Page 50 of Ruthless Legacy

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be here either.”

“As you said. I’m working. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few more questions for him.” His voice is hollow. Resigned. None of the playfulness I’m used to hearing. It’s the same voice he used the night he pushed me out of his room.

I step in front of him, forcing him to look at me. “About what? Mayhem Night?”

“It’s a quick debrief. Nothing you have to worry about.”

“Number Three, I don’t want to presume to know what happens in your little boy’s club on campus, or how you handle fights when someone fucks your girl.” I glance behind me at the guy. Shit, the scratches are deeper than they looked. They said they’d help me get answers and I want answers, but this isn’t what I imagined. This has to be something else. “I don’t for one second think I’m special, but based on this…” I hook my thumb behind me. “I’ve gotta ask.”

“Ask what?”

“You’re not kidnapping and torturing people to find out who attacked me on Mayhem Night, are you?”

Finn stares at me and frowns. I expect him to say no. I want him to say no. He doesn’t say no. He leans over and pecks me on the cheek. “Of course, I am, Pet.”

He steps around me and says, “Okay, now where were we?”

* * *

Finn

Thea knows.I’m usually more careful in my travels, but this time I wasn’t exactly hiding where I was going or what I was doing. I was on a time crunch to get the interview done. Artemis is usually in a group. Holden and I saw him alone on campus right after lunch and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. So we grabbed him and stuck him in my bag in the trunk until I could get back to him.

I didn’t think anyone would follow me from campus. They never have before. But my girl did and saw a little bit of what I’m capable of. I expected her to run out after I got to work. She didn’t. She stayed and watched.

He’s lucky she was there, because things could have gotten a lot messier. I held back for her. Now, she’s following me through my parent’s garage, watching me take off my shoes. She didn’t get close enough to get any blood on her, so she’s fine to walk into the house with hers on.

My dad’s coming out of the kitchen with a bottle of wine and glasses in his hand. “I didn’t know you were coming home.” He looks over my shoulder and adds, “And bringing a guest.”

“Dad, this is Thea.”

“Hello, Thea. Nice to meet you.” He looks at me and says, “Let me get a moment before you disappear upstairs.”

I nod and tell Thea, “Be right back,” then follow him into his office. He turns to face me, waiting for an explanation as to why I’m here. “Thea showed up at the office tonight while I was conducting an interview.”

“Did she now? I wasn’t aware you’d shared the location of your office with anyone.”

“I haven’t. She followed me from school.”

He’s surprised. “She’s discovered the access door to the stairwell on your floor?”

“Actually, I didn’t use it. I was with Eloise and her parents, and when they dropped me off, I headed straight to my car. Thea must’ve spotted me.”

“How much damage was done?”

“He’s fine.”

“I meant with her.”

“She’s fine too. Or I think she is. We haven’t really talked about it yet, but she didn’t freak out while she watched.”

I push my beanie off my head. “How much trouble am I in?”

“I don’t really have an answer for that. She’s a security risk, and has declined all overtures to align with us.”

“She’s not a security risk. We can trust her.”

“You don’t know that for certain, son. I’ll need to confer with the security council.”

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