Page 149 of Brutal Kingdom

“Oh, don’t look so shocked, Logan. Even if your mother hadn’t of come to see me, I would’ve figured it out after watching the press conference.”

“My mother?”

“Focus, babe. You were gonna let the world think you were stupid enough to mess with her? Why?”

Why? How can she ask why? “To keep you out of the news.”

“Shit Logan, Iamthe news. Twenty-four, seven. With this trial, there’s no escaping it. It was all gonna come out eventually and I guess I could have waited, but there was no way in hell I was letting her take credit for my success.”

“Success?” I’m having trouble here. What exactly did Jordanna win?

“I’ll leave you two to hash this out.” Dad says, slipping by us, his phone to his ear. Before the door closes, I hear him say, “Emilia…”

Jordanna’s ticking off her wins. “I got you to say I love you. I got you kicked off your throne, and I got you to fight for something more important than power and money. That was me. Not Bella.Me.” She stabs me in my chest. “Yes, I made mistakes and deceived you to do it, but shit, you deserved everything you got, and even afterwards, when I swore I was done with you, I kept coming back to save you from yourself.” She opens her arms wide. “And here I am, saving you again. Now you’re telling me after everything you want to quit? Nope. Fuck. That. Not happening.”

She’s saying it’s me. Right? I’m the goal she achieved. I feel my heart stitching back together. Beating wildly in my chest. She’s here for me. “They’re gonna wanna know.”

“Half those journalists fancy themselves investigative reporters instead of the gossip vultures they really are. It won’t be too hard for them to find whatever answers they’re looking for, and hopefully a few I’m looking for, too.”

“Baby, what did you do?”

She shrugs. “I left a few breadcrumbs on my social media account for them to follow about Imogen Summers.”

“But. I don’t understand. My father said you withdrew your petition, and that with the town council’s help, Bella’s claim was all but guaranteed.”

“Your father was wrong.” She inspects her nails. “And the town council is about to rethink which heir they’re supporting.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because Johnathan Lance will be spending a lot of time explaining how he’s been making a fool of them for all these years. Starting with his connection to Penn Waldorf and ending with his ties to organized crime. Plus, I’m sure ECS’s board of directors will have a few questions about how he planned to help Donald Ruttledge take over the company.”

I don’t know what to say. While I was wallowing in self pity, she was hunting for answers and it sounds like some of them lead to dark corners that she shouldn’t be traveling. “Jordy, Donald Ruttledge is dangerous. Heisthe town council.”

“I know how dangerous he is, and I know how much influence he holds. But we don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Yes, baby. We do. Shit. I need to go back out there and finish the press conference I was giving. He’s behind it all.”

She clasps my face between her hands. “I know. It’s being taken care of.”

I look over her shoulder. Through the glass, I see Johnathan Lance being taken away in handcuffs. Her phone chimes and she holds it up to me. It’s a text from a number I know by heart that says,

Exitus Acta Probat.

I kiss her. I don’t know what she did, or how she did it, but I know that whatever it is just saved me from a life of misery and likely shifted the power dynamic in this town. I groan as the metal on her finger presses against the back of my neck. I pull away, panting. This is how we got into this mess.

“Maybe we should go home and finish this.”

“Home?”

“That’s right. And after I finish worshipping every inch of your body, you can tell me exactly what you, Simon, Pepper, and mymotherhave been up to.”

EPILOGUE

JORDANNA

“You want me to do what?” Rumi screeches, drawing attention to us.

We’re standing in front of the administration building. I thought it fitting to have this conversation here, on my final day on campus. I think back to the moment we drove through the gates, and how much I hated the idea of being here. I was so sure of the goals I set and the future I mapped out for myself. Now I’m learning to enjoy the detours I encounter along the way. I’ve gained more than I imagined over the last year, and learned so much about myself. Hell, even over the last few months of running the school I’ve gotten a glimpse of how difficult running an empire can be, especially when you’re going against long held traditions and beliefs, and trying to empower people to use their voice. That’s what I’m trying to do for Rumi.

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