Page 78 of Unwritten Rules

“Penn Windsor? Money laundering for sure if they’re not pegged for insider trading.”

Yep, just like I said. It was plausible they could have been taken down too. Bradford’s family operated in finance, and they could have held hands and reigned in the cash. There were large rings and smaller rings operating in dirty business.

My family kept it in the family. Until Maria Montgomery entered the stage.

A group of people caught my eye from where I stood. Fallon, Sloane, Kelly, and Alexander all together in one little hushed conversation. Sloane was motioning between Alexander and Fallon, clearly introducing the two. I wasn’t aware that Fallon and Sloane were acquainted and that made everything just that more complicated. But more than that, what the fuck was she doing?

Matchmaking and vying to maintain her family’s status.

Sloane was obsessed with this little fucking list she compiled of the wealthiest families who attended WBU. I still remember the day she beelined her ass over to me to let me know that I was number one on the list. She was clearly trying to cement her place in the world by sleeping with me and being seen around me, but I was too stupid to see it. Getting my dick wet at the time was more important than anything she was saying.

At least she shut up when it was in her mouth.

Focus!

Alexander smiled at Fallon and shook her hand. It was creepy. He motioned at her, and she handed over her phone. This bastard was trying to get her number, and she didn’t even have mine in her phone!

Kelly looked between all three of them, critiquing and criticizing everything with her arms crossed. As she should. Shane appeared behind the group and tapped her on the shoulder, pulling her away from the other three. Great, Fallon was alone with the sharks, and I was nowhere to help.

“Brent, what do you think?”

I blinked and refocused on the group. “Sorry, what?”

“What’s your opinion on Shane Jones?”

“Who the fuck is that?” I swore I heard it just earlier.

A few chuckles erupted around the table. “Get your head out of your ass, Vaughn. He’s the campus dealer, bro. Sources say his family is bankrupt or some shit.”

That was a name to add to the list in the files. Especially if he was close enough to what was mine. Reaper and the boys could do some recon for me on that.

I took my next shot. “If I want drugs, I’m not going to some shitty campus dealer. I have respectablemenfor that. Everything is speculation right now, but I wouldn’t say I’d be surprised.”

A voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard chimed out behind me. “Babe!”

Fuck me in the ass with a cactus.

“I’ll be back, guys.” The table gave me some extra sexual remarks as I backed away from the table ready to rip my ears off my head if she used that tone of voice again.

“Stop fucking calling me that. What do you want?”

“Come on, I’ll show you.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me right to who she’d been talking to.

Alexander winked at me as Blondie looked up, startled to see me. The girl I just slept with, cuddled all night, and stayed for breakfast with was being dangled in front of some other man right in front of me. I looked her over, giving nothing about my thoughts away and stayed casual.

I nodded at him. “Alexander.”

“Brent! My man!” He raised his glass at me. “Thanks for the nudge on getting me this beauty.”

Cringe.Don’t express shit, Brent.

Her eyebrow perked at his statement. She was wondering what the hell he was talking about and why I told him to take a shot at her.

“Brent, baby, I’m helpingtheFallon Montgomery. She came to me for help earlier because of that trashy Bradford family legal drama. I figured I should introduce her to some top ten boys to remake her image and induct her into our world. Aren’t I doing so good with helping her?”

“Mhm.” I’m sure she didnotseek out Sloane for help.

“Aaandsince we will all be at the after party, I’m excited to see the budding romance between two powerful families. He’s second and she’s third, and I will be named the matchmaker at their wedding. Ah! It’s all so exciting.”

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