Page 104 of Twisted Legacy

Finn’s brows furrow. “Did I thank you for something?”

“Sounds like you were.” I cover the top of my straw with my finger and pull it from my milkshake. “You know, with the whole soul sucking with my lips, speech.” I put the end of the straw in my mouth and suck. Then smack my lips as I drop it back in my cup.

Finn drags his beanie off his head and shoves it in his mouth, muffling whatever he says as he walks back over to his table. I catch Holden staring at me. I fan my fingers open, swiping them across my throat and up over my face, flipping him off before they collapse on the other side of my neck. He drops his head back down to his book, but not before I see a small smile play across his lips.

Holden’s not a smiler and a small part of me preens over being the one who made him do it. Weirder still is me even entertaining the idea of finding ways to make him smile again. My musings are interrupted because Eloise didn’t walk off with Finn.

“Let’s get something straight. Finn is mine and will always be mine. Throwing yourself at him and the other Trium won’t change that.”

“Perhaps you should think about what you’re saying. I’m over here minding my business and everyone keeps coming over here demanding my attention.”

“Nobody has come to you.”

“Finn, has. Pax has, and you have, too. So maybe you three are the ones throwing yourselves at me.”

I drop my gaze to her feet and slowly drag them back up her body. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re cute and all, but you’re also not my type. I don’t know how many more times I can let all of you hit the metaphorical pavement before you get it in your heads that I’m not interested. You wanna write that down or something? Or should I say it louder for the people in the back?”

Finn calls her back to the table. “Eloise, get your ass over here before I give your seat away.”

That threat gets her moving. I snort because it’s just a seat, but she’s scurrying off like she’s trying to win musical chairs and the prize is an emerald studded throne.

Chapter61

Thea

Iwince from the bite of my nails digging into my palms. The pain serves as a reminder to keep it together, instead of going off on the two adults riding in the car with me. I can get through a night of food and stifled conversation, just to say I’ve done it and therefore there won’t be a reason to do it again.

They have Van to thank for why I showed up tonight. I wish she could have come too, but she insists her presence might cloud my opinion of Joshua Laurent. I don’t see how. My opinion of him is already in the dirt.

Moira glances over at me. She’s had this docile expression on her face since they picked me up from the dorms. It’s creepy as fuck, and Scott is acting weird, too. We should’ve had at least one heated exchange by now, seeing how I kept them both on read, and haven’t called to check in this week. But he barely squeaked out a hello when I got in the car.

We pull in front of the restaurant and I let out a breath before letting myself out of the car. I peek through the doors to see if Joshua is standing inside, but the hostess area is empty. Of course he’s not here yet. “How long do we have to wait until we cancel this whole farce?”

Moira says, “We wait until he gets here, no matter how long it takes. If we need to reschedule, he’ll let us know.”

“Seriously? You just stand around waiting for him?” I shake my head. “You know what? He’s your dad, you do you. But I’m not about to stand here and let him disrespect my time like that. He’s got five minutes, then I’m out.”

Scott mutters something that could pass for a string of cuss words. “What? Did he already reschedule?”

“No.” He holds out his phone to Moira, who grimaces.

“Wanna share with everyone standing here?”

“It seems the restaurant is hosting a going away dinner for some of the families.”

“Where are they going?”

“On vacation. Most of the diners tonight will probably have some affiliation to legacy families or The League.”

That’s the most information Scott has volunteered to share with me ever. I can’t help but think it’s a warning of some sort. I go with my gut and say, “It’s not a coincidence that he picked tonight, and this restaurant is it?”

Is that approval I see on his face, that I’ve figured that out on my own? God, he really needs to spend more time talking to me, instead of at me. “I’m not gonna play some game, or pretend to be some docile little lamb.”

“No one’s asking you to. But you do need to be mindful of where you are and who’s in attendance tonight. They’ll be looking at us. At Joshua, and at you.”

Moira’s staring at the town car pulling up to the curb when she says, “Remember our goals, Thea.”

“Our goals?”

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