Page 18 of Reign By Wrath

Mom stiffened. “Starling? Alistair, what is she talking about?”

“We also need to have a conversation tonight, El,” he replied. “But first, we should get out of the open. If we don’t want her to know I’m here, let’s not broadcast it.”

We got into separate cars—my mom and Jack agreed to go home and wait for us after much coaxing. She didn’t want to let me out of her sight.

I shot glances at the back of the driver’s head during the ride, wondering if the shaved gentleman with a black dragon inked on the side of his head was Ronin.

Alistair reclined on his seat, focused on his phone in place of his laptop.

“Will you let your family know that you’re here?” I asked.

“I won’t have to. The Burkhardts own this town. They know everything that happens on its soil.”

“Not everything. Saylor didn’t know Everleigh was her long-lost evil twin.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because I read her texts.” I pressed my forehead against the cool glass. “The Royal Wenches held nothing back. Every twisted, cruel thing they’ve done. Every sex secret. Every deep, dark thought. They slung it all back and forth, except for Everleigh. She joined in, but she never gave away anything that could be used to bring her down.

“I should’ve noticed that.” My fists balled. “I should’ve noticed thatJezebel12offered up the Book Lady site a little too easily and a little too quick. I should’ve noticed that Everleigh was working too hard to separate me from Victor.

“That day I went to Martha about my tuition, she told me the Starlings came to her with a serious, eye-popping business merger if she agreed to dissolve our engagement and have her son marry Everleigh instead.”

Alistair nodded slowly. “You’re harder to get to, holed up in Wilson Manor, and the Wilsons are a powerful enemy. Of course she wanted to separate you from them... before she killed you.”

“It’s all so obvious now. Just like it’s obvious Saylor doesn’t know what’s going on under her nose. She’s done a lot of cruel, manipulative things. That’s why Everleigh knew to keep her real secret to herself.”

“Hmm.”

“What?” I asked, facing him. “What is it?”

“Nothing. I just find it humorous that you and Saylor don’t get along.”

“Why?”

He gave me a knowing look. “Because you’d both make good Rogues.”

“I’m your daughter. Don’t compare me to Satan.”

“That Starling is acting alone doesn’t make her less dangerous,” he warned. “No one with an unlimited bank account is. Especially when she uses it to run this T.O.D. Club.”

“Why didn’t you know about it? Mr. Dumont did.”

“I was informed of a dare club, but not that it went this far. I assumed it was a bunch of college students blowing off steam and getting high off mildly risky behavior. If I had known the members would go as far as running a kid over...” He shook his head. “I’ve been away from Regalia for too long. Secondhand information isn’t good enough to run an empire. The peasants always misbehave when the king’s away from the throne.”

I did not comment on him referring to himself as a king and everyone else as a peasant. He was a Burkhardt. That kind of arrogance was in his DNA.

Your DNA too,a voice reminded.You’re heir to the throne. You’d sit right alongside Saylor.

I shivered, grimacing at the thought. The fact that we were family changed nothing. We hated each other and made no secret of it. Blood didn’t make someone any less a bitch.

“Does that mean you’re coming back when all this is over?” I asked the passing trees. “You’re going to... stay for good?”

“Do you want me to?”

I pressed my lips together, looking anywhere but at him. He holed up in his floating bunker to prevent the next assassination attempt. I couldn’t ask him to move back to where he’d always have a target on his back.

“Is it possible?” My voice was getting smaller and smaller. “When Everleigh’s done, will it be safe for you to come back?”

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