Page 8 of Brutal Kingdom

“Then how did Logan wind up in charge?”

“His freshman year, he found some leverage to use against your friend to steal the crown. And they’ve been at odds about it ever since.”

“Yet they all act like I’m the one who went too far.”

“Leverage gives you power. Power gets you noticed. Getting noticed puts a spotlight on their dirty dealings and puts them at risk. Their lack of compassion, their corruption, it’s a cancer that needs to be rooted out and destroyed. Jordanna, the school needs you. This town needs you.”

Great, now I’m the life saving chemotherapy that this cancerous town needs. Talk about pressure. “Pepper, what do you get out of all of this?”

“I get to finish the work my grandmother started, and a bit of redemption.”

“Why? What did you do?”

“I stayed silent about what was going on in this town for far too many years. It hurt a lot of people. Women who weren’t in a position to speak out and stand up for themselves. It hurt their daughters who wound up married to the very men holding them back and the sons who wanted more but didn’t have the means or support to change things, so they went down a darker path. If I would’ve taken a stand sooner, maybe that wouldn’t have happened.”

We don’t talk much about it, but I know she has a family, some of whom she’s estranged from. “You can’t fix your guilt through me.”

“I know that, but Icanhelp make your life better than it is. Help you get everything you deserve. And if crushing the Van der Borne legacy under your heels is the way to make that happen, I’m happy to help you do that.”

“If I don’t act. If I just leave everything as it is. What’s the worst that can happen?” That’s the question flipping around in my head and it’s easy to say nothing, but Pepper knows what I mean.

“Bella will never let you or your family stay in town if she claims that inheritance. She’ll find a way to blackball you from any job you apply for. She’ll take everything good in your life and destroy it. Just to make sure you don’t have the strength or money to come at her again. And then she’ll turn this town against itself. Because make no mistake, the Lance’s don’t care about loyalty or friendship. They only care about themselves. As bad as the families are, they have a code. The Lance’s don’t. And a few people found that out the hard way.”

“What people?”

“Families that are no longer seen or spoken of. I have no proof, but I’m sure the Lance’s helped them along the path to bankruptcy. If this newfound power dynamic goes unchecked, there will be many more.”

“Pepper, this is all speculation.”

“It is, but dear, you know me. Don’t blindly accept what I say. As always, I encourage you to do your own research.”

I’m ready when it happens. My first glimpse of Jordanna since she turned down my offer on that ferry, to turn over her files in exchange for setting her and her family up somewhere else. I gave her every opportunity to turn them over and was willing to buy her silence, with a guarantee no one would retaliate. She laughed in my face, saying I can’t guarantee anything since I’m just one of Bella’s little bitches, now.

She’s the reason I gave up control, and she laughed about it. The longer I’m taking orders from Bella, the less serious people take me, which is a mistake. I’m down, but I’m not out, and soon everyone will know it.

The plan for taking it all back is one I’ll have to work alone, and no one is guaranteed a seat at the table when I’m done. I ignore the pairs of eyes on me. Bella has forbidden us to speak to Jordanna, and it’s too early to break ranks, so I do my part and act the dutiful soldier.

“Welcome back to school, Logan.” Olivia smiles, falling into step beside me. She’s looking more and more like a carbon copy of Bella every day.

“Thanks. How was your Summer?”

I try not to flinch when she wraps her arm around mine, leading me down the sidewalk. Playing the game means enduring this. All of Bella’s plastic friends thinking they can put their hands on me any time they want. For the next few minutes, I’m willing to play along. “I heard you hit the catwalk in Milan. How was it?”

Her appearance was a favor to her dad, in exchange for use of his private plane. A designer’s model was stuck in London. Olivia heard about it and offered her father’s jet, but not before telling daddy it was her dream to be the first person to wear one of Chancellor Gene’s dresses.

Her picture was in Pizzaz Magazine, earning her a few points on Prospectus. For seven days, she outranked Bella. Needless to say, Bella was not happy. A picture of Olivia with vomit in her hair put her back in her place. The photos were taken at a party in LA. She was with Bella, but everyone’s pretending not to know how they got out.

Olivia’s babbling, but my mind is on the black sedan that rolled to a stop beside Jordanna when she came out of the bookstore. The window lowered, and she looked around before climbing into the back seat. The car drove by us, the tinted windows hiding who else was inside. What’s she up to this time? I send a text and my PI comes back, confirming he still has someone following her.

As long as she’s under surveillance, another surprise attack is one less thing I have to worry about.

* * *

I spent the weekend at home. I had some loose ends to tie up on assignments I was working on at McKay Media and needed to grab a few things to carry back to the dorm. I’m at the kitchen table having breakfast, when dad blurts out.

“I spoke to Jordanna.”

“You did what?”

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