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“You’re here for the club?” Getz asks, knowing that I am. But maybe Getz doesn’t know they’ve stopped shutting me out. Both our fight clubs have been taken over, so we’ve got to get our shit together and stop fighting among ourselves.
I nod, and Getz steps away from the door, allowing me to enter first. Once inside the cluttered office, Getz hurries around me to his desk. I wonder how much the boys are subtracting from his debt to use his office as their personal space.
The boys are all here and in their usual places. Wyatt sits as far away from Justin as he physically can in a straight-back chair. Pierce paces the room and then sits in the chair next to Wyatt’s. Bryce lounges on the funky couch, eyeing me as I walk toward it. But Justin is sitting beside him in my space. Bryce shoots Justin a foul look, and Justin smirks at the empty space beside him. He pats the spot with his hand. “Sit here, Astrid.”
Bryce stands up, leaving Justin alone in the center of the couch. “Move left or right, but I’m not sitting next to you.”
Sighing like it’s a burden, Justin pulls a sour face and moves to the right, closest to Getz’s desk, to give me back my space. I sit in the center, and Bryce sits on my left. Bryce gives me a wink and a smile that only I can see as he sits down.
“Are we done flirting?” Pierce asks, and then he heads straight to the point. “So, we have a few videos of Ted, including the one Justin took that clearly shows his face. And we know where Ted hangs out for his lewd adult fun, but how are we going to make an assault charge stick?”
My eyes widen, and I quickly glance at Getz and then back at a calm Pierce. How much does Getz know? And what should he know?
Pierce smirks. “Don’t worry, sweets. It’s how he’s really paying off his debt. By being our brain man.”
I force myself to play off being called sweets by Pierce in front of everyone, Getz included. I cross my legs and bounce my foot, acting as if it’s a normal day at Stonehaven. But I remember that it was Getz who showed the boys, using spreadsheets, how to make the Pit profitable. This might work if lightning hits the target twice.
Getz raises his voice and puts a little backbone into it. “The plan to oust Ted will only work if it involves a major scandal. If we look back on world history, the scandals that were the most notable involved excess, major social upheaval, or two notable players. For example, Napoleon Bonaparte…”
Wyatt cuts him off quickly. “I passed world history, and I’m not interested in repeating it. So tl;dr, old man. What’s our best option?”
Sighing profoundly at the interruption, Getz shrugs his shoulders. “Ted’s behavior is already excessive, so that hasn’t worked. As far as upheaval, if it impacted the school, creating a major scandal, but…” He thinks it through. “The school will protect its students and hush-hush any scandal ASAP.” He leans back far, and his chair squeaks. “The best option is two notable players with opposing viewpoints.” Getz silently eyes me.
“No,” Bryce almost shouts. “The point is to protect Astrid, not use her as bait. She’s not going to risk anything.” Bryce slips his hand between our touching thighs and takes my hand, holding it tight. “Come up with another person.”
“You’ll have to find a woman willing to testify,” says Getz, “that people will take an interest in. Someone that will sell papers, as my generation would say. I guess you’d call it clickbait.”
Justin sits forward. “What if we found someone who would lie? Ted is usually so high he doesn’t remember who he’s fucked.” He adds quickly, “Not make it up, but tell Astrid’s experience as their own.”
“Yeah, but who do we know who has a name and is willing to lie like that?” asks Pierce. “It’s pretty rough, what happened.” Pierce’s gaze rests on me, and I see concern in his eyes, which I’ve never seen before. I stare for what seems like hours, wondering what else he can feel.
But Bryce smirks as his eyes sparkle with the scheme. “The question is, who needs quick cash?”
“My mother needs quick cash,” replies Wyatt as he stares at the floor.
We’re silent and take in his confession. Wyatt has never spoken openly about his family’s financial trouble since his father died. He continued to wear a mask to conceal his identity even after we all figured out it was him fighting in the ring. He flipped the fuck out when he learned Howland is my father and accused me of playing at being poor. Wyatt has done what he could do to hide his situation. But will his mother be willing to do this?
He lifts his head and meets my steady gaze. I hope Wyatt can sense the admiration in my heart for him doing something I never wanted to do. Admit to these rich kids that I had no money to spend. It has to have been the hardest and bravest thing for him to do at this school. Admitting he’s broke to Bryce, Justin, and Pierce.
I hold my breath for their reactions—the ribbing, the insults, and finally, the rejection. I bow my head and swear if they hurt him, I’m done with them all except Wyatt.
Pierce clamps his hand on Wyatt’s shoulder and gives it a shake. “We’ve got your back now, bro. Thanks for trusting us.”
Bryce and Justin murmur their agreement, and it’s apparent that the nasty tricks played to upset Wyatt will stop. No more going after me in his bathroom to upset us both. Wyatt sits up and silently gives his thanks with a broad smile. The tension eases off of my body, and I lean back into the seat, right into Justin’s outstretched arm.
And like a snap of the finger, Wyatt scowls.
Getz shrugs his shoulders to his ears, holding his palms upright. “Your mother is older than Ted’s usual type, but I guess it might work.”
Bryce interrupts, “Mrs. Astor is a very attractive woman. No offense, Wyatt. No one would question it if she made an accusation. Of course, we have to change the details. Mrs. Astor would never go to the Pit.”
“I’d bang her if asked,” adds Pierce, and Wyatt punches his shoulder. “Hey, that’s what we want the jury to think if it goes to court.” Pierce frowns as he rubs his shoulder. Not all the teasing has stopped, and Pierce can still be a jerk. It’s firmly in his DNA.
“She has a name,” replies Getz, “and it could’ve happened years ago. It may not even go to court. Frankly, it’s worse to be tried on social media.”
We decide then and there that it will be my story, told by Wyatt’s mom in a different setting and time. But the question is, will Wyatt’s mom agree to do it? It’s a lot to ask to become linked to Ted Leister in the media in that way. I don’t want to do it. If she does, then she’s a real badass. Or truly desperate. Something pokes at my gut, that feeling I know too well of not having another choice. As much as we need Wyatt’s mom, I hope she has one.
Getz rises from his seat and shuts his laptop. “I have counseled all of you enough in deviant behavior for one day. I highly recommend not discussing this plan outside of this office. Lock the door when you leave.” He stares at the singe mark on his rug as he walks by. “I know you’re in here when I’m not, doing things you shouldn’t.”
