Page 20 of Ruthless Legacy

Here we go. “Does it now?”

“Yes. You’ll learn more this summer, but for now, we need to make appointments with your counselors to have your records transferred to MISTIC, and I’ve arranged for you to be screened by league physicians. You will finish out the semester at Canyon Falls University and in July, you’ll report for orientation. I have a list of degree options for you to pursue. I’ll have my assistant email that to you this evening, so make sure you check your inbox.”

Hemade arrangements.Hehas a list. Mel’s eyebrows are at her hairline as she places my waffle in front of me. She must know I’m gonna need the sugar high because she’s got the powdered sugar shaker with her and sprinkles a little extra for me.

I cut off a piece of waffle, swipe it through the butter and syrup and bring it to my mouth. My eyes close savoring the sugary confection of powder on my tongue. After I wash it down with some coffee, I look Joshua in the eye and say, “No.”

He flicks his eyes over Mel as if I’m talking to her about subpar tasting food, so I clarify. “No, I will not be checking my inbox for an email. No, I will not be talking to my counselors about transferring my academic records, and hell no, I will not be letting anybody’s doctor screen me for anything, or enrolling in MISTIC this summer.”

Joshua dabs at the corner of his mouth with his napkin. “The decision’s already been made. The Laurent line will attend MISTIC, beginning with you.”

“That’s fine. I wish the Laurents the best. I’m saying I’m not going. Me. TheaLaReaux.”

“That is not your name. You’re a Laurent.”

“It’s the name on my birth certificate. The name on my social security card. The name I have gone by for twenty years, depending on who you ask, and before you make a plan about that,no,I won’t be changing it.”

He places his palms on the table and leans forward. All manner of civility fading faster than the steam on my coffee. “This.Thisis the behavior and type of rebellion that landed me in this position to begin with. I will not tolerate another second of back talk and disrespect from your ungrateful-”

I lower my fork with a sigh. I don’t want to leave my half eaten food, but I’ve already given my answer and there’s no reason to stay here and be subjected to this abuse. The chair on my right scrapes across the floor. My body tenses as Finn lowers himself into the seat. “Belgian waffles? Yum. I think I’ll have the same, but we’re gonna need to take our food to go.”

To Joshua he says, “I overheard you call my friendungrateful.Care to tell me what gifts you’ve bestowed upon her that she hasn’t shown the right level of appreciation for?”

Joshua curls his lip. “Young man, didn’t anyone teach you it’s impolite to eavesdrop?”

Finn’s unfazed by the hostility aimed at him. “Yes, but it’s kind of hard to tune someone out when they insist on talking loud enough for the entire restaurant to hear them.”

“This is a family matter and a private conversation. Leave.”

“Oh, I hadn’t realized.” Finn holds onto the innocent expression for all of ten seconds. “Wait. That’s a lie. Ihadrealized and didn’t care.”

“Young man…”

Finn shakes his head with a sigh. “You still haven’t figured it out, have you?” He pulls out his wallet and waves a C-note in the air. Holden appears behind him, snatches it out of his hand, and goes back over to the counter.

“I believe you knew my grandfather.” Finn chuckles, “I take after my mother’s side of the family where the looks are concerned, but I proudly carry his name. Finley. Jefferson. Rhodes.”

With each syllable of his name, the countenance of Joshua’s face changes from condescending asshat to jovial ass kisser. Holden comes back to the table, carrying two bags. He hands them over to Finn, who hums as he looks through them. “Thea, no hogging the extra containers of powdered sugar. It’s for all of us to share.”

Holden stares down at me as he silently drops some money on the table. I get the hint. This is another so-called rescue attempt. I don’t need rescuing, but I’ll use their interference, so I don’t disturb the other patrons by continuing a conversation that’s sure to end in a shouting match, blood. Or both.

I push from the table, take one last sip of my coffee, and blow a kiss at Mel as I breeze out the door. Once outside, I put some distance between us as I walk towards my car. Shit, my waffles. I walk back over to where they’re standing and grab a container and the sugar.

Finn smirks at me. It falls from his face when I hiss, “What are you smiling at? This changes nothing.”

Chapter11

Holden

Iclose my book, dropping it on the table with a thud. I’ve reread the same sentence three times, unable to concentrate on the words on the page, because my mind is stuck on the information I learned at dinner last week. I’ve been successfully ignoring it until we ran into Thea and Laurent in the diner. Okay, maybe ran into, isn’t the correct phrasing. Finn heard her and LJ talking about Laurent and, given his behavior the first time we saw them together, we wanted to see if he acted that way again.

My brain is a chaotic ball of tasks and procedures as I try to work through the impending change. I knew Thea’s status as a legacy heir was an interim decision, but I never considered they’d change their minds.

I thought the league would vote to demote her to one of the lowest lines and make her move out of Vale Tower. They’ve swung the pendulum the other way, and have chosen to transition her over to the equivalent of a security detail, and make her switch schools.

“Don’t react to anything you hear tonight.”That’s what my father told me before dinner. I wasn’t sure why he thought I needed that reminder. I’m always careful about the way I present myself to The League. Quiet. Reflective. Respectful. But then they announced their decision, and Eloise’s father let it slip that she turned over the information that helped them make this decision. My dad was right to warn me. He knows how much I hate people knowing something I don’t. And whatever evidence Eloise had, I should have uncovered it first.

The emotions I’m feeling right now are anger and a hint of guilt. I’m angry they want to take her from me. Reclassification as a guardian bloodline puts Thea out of my reach. The League has a strict no fraternizing rule. Eloise looked so smug sitting there thinking she’s finally found a way to get rid of Thea for good. And the guilt is because I’m not supposed to question the high council’s decisions. I promised them my life and loyalty above all others. Thea makes me question that oath. Pax worried she’d drive a wedge between us, and right now it seems he’s right.

---