Page 32 of Sinful Storms

“It has to be. He’s the only one we asked. I mean, we asked my dad about your great-uncle but not about the secret society.”I glanced up. “Knox, did you ask your parents about the secret society?”

“Yeah. They didn’t know anything, though. Believe me, I can tell when my parents are lying.” He paused. “I think. But they’d have no reason to lie about it.”

“Quinn’s parents didn’t know anything, either,” Elena added.

“So why the fuck would Professor Watkins start threatening us? There has to be something he wants to keep secret.”

“Obviously.” Aria rolled her eyes at me, but then she sighed. “I guess I’ve got no choice at this point. I’ll have to speak to my grandparents and risk upsetting them by dragging up the past. It’s either that, or we forget about the whole thing.”

I shook my head. “No way. I want to know what’s on those missing pages. It has to be something good if Professor Watkins wants to send us threats over it. Not like he could do anything. He’s not the one with the power in this town.”

“I want to know, too,” Aria admitted. “So I’ll speak to my grandparents. I’ll have to arrange a visit in person. If I speak to them on the phone, I won’t be able to tell if they’re lying or anything.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to speak to my grandfather, too.” I’d have to steel myself to suffer through another interrogation about my future. Although…

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I sent a text to my mother.

Me:

We need to celebrate father’s appointment as mayor. I have an idea if you want to hear it

Surprisingly, I only had to wait a few minutes for her reply.

Mother:

Do tell.

Me:

How about a party at Uncle Jack’s manor house? You know grandfather will want to attend and that way he won’t have a chance to say anything about the drawing room

I was counting on the fact that my mother still held a grudge over my grandfather insulting the décor in our drawing room, which had been redone to her specifications, and therefore, she took it as a personal insult. Most of their parties were held there because it was the biggest room in our house.

Mother:

Don’t tell your father I said so, but that man has dreadful taste. Perhaps we could host it at the manor. It would be a suitable location for a more intimate gathering.

Me:

Exactly what I was thinking.

Mother:

Leave it to me, darling. I will make preparations.

Me:

OK

That done, I pocketed my phone, smiling to myself. Having a party would give me a buffer, which would hopefully stop my grandfather from interrogating me, and if it seemed like he did know something, I’d have the chance to snoop around.

“Why are you looking so pleased with yourself?”

I glanced up at Aria. Instead of answering her question, I said, “Blue suits you.”

She gasped, her cheeks flushing a deep pink as her honey eyes glittered with anger. Evidently, shehadforgotten she was wearing my hoodie. I grinned as she ripped it off as fast as humanly possible, throwing it at me, and laughed outright at the expression of pure loathing she shot in my direction.

“You should feel privileged, Aria,” Knox said. “Tristan doesn’t ever let girls wear his hoodies.”

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