Page 33 of Forsaken Fate

“Hey, Nico,” Grayson said. Nicholas Moutsopoulos was the front runner to serve as Grayson’s campaign manager as he fought to take over Diana’s governorship. Nico was a member of the New York coven. An earth mage like Mary Barlow. I’d never met the man myself. Moutsopoulos did most of the talking but Grayson’s expression went through a cycle of changes as he listened. He said yes and no a few times then his nostrils flared as he ran a hand through his hair.

“That’s disappointing, Nico,” he finally said. “That’s really fucking disappointing to hear. What are you going to do about it?”

Grayson’s face darkened even more as Nico answered. “Yeah,” Grayson said. “That’s not my fucking fault. And I’m sick and tired of people making assumptions about my mother’s motivations and my relationship with my dad. You hear that? I’m really fucking sick and tired of it.”

At the end of the conversation, Grayson threw out a few more “fucks” but whatever Moutsopoulos had asked him to do, he promised he would try. Then Grayson threw the phone on the ground, hard.

I took a chance and walked back into the room.

“You want to tell me about it?” I said, almost afraid to ask. Grayson’s skin had turned a mottled purple. His head was misshapen. Half man. Half wolf. He seemed unaware of it. “I mean, is there anything I can do?”

“Nico thinks the reaction to me the other night was lukewarm at best. Some of the backers I was counting on for my campaign have expressed some concerns about my likeability: Padgett and the mayor in particular,” Grayson said. He was blinking rapidly, struggling to control his wolf.

“And what is it that he wants you to do about it?”

Grayson shook his head. “He said the night wasn’t a total waste. He said Theo being there helped.”

“So what?” I asked.

“So. Nico thinks if Theo would be willing to endorse me in a more public way – like declare his support for me at the Gathering – that could help. He thinks Theo should submit to me.”

You’re no Alpha. I couldn’t say it. I also knew Theo would never submit to Grayson. Instinct told me Theo would kill Grayson before he let that happen.

“Oh,” I said, playing dumb. “And you don’t think he’s going to be willing to do that?”

“Who fucking knows,” Grayson said. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to fight the real brother versus step-brother thing. Theo’s a dick about it. And his father left his family lands to my mother who left them to me. Theo thinks he got cheated. He didn’t, goddamn it. He just refuses to accept it and expects me to fork stuff over to him that belongs to me just because he’s a sore loser. He’s jealous as hell of me, Brynna.”

I sighed. I’d already seen enough of the dynamic between Theo and Grayson to know that he was dead wrong. This was Diana talking. She’s the one who pitted Theo and Grayson against each other, I suspected.

“What are you going to do?”

“It looks like I’m going to have to call him,” Grayson said. “We didn’t talk about it but I got the impression that he doesn’t even want to be at the Gathering, even though he agreed to give you away to me. Now Nico says that absolutely has to happen. If Theo’s not there people will notice and it will fuck me over, maybe for good.”

Except I knew better. For reasons that didn’t make sense at the moment, Theo had told me this morning that he planned to honor his promise to Grayson. And I couldn’t say a word. If Grayson found out he’d throw me out of the house, or worse, and everything I’d done, every lie I told, would be for nothing the instant the front door slammed.

“Is there something you can do for him?” I started, a plan forming as I spoke. “Some gesture or peace offering that might smooth things over?”

“I don’t owe him shit, Brynna!”

“I know. I know that,” I said. “But the other night. You told me to find some jewelry out of your mother’s things to wear. Do you remember that?”

“Yes,” Grayson paced. I was in very dangerous territory here. I couldn’t risk sparking Grayson’s jealousy or suspicion. He was paranoid enough when it came to Theo.

“Well, I wore a necklace and earrings that I found in her things. Theo said something to me about them. It was just a casual comment. A compliment. I didn’t think anything of it at the time but maybe it’s something. He said they looked just like ones that his mother owned.”

Grayson stopped and spun around. He narrowed his eyes at me but didn’t yell. So far so good. I walked over to Diana’s vanity and picked up the simple wooden box with the broken latch.

“I found them in here. Do you think maybe these weren’t your mother’s?” I played demure. I stood in front of Grayson and held the box out to him. He eyed me but didn’t take the box.

“He’s wrong,” Grayson said and I knew he was lying. He didn’t know that I’d overheard their whole conversation when Grayson gave Theo his mother’s engagement ring. That ring had to come from this box and he’d known it didn’t belong to Diana.

“Maybe,” I said, keeping my tone even. “But maybe if you told Theo you found this after we moved in. He might take it as a gesture of good faith and give you more full-throated support. I know you don’t have to, honey. I’m on your side, always. But it’s such a small thing. These pieces are costume jewelry mostly, I think. Not much more than tacky junk. Don’t you think that’s more likely something Theo’s mother would have worn ... not yours?”

Grayson’s expression changed and I knew I’d finally hit the right note. Calling Theo’s mother tacky was a page straight out of Diana’s manipulative playbook. Again, I wasn’t proud, but it mattered. Whatever I had to do to save myself, I would do.

Grayson smiled and took the jewelry box from me. Then he reached down and picked up his phone from the floor. “Come here,” he said. Drawing me toward the bed again he sat and guided me down until he had me perched on his lap. I watched as he pulled up Theo’s contact and pressed call.

Theo answered on the third ring as I sat naked on Grayson’s lap, my heart starting to pound. I listened as Grayson tried to turn on the charm. He only managed smarm and I knew Theo was smart enough to hear past it.

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