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‘First of all, I need to stop Brax from killing him. He was fuming when he found out.’
‘He won’t kill him. More like keep him under supervision. The highly guarded facility type.’ All the time spent around my mobster was making me an expert in the way he operated. Besides, Cole was his friend, and we still needed his father, at least until Ferris would be elected. That kept Mr. Clayborne out of the woods for the time being.
Cole let a frown appear on his forehead. ‘Well, he needs as much supervision as he can get. I can’t deal with him anymore. I feel I would kill him myself.’
‘Don’t talk like that. You’ll end up regretting it.’
‘How is it that he never ends up regretting losing the family money? He got drunk and gambled the money for the utility bills just because that’s only what I took out of my bank account. Fucking idiot. I’m not going back to how I was two months ago.’
I knew exactly what he was talking about. The thought of going back to struggle for a crumb of food sometimes kept me up at night. That’s what drove me on and pushed me further to finish my studies. And that’s what gave me strength for my plans.
‘No, you’re not going back there. Because you will always be around to stop him from self-destructing.’
‘I thought that a public position would bring him to his senses, that this kind of responsibility would get him to wake up. Now he’s only one step away from messing this up for us.’
‘He’s not going to mess things up. We’re not going to let him. Besides, Ferris will take the lead soon. I’m more afraid of him messing this up for us.’ I laughed, although my words were hiding a possible truth.
And Cole approved. ‘You’re probably right. Ferris is going to be difficult to deal with until he gets used to society again. We’ll have twotroubleson our backs.’
‘We’ll handle both of them. One at a time.’
‘I still feel I screwed things up with my father being involved in all of this.’
‘You’re a good son, Cole. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You won’t mess things up.’
‘I still don’t get how he ended up like this. He used to be my fucking hero. I used to believe in him.’
‘Now it’s your turn to be the hero.Ibelieve in you.’ I clasped my arms harder around his chest while his hand came to intertwine between the chocolate strands of my hair. He was transforming from devil to hero, and I was committed to remaining by his side each step of the way.
The night passed, leaving us to sleep on the extra-large sofa in the embrace of safety and strength. I felt safe in the comfort of his arms while he was drawing from me the energy he needed to keep going.
We’d traveled so far from just lust or just sexual cravings. Sure, those remained as strong as ever, but now, we were building something together. We were building trust, and support, a feeling so indestructible that it was all the fuel we needed to conquer the world.
We were building a future.
Chapter 14
Ididn’t stay for breakfast. Even though supporting Cole was my main priority, I didn’t feel that I belonged in the conversations that were to follow between him and his father. Besides, it was bad enough that the Academy would miss its king for a day. It didn’t need to also be deprived of its queen, especially with Jason slipping into the enemy corner.
Despite what I was expecting, things were calm back at the Academy. I was slowly helping Jenna integrate into my end of the lobby. My strategy was to pick a few of the other marginalized girls from the Herd and bring them into the Elite’s corner. I needed to start diluting the hierarchies before my time at the EMA would be over, and I wasn’t in the habit of giving up on my plans.
I wasn’t sure Cole agreed a hundred percent with me regarding the necessity of making a difference. But he didn’t disagree either, and that was fine by me. He acknowledged that the world we lived in needed a change and was ready to give up one crown for another. The years of ruling over the students of EMA would soon be over. The real ruling beside Ferris and Brax was waiting for him— if we could make it work.
The seminars were done, and so was I. The night spent in Cole’s arms had healed me at an emotional level, but the couch sleepover had ruined my back. Every bone in my body seemed to be hurting, and there was only one thing that I could think of to ease my suffering. An afternoon nap in the comfort of my welcoming bed.
There was only one problem. The definition of afternoonslippedmy mind, and when I finally opened my eyes to wake up, it was 7 pm.
Who knows for how long I could have slept in if a knock on the door hadn’t woken me up and I realized that it was dark outside?
Alfred was the one insisting at my door until I had answered. And I immediately understood why. ‘Good evening, Mr. Brax asked you to join him at his villa. He said, and I quoteTell her to wear the black dress with crystals.I’m not sure what he meant by that.’
I understood exactly what dress he was referring to— his first gift. I thought he hated that dress along with the mistake he had made by gifting me the gown.
His request was pretty strange in my opinion, but it was Brax after all. Everything could happen with that man. I needed to be always on my guard.
‘Thank you, Alfred.’ I bowed my head, realizing that I was daydreaming while keeping the poor man in my doorway. Besides, I had big plans. I wanted to take Brax’s breath away— without the aid of a knife or gun. I needed to own the seduction card for the night, especially since lately, I felt that I was losing ground in front of him in that category.
As if in a repeat of the night he came toabductme from my dressing room, makeup products, perfumes, and scented lotions were flying all over the place, just in a much more calculated manner. I wanted, whatever this invitation was, to be perfect.
