Page 54 of Ruthless Legacy

A cold shiver runs through me. “Wait. Was it an arranged engagement like with Verity and Rafe?”

His jaw tightens. “I’m done with this conversation,” he barks as he climbs out of the car.

Oh, we are so not done here. I jump out and rush around to him, blocking his path. “I have a right to know. He’s my father.”

Archer grasps me by my chin. “You have no right to anything. You want answers, ask your dead father’s ghost for them.”

I flinch and take a step away from him. “Fuck you, Archer-fucking-Savage,” I hiss, turning on my heels and running smack into Seb’s chest.

“Woah, Little Red. Slow down,” he jests, his voice relaxed with that signature humour.

I shove him in the chest and storm around him, and somewhere behind me I think I hear Archer call after me but fuck him and the arrogant fucking ship he sailed in on. I find the nearest girl’s bathroom and lock myself away in a cubicle. I rest my head in my hands. Reeling from the news that my dad and Archer’s mum were once engaged. A thousand questions race around my mind. I’ll ask Edith tonight; she will tell me the truth.

At lunchtime I throw myself down in the seat beside Archer. Seb and Vee both cock a brow in question at each other and shrug as if to say they don’t have a clue what’s going on. Archer leans back in his seat and flicks continually at the ring pull on his drink.

“Can you quit doing that?” I bark in annoyance.

He flicks it louder and more persistent.

Rafe chuckles, looking at us. “I think mum and dad are fighting.”

I glare at him from over my sandwich. “Fuck off, Rafe.”

Rafe whistles and turns his attention to Archer, but he doesn’t get to ask anything further as Hugo appears at our table clutching a white box with a red ribbon tied around it.

“What the fuck do you want?” Archer growls at him and he tenses and looks from Archer to me with wide eyes.

“Ignore the moody bastard, Hugo,” I say with a warm smile. “What have you got there?”

He holds the box out to me, smiling nervously. “A guy gave it to me outside and he asked me to give it to you.”

I frown as I take the box from him. “A guy. What guy?” It’s a red box tied with a black silk ribbon.

Hugo shrugs his shoulders. “I didn’t get a good look at him. He was wearing shades and a cap.”

I nod my head and smile at him. “Well, thanks for bringing it to me Hugo.”

He beams at my thanks. “Anytime. Can I get you anything?”

“Do one, Kid,” Archer barks, making poor Hugo jump out of his skin. Hugo gives me one last smile before he turns and retreats to his table.

“Did you have to be so mean?” I ask him as I pull the bow apart and lift the lid on the box.

“Holy fuck,” Archer says pulling my attention from him to the box. I look down and cry out when I look and see what is inside.

“Is that a fucking dead bird?” Seb asks, leaning over the table and looking inside the box.

I shiver as I take in the dead bird.

Archer leans over me, his breath on my face. “It’s a raven. A red raven.”

An icy chill travels through me when I understand the meaning. The dead bird has been spray painted red. Whoever sent this knows that I fought recently under my alias.

Archer leans in and pulls out a white piece of card. Written in beautiful red calligraphy, it says: ‘Final warning. Leave.’

“This is fucking sick,” Verity exclaims, covering her mouth as the smell of the decaying bird hits her senses.

Archer closes the lid on the box and pushes it towards Seb. “Take it. I need a word with Hugo.” He rises to his feet and strides across to Hugo’s table. He grabs the poor kid by his blazer and drags him towards the cafeteria exit. I quickly collect my bag and run out after them, and the others follow suit. Archer drags Hugo into an empty classroom, and we all follow inside.

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