Page 51 of Ruthless Legacy

My face goes slack, and I feel the color leach from my face.

“Calm down. I’ll be discreet and talk to Parker. Depending on his recommendation, we’ll decide how to proceed.”

I inhale a shaky breath and nod. “Dad, it really was an accident. I wasn’t thinking.”

“What was so pressing that you couldn’t take extra time to make sure you weren’t being followed? You’re usually more vigilant than this.”

“The person I needed to interview was in my trunk, and the clock was ticking on how long he could be gone before his absence was noted.”

“That still doesn’t explain why this was so pressing or why you were distracted.”

“I thought he had information about what happened to Thea on Mayhem Night.”

My father nods and says, “Go get cleaned up. I’ll take care of this.”

I grab Thea from the hall and pull her up the stairs to my bedroom. I strip out of my clothes and drop them in a plastic bag before crossing into my bathroom. “Come keep me company, Pet.” I say as I turn on the shower.

“I’m not getting into the shower with you.”

“I wasn’t suggesting that, although I wouldn’t mind if you did. I know you have questions. Come in so we can talk while I get cleaned up.”

She does, hefting herself onto my sink while I slip under the water.

“What happens next?”

“I finish getting clean and get some rest.”

“I mean with the guy. What happens when he goes to the police?”

“He won’t.”

“Finn, you kidnapped and tortured him. The police is his first stop.”

I keep forgetting she doesn’t know much about this town and our world. Doesn’t know what being a Trium or a member of The League of the Daggered Raven means. There are enough protections in place that we could get away with murder. The only reason my dad is worried is because, as he pointed out, Thea is a wildcard.

“Crying to the police because I scratched him up a little, paints him in a bad light, and will only signal to everyone in town and on campus that he and his family can’t be trusted.”

She snorts.

“What’s so funny?”

“You can’t really expect people to be loyal to you, and keep your secrets, just because you say so. Especially when you’ve wronged that person. Finn, he’s hurt and embarrassed. He’s gonna want payback.”

I turn off the water and step out of the shower. “It all comes down to power. People will accept things the average person won’t, to acquire it, and bend their values to keep it.”

I grab a towel, dragging it through my hair, and then a second one, wrapping it around my waist. Thea’s not quick enough to hide that she’s checking me out. “See something you like?”

She drags her eyes over me again. “Nope.”

I pull the towel off and step back so she can get a better look. “What about now?”

“My answer’s still the same.”

That stings. “You used to like me. What can I do to get you to like me again?”

“There’s nothing to do, Finn. I can’t like someone I don’t trust and you keep proving I can’t trust you.”

“You can. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but you can, and if I have to kidnap and torture everyone on campus to prove it, I will.”

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