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“Oh, you are, sweetheart,” Caden says. “You play with us, you get the prizes.”
“That’s not fair! That’s my only game.”
“It’s okay, we’re actually not always playing together, so we calculate the winner with a ratio,” Osborn explains. “You actually have an advantage when you play less. Say you win today, you’ll have one hundred percent. Though technically, you have to play ten games to qualify.”
“I didn’t realize the rules were so defined,” I say, turning to Bella. “Did you jump in the lake?”
She grimaces. “No, thank fuck. I’m paired up with Nic. He took the plunge for me. I did run around the palace naked last year for him, though.”
“Oh my god!” I laugh. “People have been executed for less, you know.”
“No one who’s seen your sister naked would chop her head off,” Sebastian retorts.
“Well, I’m not sure I want to play more than nine games with you guys,” I say.
“Chicken,” Hawk coughs under his breath.
I’m laughing again, and all of a sudden, I’m a little sad.
They’re…fun. Friendly. Nothing like what I imagined. I missed out on this back in school. That tight-knit group of goofy boys could have been part of my circle. Except they weren’t. Suddenly, I’m starting to understand how much my isolation might have cost me. Not just Less, but also, having friends.
Would I have been bullied quite so relentlessly if I’d had them?
I’ll never know.
“You can play with me,” Less says, appearing oh so generous, though his gaze drops down to the pile of notes I’ve kept under my hand. “I’ll take the dare if we lose.”
“How kind of you.” Dick. “But no, thank you.”
“Enough stalling. Numbers!”
Everyone’s around seven to fifteen thousand, not even nearing Caden’s inflated number. We have eight players, and he’s taken home almost a quarter of the total fund.
I let everyone give their numbers, begrudgingly, before clearing my throat. “Thirty thousand and one dollars.”
Chaos explodes.
“No!” Caden screams, hand flat on the table. “Show me the money! Show it to me. You can’t possibly have that much. You only owned Baltic and Connecticut!”
“Oh, are we keeping track ofhowpeople got their money, now?” I snort. “It’s all about the result, baby.”
“I demand a rematch,” he grumbles, eyes narrowed.
“Can’t. It’s lunch time.” I wink. “Winning is hungry business.”
“Can you believe that chick?” Caden says, outraged.
Less holds his hand up, and I high-five it, giddy butterflies dancing all over me.
“I won’t forget this,” Caden promises, somewhat threateningly.
“Nor will any of us,” Less assures him with a huge grin.
Hawk points right at me. “Next time, lady, I’m keeping my eye on you.”
We move from the drawing room back to the hall, as it’s easier for the staff to serve meals around the table. In the corridors, I find myself sliding next to Less.
“So howiseveryone else cheating?” I whisper. “Especially Caden.”
