Carmen grabbed Ryan’s hand, tugging her away while saying, “He can wait.”
“I won’t be waiting,” I called after them, deciding we needed a crueler fate for Carmen. Ella and I had discussed something slightly more temporary for her, mostly because Ryan was the bigger culprit. Ella thought Carmen might be a different person without the influence of her twin, but I disagreed.
Both of those females deserved a lifetime of purgatory for their treatment of others.
I took two more steps, when a chorus of gasps went up around me.
Ah… It’s time,I thought. That was what had Carmen’s attention. Of course.
Ella stood to greet me as I made my way toward her, both of us ignoring the rising chatter throughout the room. Because we already knew.
Her gaze glittered with excitement.I think phase two is going to be a resounding success.
I brushed my mouth over hers, grinning.Me, too.
Charlie’s name echoed throughout the room, and the male in question stood frozen beside a gaping Dash.
Somewhere, the news played loudly from someone’s phone, announcing Anderson Motors’ recent legal troubles and impending financial doom.
“Those automotive companies really should focus on safety,” I put in conversationally.
Ella bit her lip to keep from giggling, her approval warming our bond.
It wasn’t like I deliberately sabotaged Anderson Motors. They already had the problems. I just made them a little easier for the appropriate authorities to find.
And they acted swiftly and efficiently.
Whispers flooded the room as Charlie made his way through it—alone. Dash watched him, his expression torn between loyalty to his friend and loyalty to himself.
In the end, he chose himself.
As I suspected he would.
Anderson Motors wouldn’t be recovering anytime soon, if ever. Meaning Charlie was about to go through a very humbling experience, one that would probably take him out of school or relocate him to somewhere more financially suitable.
Or maybe they’d allow him to stay to finish the year. I really hoped so because his life at Darlington Academy—a place that notably cared more about status than its students—was about to change drastically.
As Dash demonstrated now by returning to his table instead of chasing after his supposed friend.
One down, three to go,Ella murmured.
I kissed her temple and wrapped my arms around her.On to the next phase,I agreed.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ella
Three weekslater and everyone was still talking about Charlie. He’d transferred out of Darlington Academy within days of the announcement, his family moving to somewhere in the Midwest while his father’s company went to battle with an army of lawyers.
It was possible Charlie Anderson wouldn’t learn anything from the experience. Perhaps I should have chosen a harsher avenue of punishment, but he was never my biggest target.
No, Dash Charming won that prize between the two of them.
He stood on the pool deck in a tiny Speedo, flirting with a trio of chicks. They were mooning over him, as per usual after swim class. He’d gotten over the disappearance of his buddy right quick, happily taking over the mantle of king at Darlington Academy.
Except something about him felt different.
Like the way his smile didn’t reach his eyes. He also no longer seemed to be fucking his way through the student population. Or maybe he was just being more discreet about it. And he hadn’t spent much time around Ryan or Carmen lately, at least from what I’d seen.
