Page 135 of Ruthless Legacy

“No, I don’t want a snack or drink. I want answers. You brought me here and already know I’m a prospect, so what’s with the check in? Whatever’s on your mind, just spit it out. I can handle it.”

She rolls her eyes. “Sure you can.”

“I can.”

“Thea, we mean two different things when we say ‘handle it.’ You’re not known for keeping things to yourself, and you don’t go with the flow. Isn’t that why you rejected having a mentor?”

“I didn’t reject having a mentor. I picked my own.”

“You did?” Her brows furrow. “Daddy didn’t say that. Oh, well, I’m sure whoever you picked off the list of approved mentors is fine.”

I lean back and smile. She pinches the bridge of her nose and says, “You didn’t pick off of a list, did you?”

“Nope.”

“Okay. Any league member. That should be fine too-”

“I’ll save you trying to work out the details and tell you who it is.”

“No, Thea. You can’t. What we’re talking about is already skating the line. You can’t name drop a league member.”

“I didn’t pick a league member. I picked Wolfe.”

Her mouth gapes open. “Wolfe? As in Deacon Wolfe? Your coach?”

“That’s right.”

“And they agreed?”

“Not exactly. He had some challenges to overcome for the position. We’re waiting for the decision.”

She nods. She knows what that means.

“If he doesn’t get the job, then I have a few more names on my list. I’ll stay mentorless for as long as I can. Hopefully, they’ll run out of names or get tired of going through the challenge process. My main goal is that I don’t get stuck with any of the people I met during review week.”

“What people?”

“A bunch of league members and their associates at the parties they made us go to. We were supposed to be studying, but they made me dress up and strut around like arm candy, practicing my curtsey and ass kissing. At least that was in a controlled environment. It’s the ones stopping me on campus in between classes that really piss me off. I’ve already missed enough classes to affect my grades, and my professors mark an absence if I’m not there within five minutes after class starts.”

The color leeches out of her face as I’m talking. “What’s wrong?”

“Nobody should be approaching you alone, outside of a league event. All interactions between league members and prospects should be in the presence of at least one other member to ensure they’re not trying to intimidate or influence you. The only exception is a league family member or your mentor.” She gnaws on her bottom lip. “What are they saying when they approach you?”

“They congratulate me for being invited to pledge.” I shrug. “As soon as they start with ‘your grandfather and I were close friends’, I tune them out.”

She frowns. “Then they’re coming up to you has nothing to do with the league.”

“What else could it be?”

“A preliminary interview for a different role. I’d hoped you pledging would buy you some more time before that happened.”

“You’re speaking in riddles again. Just say it Moira.”

Her next words follow a heavy sigh. “All legacy male heirs are required to find a companion. Someone to spend the school year with. It’s usually someone their families are already expecting to align with.”

“These men are old as fuck, so I’m assuming you’re saying they want to hook me up with their grandchildren? Doesn’t my status and demotion mean I’m supposed to be less desirable? There are plenty of perfect legacy daughters they can choose from.”

“I hope it’s with their grandchildren, could be with their children. There’s no age limit for being a parent.”

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