Page 42 of Twisted Legacy

“I know that, but if I want mediocre dick, it’s my choice. Just like if I want to threaten to stab a motherfucker for touching me, or not stab them, that’s my choice, too.”

He holds his hands up in surrender. “I know, Pet. You’re right. We put you in the crosshairs, when we found that birth certificate, because we thought… well, it doesn’t matter what we thought. Now that we know what it means, we’re trying to fix it. It’s just taking some time because anyone who’s not a legacy will drag their feet about accepting what they think is your overnight status change.”

“You created this mess, but I didn’t ask for your help to fix it, and I don’t give a shit about this legacy crap. I want nothing to do with it, or you, so stop getting into my business.” I lean across the table, getting right up in his face. “And yes, Fin-ley… that’s a challenge I’m throwing down.”

A shadow comes to a stop beside me. Holden’s coffee bean scent tickles my nose. “That’s not gonna happen.”

I straighten and take a step back from the table. “What?”

“Staying out of your business. It’s not gonna happen, and people will be more willing to embrace your position as a legacy just as soon as you do.”

“Embrace?” I scoff. “Dude, I’m letting that shit trust fall right on the floor, and I’m gonna step all over it on my way out the door.”

With that, I head across the aisle towards the stairs. They catch up to me on the second floor landing and Holden yanks me into an alcove. I freeze for a moment, then my fight-or-flight response kicks in as I swing, kick, and scream, “It was you, wasn’t it? It was you?”

I’m dragged down the row and pushed into a study room. The door slams closed behind us. I launch myself at Holden. There’s no way I’m letting them hurt me again. Pain ricochets through my shoulder and wrist, as I my fist connects with his jaw. I go to swing again, but Finn grabs me from behind.

Suddenly the room goes black, a heavy weight settles in my limbs. “Let me go. Let me go!”

Chapter26

Holden

Something happened between the time Thea left the table and now to trigger her. The only thing I can come up with is when I grabbed her arm to keep her from leaving.

“Calm down, Pet.” Finn soothes.

She struggles, trying to get out of his hold, and I tell him, “Let her go.”

He does, taking a step back, but still blocking the exit. Thea darts around the tables, pinning her back to the wall. Her words come out in a choked whisper. “I guess you’re ready to finish the job, huh? Bold choice in the library, but I guess this is the only place you could catch me.”

Finn shakes his head, cutting her off. “We’re not trying to hurt you.”

She laughs. A caustic empty sound in the space. “I’d have to be a fucking fool to believe that. How many times have you threatened to put me in my place? What was it you said that night in your room? That I’d be choking on my own blood? And the threat in the dining hall about my impending doom? Well, that’s exactly what happened, isn’t it?”

It shocks the hell out of me when Finn doesn’t try to bullshit his way through an answer. “You’re right, Thea. I said those things, and I meant them. You have no reason to believe me right now, but I swear I was nowhere near you on Mayhem Night.”

Her glare is now directed at me. “What about you? You gonna swear your innocence too and hope I’m stupid enough to believe it?”

“No.”

Her mouth drops open. She recovers and twists her lips into a smirk. “Okay then, what’s your method for pleading innocence? You planning to have your lawyer sue me for defamation or libel?”

“Neither. I’m not gonna lie to you. Iwasthere.”

She somehow pushes herself deeper into the wall, shrinking in on herself. “You what?”

“Mayhem Night. I saw you.”

“You saw me?”

Her throat spasms. I should probably have used a different approach. Maybe had her friend holding her hand, but there’s no time for that. If we’re going to get Thea to trust us, we need to be honest about this.Ineed to be honest about this. “I saw you on Mayhem Night, and I chased you into the woods.”

She blinks, then shakes her head. “Bravo. You almost got me. Trying to give me fake details so I say,oh he’s innocent. Nice try but, I was in the cemetery.”

“I know where they found you. What I don’t know is how you got back to the cemetery. I chased you out of there and into the woods, and promised not to tell anyone I saw you if you made it back to the dorms.”

“You chased me?” She queries like she’s trying to work out the meaning or details. “Like we were racing?”

---