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“He’s right,” Blaise chimes in. “I almost fucked up things multiple times, but you pulled me back in.”
“Fucked what up?” I intervene. “Someone please just rip off the damn Band-Aid.”
The three of them look at me, dragging out the silence for a slamming heartbeat.
“My father called me in for the meeting because of something that was going on in your family,” Ryder continues. “A … A bounty had been put on you, and he wanted me to be part of it.”
My back goes rigid, my heart a lunatic in my chest. “What?” Panic slams through me. “He wanted you to kill me?”
Ryder trades a look with Blaise, and then Reece.
“It wasn’t that kind of bounty, sweetheart,” Reece explains with his elbows propped on the table.
I’m even more confused.
“What was it for then?” I ask, glancing at the three of them.
Blaise places a hand on my bare thigh, his fingers brushing just above my knee, in an attempt to soothe me. “It was for …” He struggles for words.
“Your virginity,” Ryder says the words calmly. Although, if I didn’t know any better, I swear I detect a hint of remorse in his eyes. “A bounty had been put out on it, and whoever took it would win you.”
“What?” I shake my head. “That doesn’t make any sense. My father would never agree to that.”
“He didn’t agree to it, Allura,” Reece says quietly, worry flooding his expression. “He … He’s the one who put the bounty on you.”
Time stands still—ceases to exist.
“No,” I finally break the silence—fucking shatter it as I rise to my feet so quickly the chair topples over. “He wouldn’t do that.” But as the words fall from my tongue like razors, the truth bleeds through me. And the truth is my father would do something like that to me. But … “Why would he do that? It doesn’t make any sense … You’re lying!’” I shout the last part.
Blaise quickly rises to his feet. “I wish we were, baby, but we’re not.” He reaches for me, but I trip back, causing him to wince in pain.
“Tell me the rest,” I breathe profusely with my fists balled at my sides. “Because I know there has to be more.”
Reece drags his hand roughly down his face and casts a glance at Blaise, who appears to be cracking apart. I have the strongest urge to comfort him, but I remain put, knowing if I move, I’ll break myself.
Sighing, Reece looks at Ryder. “You want to explain it to her? Or should I?”
The muscles in Ryder’s jaw spasms as he looks at me. “My father informed me that I was to collect the bounty because he wanted the fate ceremony to happen. He said that if I won, he would propose a fate ceremony to your father so that all four families could be tied.”
“Apparently, my father and Blaise’s were in on this plan, as well,” Reece clarifies bitterly. “The fucking bastards knew if Ryder could win the bounty, and they could get their fate ceremony, they’d basically be untouchable.”
“But you didn’t win the bounty.” My tone is a quivering mess as I think about who technically did.
“I know, but no one else does, except for the four people standing in this room,” Ryder states. “Reece, Ryder, and I came up with a plan to make it seem like I did it, which is where the rumors stemmed from, and what started the dissolving of our friendship, because we knew if you stayed friends with us, it wouldn’t look believable.”
“Bullshit!” I shout, causing Blaise to visibly wince. “Everyone knew we were close, so you could’ve just made it look like I willingly had sex with you.”
“That’s not how the bounty worked, Allura,” Ryder treads cautiously. “Part of the reason why your father put it on you was that he wanted you broken because he believed you were too rebellious.”
“There’s more to it than that,” Reece adds, stepping toward me. This time, I don’t budge, my body way too numb. “But we haven’t figured it out yet. We’ve been trying to, but we haven’t gotten any answers. We’ll keep trying, because if we’re going to have any chance at playing this game with them, we need some answers.”
Thump. Thump. Thump . Thump. Thump. Thump.
The echo of my heart beating roars in my eardrums as more numbness slips through my veins.
“You want answers, I’ll give you one.” I inch back, tears pooling in my eyes. “You didn’t win the bounty. Levi fucking did, so I don’t even know how or why we’re here.” As the tears spill over, I spin around and run. But I catch the slightest glimpse of their faces before I do, and they look utterly broken, just like how I probably looked when Ryder shattered me in the hallway three years ago.
“Allura!” Blaise calls out.
