My stomach sank like a bag of bricks.Shit.
As his eyes settled on my face once more, he added, “But that doesn’t mean that he isn’t a manipulative fuck that has managed to create a solid persona.”
Instantly, the weight lifted from me.Holy emotional rollercoaster.
With a heavy sigh, he backed away from me to pace as he rubbed his chin. I watched him prowl like a caged predator in front of his massive four-post black bed, waiting to hear what else he had to say before I mentioned anything further. It was a lot to digest, and I didn’t want to rush him.
He came to an abrupt stop after a few minutes, turning to face me. “He has only ever spoken with a fond and proud tone in reference to Andrei. I know he aspires to get him on the board as well and has pushed for me to take him into consideration for an empty spot. While I’ve wondered why he’s pushed so hard for that, I remind myself that shouldn’t every father want the best for their child? Being on the board is a prestigious accomplishment that comes with titles, money, and a set future.”
I was relieved to hear the wheels turning in his mind and the pieces coming together, but it also sparked the memory of what Andrei had mentioned to me earlier.
You acted like you hated Maya for cheating her way to the top, but how the fuck can you say that and turn around and do it the exact same way? You slept your way to the top of the leaderboard and knocked me off after just one week of being here. I’ve been here for years adding points to my score.
Holding my hands up in a stopping motion, I instantly blurted out, “Sorry to change the subject like this.” He raised a brow in question. “Do you happen to know how the hell I would be at the top of the leaderboard back at the Academy? I haven’t been there long enough to knock Andrei from his spot, yet he told me I was first tonight during our little chat. That shouldn’t be possible.”
While it probably seemed like an abrupt change of conversation to him, there was no way it couldn’t be a coincidence that Andrei was suddenly having issues with his dad on the same night he mentioned it to me. Drake said it himself; Jeoffrey wanted his son on the board, and Andrei made it clear to me that he needed to achieve that in order to keep his father sated.
The fucker had the decency to at least have a sheepish look on his face, making it clear he had a hand in me being at the top of the leaderboard.
Fates give me the strength to not try to kill Drake again.
He’d unknowingly set off Jeoffrey into whatever sick fucking plan he’d enacted, and he’d damn well help me fix this now.
Nodding in confirmation, he admitted, “I might have told Lincoln during our fight at the Academy when we met that you showed the most promise and deserved additional points for managing to catch me off guard and knock me into a vulnerable position.” He paused to widen his stance and cross his arms across his chest, offering me a nonchalant shrug. “But I stand by that being the truth of the situation.”
A small growl bubbled in my throat as I crossed my arms against my chest in defiance. Staring him down, I took deep breaths and pushed down the Alina that would have blown up on him for trying to get me what I wanted without even working for it. I wanted to deserve every damn thing I got in life, and this was a prime example of him using his power to get me what Iwantedto work hard for.
I’d be having a stern talk with Lincoln as well for going along with this bullshit. Fucking…manpires.
“I’m going to ignore that blatant issue for now, as we have bigger fish to fry,” I finally relented with a heavy sigh, tossing my hands into the air. “Let’s focus on one thing at a time. Jeoffrey needs Andrei to be in first on our leaderboard to have a chance at getting a spot with you, right?”
Letting one arm drop to the side while the other worked at loosening the tie around his neck, his head tilted side to side before he dropped onto the edge of his bed. He leaned back onto his hands, and I chastised myself as I thought of how great his current position would be for me to ride him.Fuck, focus, you horn dog—you’re no better than a man right now.
“Not necessarily. I’ve never looked at the students at the Academy purely because I have never felt like they had enough life experience to get on the board and handle everything that comes along with it. It doesn’t matter if anyone’s number one academically.”
My lips thinned as I considered his words. That actually made a hell of a lot of sense.
While I knew Drake was suspicious of everyone on his board, I think there was still a part of him that didn’t want to believe that he was wrong about any of them…That any of them would betray him.
It felt worth reiterating to him, and if he truly meant that I was going to rule at his side as the Queen, I needed him to listen to my input and truly keep it in mind while making decisions for Sanguis.
Crossing the distance to stand between his legs, I grabbed the ends of his undone tie, lightly pulling him forward. “I think that you don’t know the true intentions of all those on your board, and we both know that it was likely someone who holds that kind of power that would have been able to orchestrate the slaughter of my family. You need to look into Jeoffrey further, please.”
His large hands splayed over my hips as he pressed a kiss to my stomach over my dress. Despite the heels adding inches to my height and him sitting, he still somehow managed to make me feel tiny compared to his size. I couldn’t deny that I absolutely loved how all three of my mates made me feel like that. Being a tall girl, I was used to being the intimidating one, never the small one who let others protect her.
Tilting his head up and resting his chin against me, his eyes bore into mine with a sincerity that stole my breath. “I will, I promise.”
He batted his eyes at me in the perfect “puppy dog” manner, and I instantly chuckled. “What do you want, you little devil?”
The innocent look was gone in a flash, replaced by a promising smirk and a narrowed gaze.
“What do I want?” he echoed before humming. “Hmm, let’s see.”
His fingers drummed against my hips as he pulled his head back. Cocking his head to the side, his dimple indented in his trimmed beard as his lips split into a wicked smile.
Dropping his hands back down to rest behind him, his eyes wandered down my body lazily. Drawing his bottom lip into his mouth and biting it briefly, he let it fall free before growling, “That’s a dangerous question,Comoara. There are many things I want from you, but I don’t quite know your boundaries yet.”
Clearly, I was so fucking wrong earlier that having that hard conversation would kill the mood. It was back in an instant and somehow even stronger than before. It felt…healthy to have made it through the conversation, both parties listening to what the other had to say. No fighting. No toxicity. No jumping to conclusions.
