Page 17 of Deposed

Because the boys weren’t denying the kiss or reacting to the pictures, the gossip quickly died down within the school. But the tabloids continued to post rehashed articles about the Bourneville department store, using the images and news of Henry’s faked kidnapping as a segue to attack his parents’ business practices.

Things came to a head one Sunday morning, two weeks after the article about Henry and Blake, when Duncan strolled over to our table, holding a one-page announcement in The Times with the Bourneville crest. It declared that Jonas Bourneville, the current Director of Operations in the Middle East, would be groomed to take over the leadership of the Bourneville Group and not the owner’s son, Henry Bourneville.

Silence broke out across the dining room. I bit down on my bottom lip and glanced at Henry.

He skimmed the paper and said, “So?”

“Did you know this would happen?” asked Duncan.

“We agreed to it weeks ago. Jonas is my second cousin.”

Duncan stared at Henry for several moments before his face fell. “Right. Of course, you did.”

When Duncan left, Henry continued eating his scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, his face devoid of expression. If his family had discussed this beforehand, why hadn’t one of the triumvirate mentioned it in my presence?

“Henry,” I whispered.

“Later.”

No one else around the table spoke, but they continued eating their breakfasts. From their blank faces, I guessed that Henry’s family hadn’t informed him he had been disinherited, and the triumvirate wanted to act as though the announcement wasn’t a shock.

Moments later, Coates strolled over, flanked by four members of the rugby team. “The boys have voted me the new captain. Even if you claim to have lots of women, no one feels comfortable having you on the team.”

“Right,” said Henry between clenched teeth. “Good luck winning without me.”

My heart sank, and my gaze dropped to my blueberries and French toast. I had thought that guys like Henry always emerged from scandals unscathed. I’d set in motion an out-of-control train that was still wrecking lives long after the publication of the original articles. Guilt made my shoulders droop. I had thought his parents would only give him a temporary punishment, not a complete disinheritance. My eyes could barely meet Henry’s for the rest of our breakfast.

Despite every gaze being locked onto us, the boys took their time eating, still keeping neutral expressions after hearing two sets of bad news. When we had all finished, we stood as a unit and walked to Blake’s study.

As soon as the door shut, I turned to Henry and grabbed him by the biceps. “Are you alright?”

He peered down at me, green eyes dull. “This was what you wanted, wasn’t it? To see me lose everything.”

I bowed my head. “No,” I whispered. “I never meant for things to go this far.”

“That’s the downside to extreme revenge, isn’t it?” Edward sat on the Chesterfield sofa. “I’m glad you’re here to see the repercussions of your actions.”

Irritation flared across my skin, and I stormed across the room and rested my fists on the leather surface of his desk. “Whose fault was it that I went to such lengths in the first place? You all know what you did to me with the help of Mr. Frost. Did you expect me to take it lying down?”

I turned around, trying to catch the gazes of the triumvirate. But they couldn’t meet my eyes. Instead, they exchanged embarrassed glances with each other. It was all the fuel I needed for a rant. “And you guys feel so entitled to being bullies, you can’t even see that what I did last term makes us even.”

“You’re forgetting one thing.” Blake strode toward me from across the room, his lips curved into a knowing smirk.

“What’s that?” I placed my hands on my hips.

“We own you.” Blake cupped my cheek. “Body, mind and soul. And at any time, we can command you to do whatever we want. Not only will you accompany Henry to visit his parents, but you’ll put on a little show to cheer him up.”

I scowled. “Is this the new way of winning an argument? Threats?”

“No.” Blake’s hand trailed down my neck in the softest of touches that sent a shiver of anticipation down my spine. Then he unfastened the top buttons on my shirt.

Ignoring the heat rushing between my legs, I snapped, “And I have no say in the matter?”

Edward smirked and beckoned at Henry to sit next to him on the sofa. “You could always tell us to stop.”

“Would you?” I whispered.

“That’s for you to find out,” Blake murmured into my ear.