Page 144 of Ruthless Legacy

I make my way to the front of the room. Those two won’t be a problem. It’s the families that rank higher than the Laurent’s, that I need to worry about.

There have been plenty of companions who’ve met with accidents, rendering them unable to fulfill their duties as companions, and require a replacement to be assigned.

It’s one thing to have a target on your back because The Trium put it there. What we do doesn’t hold a candle to how far a legacy family thirsty for power will go. Thea, being a prospect, will only make things worse.

The ceremony master finishes with final business. Then closes the meeting. The pound of the gavel bounces around the room. When I reach Thea, I snatch her arm, dragging her towards the door, hissing out one order. “We’re leaving.”

“Let-”

“Now is not the time to fight me. Save it for when we get to the dorm.”

She tugs back, trying to get her arm free. I drag her around the first corner we come to. We’ve got maybe a minute before someone else comes out here.

“This is not the place you want to argue. This is not the time to assert your independence. This is not the group you want knowing how much you hate the idea of being matched to me.”

She juts out her chin. “You don’t wanna be matched to me either.”

“True, but I know how to play the part. I’m not stupid enough to let them know it.”

Her eyes narrow, and her jaw clenches, but she doesn’t say anything else. I step back into the hall. I turn once, to look over my shoulder, making sure she’s following. She’s light on her feet. Her steps barely making any noise on the marble floors.

I don’t stop walking until we’ve made the quarter mile trek to my car. When I finally turn to face her, the pissed off expression is back in place. “Get in your car. Drive back to campus and meet me in Finn’s room.”

“I can’t.”

“You will.” I slam my car door shut, signaling the end of the discussion, and pull off before anyone can ask me any questions about what the fuck just happened.

Chapter58

Pax

Finn’s stretched out on the couch when I walk in. “How’d it go?” He asks eyes glued to the television.

“Fine. They announced the rankings and the new companions.”

He flicks off the television and swings his legs onto the floor so he’s sitting upright. “Really?”

“Yup?”

Holden picks that moment to come into the room. “How’d it go?”

Finn answers. “They announced the new companions. Pax was just about to give me details.”

Holden drops onto the couch next to Finn. “Why do you look upset? Did someone walk away with a match that’s gonna be a problem for us?”

I nod. “Yeah. Me.”

Finn stares at me. “What do you mean, ‘yeah, me.’”

“I mean I got matched.”

He smiles and says, “Real funny. You didn’t get matched. You would’ve gotten a heads up first.”

I grab a beer and lean against the fridge. “I didn’t get a warning, and this isn’t a joke. I’m matched.”

“Shit, you’re not joking.” Finn cackles. “Where is she? What am I saying? I knowwhereshe is. She’s running around campus swooning and bragging about being matched to a Trium. What I want to know iswhois she? One of the Eloise clones. Right?”

“It’s Thea.”

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