingsley Hollow, thinking an eye for an eye was the right way. My retribution was focused on the people that hurt me, but the Ruttledge’s vendetta has survived more than a hundred years. Bitter and festering to the point where Donald is taking it out on me.

This has nothing to do with his great-grandfather’s love life. It’s money, and the fact that Judith’s marriage to Shaw meant the Ruttledge’s lost the chance to increase their wealth. Elijah’s company was small back then, but if the marriage would have happened, the Ruttledge’s would have been involved in ECS’ global expansion.

Power. Greed. Revenge. Those words flash like a neon light in my head. This man has the power to ruin our lives. With the swipe of a pen he could make us homeless, because he owns the house we live in and word of mouth works to uplift a business or destroy it.

To make sure none of those things happen, all I have to do is withdraw my petition. As much as this started as a plan to take Bella down once and for all, it changed. I brought into Pepper’s idea that I could help make things better for the students at VDU and to change the dynamic of this town. To infuse it with fresh blood and new ideas.

The carnival and winter formal were a success. Walking through the quad no longer feels like a trek through a battleground, because people are out there are having fun. Like the snowball fight we had last week. Even the cafe is seeing an increase in traffic. It’s been a subtle change, but I was hopeful about how things could continue. All that means nothing compared to the choice laid in front of me.

Donald was wrong about me. I know what loyalty means, and I’m loyal to my mother and sister. Doing what he wants is a no brainer.

FIFTY-SEVEN

JORDANNA

Istep into the foyer, slowing my steps when I hear voices in the sunroom. Stepping into the room, I see I’m not the only one invited to tea. “Pepper?” My eyes dart to her guests. She knows how I feel about ambushes, so why is she springing one on me?

“This isn’t an ambush.” She says, as if reading my thoughts.

“There’s two Kingsley Hollow wives in your sunroom.”

“Hello, Jordanna.” A voice comes from behind me. She has the same ninja skills as her son, seeming to sneak up on me, appearing from fog. Logan’s mom moves to sit on the couch next to Pepper, commanding the room. The other wives sit too.

“I’m sorry. Make that three Kingsley Hollow wives. So if you don’t like the term ambush, what should I call it?”

Emilia Wainwright looks at me, a hint of that same steely determination her son has in his eyes, shining back at me. “A reckoning.”

My mouth opens and closes. That’s a weird and ominous phrase to use at a tea party. But nobody’s looking like they’re ready to pull my hair out. Looking at Pepper, I see her smiling and nodding, assuring me that it’s okay. “I should sit for this, shouldn’t I?”

“Yes, dear. Roff is getting a little up in age to be having to peel you off the floor.”

I look around for somewhere to sit. But there’s only one chair available. I lower myself into it, feeling a little weird. The chair is high-backed, facing them, but the way the other chairs and couches are positioned around the room, it’s sort of like I’m the one in charge of this meeting.

Pepper again seems to be in tune with my thoughts. “Relax. You’re sitting exactly where you’re supposed to be.”

I can’t relax. Not until I know what the hell is going on around here. “Somebody wanna clue me in on the impromptu tea party?”

Emilia’s eyes watch me like a hawk. “I’m sorry we all just showed up like this. I asked Pepper to get you here but not to tell you we’d be here too, or why.”

Pepper levels her stare at them. “I told them I didn’t like tricking you, especially after what happened last time.”

“Mrs. Wainwright, if you’re here to tell me to stay away from your son, don’t waste your breath. I don’t do married men.”

Her lips stretch into a tight smile. “I seem to remember telling you to call me Emilia. And I can certainly see why he’s so crazy about you.” Shaking her head, she says. “No Jordanna. I’m not here to tell you to stay away from my son. In fact, I’m here to convince you to do the exact opposite.”

I was reaching for the tea saucer Roff was handing me. Good thing he hadn’t let go yet, or it would be a puddle on the carpet. “Excuse me?”

---