Page 11 of All's Fair in Love and Blackmail

I open my mouth to speak, hesitate, and then close it again.

I have another card I could play, one that would be totally uncool. It would also involve lying, which I generally avoid.

But…I’m a little desperate, and she doesn’t even have a good reason, and she’s clearly on the fence already. She just needs a nudge in the right direction.

“If you agree to help me,” I begin, “I might consider keeping my mouth shut about your deep, dark secret.”

She stares at me blankly.

Am I being too vague? I’ve never blackmailed someone before. Do I need to be more specific?

“About your embarrassing moment,” I say, clearing my throat. “If you help me, I won’t tell anyone.”

Still nothing. I think I’m doing this wrong.

“The pageant,” I say, exasperated. “Please help me, or I will tell everyone about what happened at the pageant when you were a senior in high school.”

It’s this, finally, that does the trick. India’s eyes widen, her jaw dropping, an incredulous breath escaping her lips.

“Are you—” she says. “Are youblackmailingme?”

“That word has such a negative connotation,” I say evasively. “I prefer to think of it as being very persuasive.”

If looks could kill, I would be six feet under right now. India Marigold would be dancing on my grave.

So why am I so insistent that she help me? Because in a sense, she’s right. I could find someone else. I don’t want to, and it would be highly inconvenient, but I could.

India, though…she just seems like a lot of fun. I might like to bask in her sunshine for a bit.

“I—you—” she stutters. “Are you serious?”

I sigh. “Sadly, yes. I really really really need help, Sunshine?—”

“Don’t call me that,” she snaps.

“And it will be quick and painless. So unless you have a genuine,very good reasonnot to, you should just work with me here.” I eye her. “I’m not a monster. Do you have a really great reason not to?”

“I think I might hate you,” she says faintly.

“Let’s explore that loathing,” I say, because I just gave her a hint of an out, and she didn’t take it. My words are hasty and enthusiastic as I go on. “Really lean into it. At all the romantic spots in Lucky. You can hate me anywhere and everywhere you want.” That sounds like a euphemism I’d normally play with a bit, but since this is India, and Cyrus might actually castrate me, I move on. “I’ll provide snacks, too.”

She folds her arms and leans back in her chair, turning grumpily away. “Fine,” she says. “You’re the worst, Felicia. And you owe me more than snacks. If I have to help you do this stupid article, then you have to help me with something too.”

“Done,” I say easily. “I’ll help you with anything you need.”

“Fine,” she says again. “I have a list of things to do. You’ll be my chauffeur, and you will provide my favorite snacks.”

“I’m a great snack-providing chauffeur.” I hold my hand out, and she stares at it.

“I’m not shaking your hand,” she says with a sniff. “That’s the hand of a blackmailer. Who knows what other dirty deeds you’ve been getting up to?”

I grin. “Just you wait, Sunshine,” I say. “It will be fun. I promise.”

“You,” she says, “are a big fat liar, Felix Caine.”

INDIA

When I go back inside,I find Juliet lying on our ugly red couch, her head in Aurora’s lap as Aurora strokes her hair. She’s still sniffling, but the tears seem to have stopped, and when I glance into the kitchen, I see with great relief that the dirty dishes are piled in the sink rather than all over the counters.

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