Page 230 of Poor Little Rich Girl

“George, this is perfect for you. You better be applying.”

“I’m not. I don’t—” Her cheeks blush deeper. “I doubt there’s any point. It’s highly selective – they only accept a few hundred students each year, and tens of thousands apply from all over the world. I don’t have time to build a portfolio to meet their requirements with everything else going on. Besides, how can I leave you in the middle of everything? And my mom? It’s silly. I’ll go somewhere closer to Emerald Beach—”

“You’re applying and that’s final.” I try to refold the brochure, but it seems to have corners that defy physics. “I’ll help you with your application if you want—”

“No!” George throws her arms protectively over her books. She dares a smile. “I mean, no thank you.”

“Fine, fine. I know schoolwork isn’t my strength, but if you need to pass a knife-throwing exam, I’m your girl.” I wave the brochure at her. “Is this why you broke up with Isaac? Because you’re going away to college? Just because it won’t last forever doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have hot metalhead sex in the meantime—”

George’s face burns so red I’m afraid she might be accused of spreading communist propaganda. “I don’t even know if I’m going away for college. I’m not sure I can leave my mom. But no, that’s not it.”

“Then why?” I slump into one of the beanbags and tug George down with me. “Spill.”

“It’s because…” George glances over her shoulder to make sure no one’s listening. “Look, don’t make a big deal out of this, because I’m over it and I’m totally fine. I liked Isaac. We had so much fun at homecoming. And then that guy came to my house.”

Ah.

I see.

Terror flickers in George’s eyes as she remembers the kid breaking down her door and pointing a gun at her face. She stares at a point over my shoulder and continues. “And Tiberius wakes me in the middle of the night to come and cut up a body. Then, we find out your twin sister is staving people’s heads in with a sword—”

“—one person—”

“—and all that is before the city knew who you truly are.” She shrugs. “I don’t want to put him in the middle of that.”

Her words slam into me. I should have known. George would never dream of putting someone she cares about in danger. That’s the whole reason she’s been staying at Malloy Manor, because she doesn’t want anyone threatening her mom.

It’s my fault. If George hadn’t handed me that fork in the bathroom, she’d be living a completely normal life, sans dead bodies. She gave up her first real boyfriend for me.

I can protect my family, but I can’t give them a future until I control the city. Until it’s all mine.

I squeeze George’s hand. “I promise things will get better.”

She smiles, but it’s wobbly at the edges. That only makes me more determined. George will go to this college if I have to have a little chat to the admissions committee… at knifepoint.

A shadow moves across us. I look up. Noah and Eli settle into beanbags opposite us. “Which one of you got stuck with Gabriel?” I ask.

Eli shrugs. “Not us. We’re working together.”

“I still intend to be valedictorian.” Noah thumps his chest. “I’m not risking my GPA on Gabriel’s shenanigans. For all we know he’s doing the project about himself.”

“That’s exactly what I said.” I glance at Eli. “Are you going to let Noah steal your crown?”

Eli shrugs again. He busies himself studying the table of contents for one of his research books. Eli’s had his college applications filled out since the start of the semester, but I haven’t heard him talk about essays or interviews in weeks. He’s still going to college, isn’t he?

Isn’t he?

Eli and Noah are too clever for Emerald Beach. They deserve a chance for a bright future, too. I hope he doesn’t think that choosing me means choosing a life of crime. But where does that leave us? I’m pretty sure crime bosses don’t go to college. If I can get us through this year, then what?

Have I set them free or trapped them all forever?

I can’t think about it now. I hunt for a distraction. “So what poor sap got stuck with Gabe?” I search the library for him. “Don’t tell me, he’s fighting off a line of girls—”

“You’re not going to like it,” Noah growls, just as I hear a tinkling laugh from behind the computers.

“Oh, Gabriel, you’re an absolute riot. We’re going to make a wonderful team.”

“Claws, wait—” Noah grabs for me, but I duck under him and peer over the shelves. My whole body trembles with rage.

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