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“Giovanni told me about it before he was attacked. I got quite a few details, so think carefully before you lie to me. If you say anything that contradicts him, our deal is off.”
Her jaw tightened. I bet the thought did cross her mind to lie, but since she couldn’t be sure what Giovanni told me, it’d be too big a risk to test me. “Fine. What do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
She turned away, directing her glare into the trees. “The T.O.D. Club is what it stands for. Truth or dare.”
I didn’t say anything, and she continued.
“It was started years ago by the Greeks. Some frat thing. They shut it down, and then Royals picked it up when my mom was in school. About six years ago, new players took over and changed everything. Made it secure, and opened it up to Dregs.”
“Dregs?” It was out of my mouth before I could stop it. I couldn’t have her figure out that I actually knew next to nothing about the club. I needed her to spill all out of fear.
But Gabriella didn’t seem to notice. “I didn’t want to join because of it. We’ve got to deal with Dregs all over our campus. Now what was once a Royal-only club was taken over by them too? I wasn’t into it but Giovanni said to trust him. Join and find out why we needed the Dregs.
“Piper and I did, and it became obvious real fast why the club was opened to Dregs. They’re the entertainment.”
My brows furrowed but I otherwise didn’t react. I already hated where this was going.
“The club is hardcore,” she said. “No rules. No limits. But going after each other is a quick way to make powerful enemies. Instead, we save the messed-up dares for the Dregs. It’s laughable what they’ll do for money. From shit that gets them expelled to...” She smirked at me. “Drenching your ass in mocha vanilla.”
I kept my face blank. “The day everyone came after me with lattes is due to your little club? You’d think you guys would have better things to do.”
“We do. That’s why I sent the Dregs after you. You ruined one of my favorite tops.”
“Send me the dry-cleaning bill, so I can crumple it and toss it in your face. Do I look like I give a shit about shirts and lattes!” Gabriella jumped. “Tell me about Winter!”
“There— There’s nothing to tell! Giovanni got a private, anonymous dare. I didn’t know anything about it until he told me I had to be cool with him hooking up with her. The reward was seven figures and a deal that would move the Natale name three places up the Royal ladder. That would put him right below me. He... he said...” Wetness dabbed the corner of her lids. “He said he was doing it for us. One day, my folks could get over their hatred of the Natales, but they’d never get over it if I married below me.
“If he moved up, we could be together for real. Out in the open. Just us,” she whispered.
I searched my heart for sympathy and found none. She could shove those tears back in her ducts. The future she and Giovanni wanted to build was on the back of my sister’s torment and torture.
“Who gave him the dare?”
She shook herself, wiping her eyes. “I told you. I don’t know.”
“Bullshit. I assume very few people have the power to move a family that high up the ladder. You must know.”
“There are twenty-seven families on the third rung. Twenty-two of them have heirs that are enrolled at Regalia U. How am I supposed to know which one of them offered a shadow deal to move Giovanni as high as their family?”
My eyes narrowed to slits. “I warned you about lying to me. Giovanni knew exactly who it was. He was about to tell me before I was knocked out, and he was killed. I don’t buy that he didn’t tell you.”
“He didn’t,” she cried, swinging around. “If you’re saying what I think you are, you believe this guy killed Giovanni. Why would I protect them? I loved him.”
My gaze was steady. “You’d protect them if you know they killed Giovanni, and you don’t want to be next.”
Her face hardened. Tight lines wrinkled the corner of her eyes, casting the first emotion other than superior haughtiness she’d ever given me. “If I knew who killed him, it’s them who’d be afraid of me.”
I quieted. I couldn’t say why, but I believed her.
“Fine,” I said when the silence got uncomfortable. “But the fact remains that Giovanni found out. More than that, he was approached by the other guys who got dares for Winter because they knew he could find the person behind it. Why would that be?”
“Giovanni could?” She frowned. “Maybe, because... He recruits for the club. I mean... he did. Giovanni knew the members, or at least more than any one of us. Everyone only knows the person who got them in. Giovanni got me in. I invited Piper, and she invited Everleigh. We each get one, but Giovanni recruited whoever he wanted. As long as they could keep a secret,” she said. “Before you ask, I don’t know who he recruited besides me. He was serious about following the club rules. Didn’t want to risk the penalties. He said the people in charge would know. Don’t know how, but he swore they’d know.”
