Page 70 of Reign By Wrath

“I would, but their guards won’t even call up to the house and tell them I’m at the gate. Frank plays dumb when I mention Alistair.” I kissed my teeth. “The jerk laughed when I lost it and said I’d kick his ass if he didn’t stop playing games with me. I didn’t know he could make that sound.”

Victor laughed too. “I have a feeling you won’t have to resort to violence. Saylor will get her throne back, or she’ll die trying. Eventually, she’ll stop fighting you if it means beating Everleigh.”

While we watched, Dean and Katie crossed the quad and plopped down next to Everleigh and her crew.

Katie threw a sleepover the weekend before like she promised, but only Piper and Gabriella showed up. Everleigh begged off saying she had two essays to write due Monday. She never got a chance to snoop on her computer and find what I couldn’t.

Everleigh suddenly looked up and latched on to me. I didn’t look away and neither did she.

“I bet it burns her up that you never joined the T.O.D. Club,” I told Victor. “If Saylor’s the queen, you’re the heir to the throne. You’ll always be a threat to her rule.”

“Not me, babe. You.”

I broke off to pull a face at him. “Me?”

“The only reason the throne is Saylor’s... is because you didn’t know it could be yours.” I’d never seen him so serious. “Everything around you is rightfully yours, Luna. No one is loyal to a blackmailer, but they could be loyal to you. It’s you who Everleigh’s afraid of. That’s why she can’t come at you either. She has to make sure the next strike takes you down for good.”

I literally never considered I could lead the Royal line until that moment. I immediately shook the thought away. “We don’t know that for sure. Alistair said I’m a Burkhardt heiress too, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to inherit. Could be five dollars.”

“It’s not five dollars. Mom arranged my marriage to you because she knows what we both don’t. Not that she’ll admit it,” he gritted. “I’ve confronted her multiple times, but she swears up, down, and sideways that she didn’t know you were a Burkhardt and that she only chose you because she knew we’d be perfect together. Then she sprinkles tears and guilt-tripping on top of her bullshit, acting all hurt by my accusations.”

I smothered a laugh. “And I get called diabolical.”

“You’re not pissed at her?”

“I am, but...” I hooked my pinkie through his. “If it wasn’t for her plotting, we’d never have gotten together. Knowing that takes the edge off my anger.”

“We would’ve gotten together,” he argued. “I was plowing my way through the freshman pussy either way. Once I’d gotten to you, I would’ve known I was meant to stick with yours for good.”

I dropped his hand. “Go away.”

Cackling, Victor grabbed me up and smooched my squealing lips. “Not a chance. You’re stuck with me. Till forever does us part.”

“Guess I have to accept my fate.” I kissed him deeply. “Speaking of plowing pussy, should we find an empty classroom and practice for the wedding night?”

“That is happening for sure, but”—he flicked over my shoulder—“it looks like someone wants to talk to you.”

I turned around. Sitting on the edge of her fountain—sipping a pink drink that appeared out of nowhere—Everleigh waved me over.

“What could she possibly want with me?”

“Only one way to find out. Want me to go with you?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

Together we crossed the quad, closing the distance between us and a smiling Everleigh. I returned her grin.

“Hey, murderer. What did you want to talk to me about? Could it be when youshot me and left me to die in a burning building?” I shouted, drawing the eye of everyone on the quad. “Or should we talk about theTruth or Dare Club? The stupid but dangerous club that you’ve been using to carry out your dirty work.

“You all know about the T.O.D. Club. She’s been using the secrets the club collected against you all to turn you against Saylor and make you bow to her.”

Everleigh wasn’t smiling now.

“Psycho kiillller,” I sang. “Murderous bi-bi-bitch. Yeah, she’s a psycho killer. Sha-la-la, oooooh.” I snapped my fingers. “Sorry, I’m no songwriter, but still pretty catchy, right?”

“Now I see why Saylor spent hours ranting about you,” Everleigh forced through snarling lips. “You’re a particular pain in the ass, Sinclair. You will tell anylieto get attention.”

“You know all about things in your ass, Book Lady.” I smiled sweetly. “Last I saw, you’re super into anal, so you should be loving this.”

---